[00:00:00] Eric Goranson: It's around the house. Well, we've been talking about the, around the house home maintenance checklist for fall and, uh, cruising through this list so you can make sure and get your house ready for that fall weather. Next one up here on the list is, you know, make sure that all your soft events and other venting systems are clear of debris.

[00:00:23] Eric Goranson: So let's think about how that roof system works. Most people look up and don't think about how the air needs to come in through those soft events. That's that flat part of the roof down there, above the. That, uh, let's air up through there. So there's vents there that goes up, and then it either goes through a ridge vent or roof vent, maybe with a combination of vents on the gable ends.

[00:00:47] Eric Goranson: But that is how you keep ice dams. That is how you keep mold and mildew. That is how you keep all those things from happening inside when it comes to remodeling and renovating your home. There is a lot to [00:01:00] know though. We've got you

[00:01:01] Intro: covered this. On the house.

[00:01:04] Eric Goranson: Welcome to the Around the House Show. This is where we talk everything about your home every single week.

[00:01:10] Eric Goranson: Thanks for joining me today. Well, you know, it's been an interesting fall here across the country. Some places, you know, it's been very cold. Some places it's been very wet and you know, we're no different. Out here in the Pacific Northwest where I'm located now, we have had this summer that has been absolutely amazing.

[00:01:31] Eric Goranson: And it has gone into October. We broke the record already on how many 80 plus days we've had in this October. None of the time in recorded history we had that, and that makes for an interesting fall, but I'm kind of getting ready for. The real fall. I love the cold mornings. I love the, the Christmas of, you know, that crispness of the air.

[00:01:53] Eric Goranson: It is wonderful. It's one of my favorite seasons. And so right now we're kind of getting a little bit of that extended summer, which to me [00:02:00] personally, I'd like to dial back and get into fall, but now that we're kind of getting more serious into fall and we're getting into places across the country that are starting to get snow flurries and have been getting snow flurries for a while, it is time to have this discussion and we are today.

[00:02:15] Eric Goranson: Gonna talk about the around the house home maintenance fall checklist. This is what you should be doing around your home to make sure you are ready for the winter. You know, this is one of those things that every single year, you never wanna miss this, because this is where damage can occur and. We always want to be preventative around the house instead of having to pay much more money to go replace something that if we'd have caught it a year or two earlier, it might have just been okay.

[00:02:44] Eric Goranson: So we're gonna get down into the basics here, and some of this is gonna be for, uh, our more, more Nu Northern folks. And of course we'll have stuff for our Plenty of Southern listeners as well. But for everybody in the north, this one's for. Before freezing weather arrives, remove [00:03:00] the garden hose from the hose bibs drain in store for the winter, and then put those insulation bibs around there.

[00:03:07] Eric Goranson: Now, depending on what you've got, you can get those little foam covers. It just really depends on the type of faucets you have. But here's the key here. If you have that hose hooked up to that exterior faucet, it is going to have a bigger chance of freezing. So the first thing you need to do is just disconnect that.

[00:03:26] Eric Goranson: And that's a key right there. So that's one of the big ones right there to do that and make sure that you've got that drained, ready to go, and you can put 'em away. It just cleans up the outside of the house anyway. Might as well not have those things out there freezing and getting hurt in the winter time.

[00:03:40] Eric Goranson: So that's a big one. If you have an indoor, I mean, if you have an outdoor sprinkler system, of course you don't have an indoor one unless it's for fire. But if you've got that sprinkler system, it's time to drain it or blow it out. Now, uh, sometimes you don't. It's funny, here in [00:04:00] Portland where I'm located, we didn't do that.

[00:04:02] Eric Goranson: We rarely do that here, which we don't really get that cold. But growing up in the, the high desert of eastern Washington and eastern Oregon, that is something you do every year and you hook up the air compressor to it and blew all of that water outta there, so that way it doesn't freeze and blow up pipes because that is how you.

[00:04:23] Eric Goranson: So it doesn't have to happen if you're not in an area that, uh, it doesn't get a deep freeze. I mean, if you're just 32 30, clearly in almost every case you'll be fined. But what happens is, is when you get down to those twenties and teens and you've got a frost line that's gonna bust it up. So, um, Northern States make sure and take care of that.

[00:04:44] Eric Goranson: Now, here's a big one. This is like one of the biggest ones. If you are in an area where winter time is we. Or snowy, you need to clear out the window. Wells, gutters, downspouts, and storm [00:05:00] drains. So I just went through and did mine here last weekend. I got up on the roof. My little secret to doing that is of course, always be safe when you get on the roof.

[00:05:08] Eric Goranson: Follow all the proper safety stuff, you know, make sure, uh, you know, OSHA says if you were working up there, you'd have to be tied off. Not a, not a bad idea to go up there. If you're gonna be doing this every year, getting on your roof, doing maintenance to put in, you know, a fall protection system up there, it's not that big a deal.

[00:05:25] Eric Goranson: And, uh, it could get you from, uh, really getting hurt up there. And it's not that hard to put those rings across the top and have 'em professionally mounted up there. You know and have it put in, and then you can get up on the roof anytime you want with a fall protection system. And guess what? It's gonna keep you a lot safer.

[00:05:43] Eric Goranson: But I get up there and I actually, it may, it's a messy situation, but I get up there with my leaf blower and, uh, my electric leaf blower, and I blow out my gutters from up there. Do I need to get one of those guards, this leaf guard type systems or gutter covers? Absolutely. Uh, it's, it's [00:06:00] on the list. I just haven't done it yet.

[00:06:02] Eric Goranson: So that's on the, uh, Eric g to-do list. My guts definitely have to get cleaned out five or six times a year. They get filled up with junk. I have fur trees all around my property and uh, they drop stuff continuously 365 days a year. So I have to clean those things out. But I've got mine cleaned out and the storm drain system, I'm not talking just like out by the street.

[00:06:25] Eric Goranson: I'm talking about that system when your downspout drops down and goes into that piping system. Now first off, if you've got the downspout landing on the ground next to your home or even garage, this is a DIY project for you. I wanna make sure and see that go into a storm drain system commonly knows as a pipe to go down and run out 10 feet as a minimum away from the house and down.

[00:06:55] Eric Goranson: And, uh, many new homes today. They let they, um, they do that already, but make [00:07:00] sure that that water gets away from that foundation, cuz I can promise you that water will damage the foundation and cause major issues to your foundation if you don't get that taken care of. So make sure you go through there, get it cleaned up, get those things and get that water going away.

[00:07:17] Eric Goranson: And, uh, about six, my experience says 60% of any water in the basement or crawlspace. Is due to gutters and downspouts dropping right next to the foundation. So if you've got some moisture issues in your basement, that is a easy way to go. Now the window wells too, you wanna get that all cleaned out, so that stuff drains.

[00:07:37] Eric Goranson: We're just trying to keep things. Operating as they should. And then here's a big one. Inspect weather. Stripping on windows and doors for fit and condition. Replace as necessary. This is super common. Front doors get a lot of traffic, you know, patio doors sometimes need adjusting. These are all things that you can do to take a look and uh, easy way to do it is to, uh, on a bright [00:08:00] sunny day, go outside and.

[00:08:02] Eric Goranson: Make sure or get some lights and have somebody stand outside and run a light around the outside of the door and see if you can see any of that light coming through. That's how you get the big ones. Of course, you can use on a hot or cold day, you can use the thermal imaging scanner, but if you don't want to go out and get that special tool, A bright light going around the perimeter of a door can do wonders for you and you know something that's gonna save you money.

[00:08:25] Eric Goranson: So it doesn't matter if you're electric, heat, gas, heat, or what. Anytime you can do something that's gonna save you a couple bucks, especially with what electricity and gas is costing us, things are not getting any cheaper. So this is a great way to save some money. Just doing that can save you some serious money out there.

[00:08:44] Eric Goranson: One single unadjusted door. It could be like leaving a window open if you're not careful. So make sure that you've got that dialed in. And then here's the last one on, uh, this segment here we're gonna talk about. Make sure and have that chimney inspected and swept if you didn't do it in the [00:09:00] spring. I like to see that done every single year at least once.

[00:09:04] Eric Goranson: Now, of course, if you're only using a couple times, get it done a couple times a year, but really have that thing taken care of. Maintenance, I don't wanna see a chimney fire or carbon monoxide getting into a, a second story room just because there's a crack in that liner or something. And then also, if you have that inspected, you can make sure that they, uh, everything is sealed up there on the top so it's not leaking in.

[00:09:26] Eric Goranson: And. The roof as well. All right, are we, we back after these important messages with our fall home checklist? We'll do that just as soon as around the house returns.

[00:09:54] Intro: Hey, this is

[00:09:55] Eric Goranson: Jayden, Luke. Singer songwriter from Washington State and I'm going to be [00:10:00] on this coming season of The Voice, so make sure to watch it on NBC as the season premieres Monday, September 19th at 8:00 PM Pacific Time. I'll see you then and thank you so much for the support.

[00:10:11] Intro: Ready Bring you Cause I'm never going home, nobody.

[00:10:20] Intro: Welcome

[00:10:21] Eric Goranson: back to the Around the House Show. Now I gotta give some props so my good friend. And Luke, if you've been watching him on The Voice, he has been owning it. He's the kid that if you saw a 22 year old out of Bothell, I have been working with him on his career since he was about 16, helping him out.

[00:10:40] Eric Goranson: Cuz you know, his dad's a contractor and I used to work with him for years designing kitchens. Now this kid has been all over the news. If you watched The Voice at all, he was the one on there that gave, uh, John Legend a. Uh, just nice little diss and, uh, there's that big side story now going on where, uh, Camila is in love with him [00:11:00] and, uh, there's that little romance going on right there.

[00:11:02] Eric Goranson: Of course, they're not dating, but that's what's going on. It has been fun to watch somebody that I know very well showing up on national tv. And geez, even a clip last week that was on, uh, Jimmy Kim. And, uh, that breaking news. So there is so much going on with him right now. So, uh, if you wanna check that out, you, of course you can watch over.

[00:11:23] Eric Goranson: We'll be posting stuff up as we see it on, uh, the around the House show. But, you know, it's one of those things that we're rooting for the kids. So, uh, go Jayden, Luke, and, uh, got some lot of big things coming out of that, uh, kid's future at 22 years old. Well, we've been talking about the, around the house home maintenance checklist for fall and, uh, cruising through this list so you can make sure and get your house.

[00:11:45] Eric Goranson: For that fall weather. Next one up here on the list is, you know, make sure that all your soft events and other venting systems are clear of debris. So let's think about how that roof system works. Most people look up and don't [00:12:00] think about how the air needs to come in through those soft events, and that's that flat part of the roof down there, above the sighting that, uh, lets air up through there.

[00:12:09] Eric Goranson: So there's vents there that goes up, and then it either goes through a ridge vent or roof fence. Maybe with a combination of vents on the gable ends, but that is how you keep ice dams. That is how you keep mold and mildew. That is how you keep all those things from happening inside. And to be honest, most homes these days, unless they're brand new or poorly vented compared to what they've been.

[00:12:36] Eric Goranson: So a lot of things happen. People will go in there and blow an insulation. They want better if energy efficiency, They block up those vents and you don't have that intake coming through there. And you don't have the exhaust coming out the top. If you just have exhaust coming out the top, you have a hot attic space or you get condensation in there.

[00:12:56] Eric Goranson: And that's something that I wanna make sure that you don't have. So go through there with [00:13:00] a flashlight, make sure that you can see up. And that you've got airflow going up through there and make sure those things are clear. If you need to get up there, have an insulation come in, company, come in there and pull that stuff back, it will work well if you do that and it will save you money in the long run, year round.

[00:13:15] Eric Goranson: So that's an important thing. Make sure you get that pulled back from those vents. Uh, something can happen too if you're up there working. Those are things that, uh, are very simple to do, but could save you some serious money. Now the next one here is if you've got brick or concrete block construction.

[00:13:32] Eric Goranson: Now make sure the bricks and blocks for cracked motor, you know, check those for cracked motor and loose joints. Repair is necessary. You know where I see that a lot is, I see it around fireplaces or front of the home where you've got that brick coming up as that accident strip coming up three or four feet across the front of the house.

[00:13:50] Eric Goranson: What I worry about the most is when we're seeing in basements, when you have that concrete block found. Make sure that you've got that sealed up correctly. And if you've [00:14:00] got big cracks, it's something you want to keep an eye on because if you've got some, uh, settling on the foundation, I want you to make sure and check that because that can become a bigger issue.

[00:14:09] Eric Goranson: Uh, I don't wanna see you just going down there with a caulking. I want you to go down there if you've got those big ones and, and do it correctly. There are some great sealants out there, but really, um, if you get those big cracks, I want to see you go through. Fill 'em in with like cemental or something like that, and we'll have a, you know, another discussion about that, of how to repair that in the future.

[00:14:31] Eric Goranson: Again, I've talked about it in future episode, uh, past episodes. If you just go through and look at it under, uh, foundation repair and that can be done pretty easily, but make sure you got that stuff taken care of. Uh, that will be a big one to keep water from coming in the house or basement, and that'll save you some serious money in the long run.

[00:14:50] Eric Goranson: Now the next one is inspect those painted surfaces for paint failure, water damage, mildew repair, and clean as necessary. I just went around, even though I [00:15:00] painted my house last year, I went around, I went, Oh wow. I got some caulking here I need taken care of. Oh wow. I've got, uh, a place where the wood packers were starting to dive into some house trim.

[00:15:09] Eric Goranson: These are all things that, uh, that you need to go around and make sure you've got it taken care of, especially when we're coming into the winter weather. When you're gonna put that paint through, its. Make sure that you've got that taken care of. And you know something, if you're actually in the south, maybe southern California, Texas, Florida, wherever else you are, it's a great time of year.

[00:15:28] Eric Goranson: We have a little cooler temperatures to be able to go out and do that without baking yourself to death. But that paint is the armor protection for what's underneath it. So you wanna make sure that that's clean and make sure that you get everything cleaned and prepped properly. To do that. When in doubt, always use primer and make sure that you got things cleaned up and, um, mold and mildew on the outside.

[00:15:51] Eric Goranson: Make sure you've got that cleaned up and um, you know, clean it up, get it ready, get it prepped and you'll be good to go. That paint can last a long time, [00:16:00] as long as you maintain it. Um, I've been going around recently and knocking down all the spiders cuz we get here in the woods. Lots of garden spiders up there, so I'm trying to keep them off the house so it doesn't look like I'm fully decorated for h.

[00:16:13] Eric Goranson: But, uh, make sure that's all taken care of. So also inspect all that exterior caulking and replace as necessary when it's this time of temperature outside. You know, I've been starting to use that, uh, the, the stuff from Saco and uh, Not an endorsement here, but it's a product that I like cuz it moves really well.

[00:16:32] Eric Goranson: And take a look at the s saco caulking out there, it's easy to work with. It stretches and uh, they have stuff that's made for, of course, regular sighting. They've got stuff that's actually made. For concrete and stucco that has, uh, sand in it. So it's got that grit so it looks like it's supposed to be there versus going over with a, a caulking over stucco looks really horrible.

[00:16:54] Eric Goranson: See, there is a product out there that will look good. So take a look at things like more flex and stuff all from [00:17:00] Saco. It's a good product to use and I've used that for a long time. I've seen at my Lowe store and other specialty paint stores and you can find it there. It's a good thing to go. Now, here's another one.

[00:17:10] Eric Goranson: Inspect for broken and cracked glass damaged screens, or get your storm windows in and replace. Now I've gotta do some damage on one of my screens. I wanna get that taken care of. Now it's a good time to do it. I'm not using that screen as much so I can take it in the garage and, uh, replace the screen in there.

[00:17:28] Eric Goranson: I had one of the, the puppies last year. Shred it up and I'm gonna get that heavier duty screen material that's a little more pet friendly and put it in there and it'll be good to go. It's a great time to do that while you're doing it and, uh, you can get that knocked out, uh, without having to use those screens all the time.

[00:17:45] Eric Goranson: So that can be really handy. To get that cleaned up. And here's the big one right here. If you've got those older windows like a glazing compound, so you've got those historical wood windows, make sure that that putty is in good shape around there. That stuff [00:18:00] tends to crack out. And if you've gotta relace some windows, you can get the materials for that.

[00:18:04] Eric Goranson: It's really easy to do. Take your time, put some gloves on and knock it out, and, uh, you will be much more sealed up. Those windows, if they're done correctly, are fairly energy e. If they're not leaking air. So that's the key right there. And, uh, make 'em look good and, uh, it will help the rattles as well in the winter time with the winds.

[00:18:26] Eric Goranson: All right, when we come back, we have got more of the home maintenance checklist for fall, just as soon

[00:18:30] Intro: as around the house returns.

[00:18:58] Eric Goranson: Welcome back to the Around The [00:19:00] House Show. If you wanna get ahold of me, there's a lot of different ways to do that. You can head over to around the house online.com and hit the Contact us. That will end up in my inbox or one of my team's inbox. And I will get back to you. I answer every single email out there personally.

[00:19:16] Eric Goranson: So I wanna make sure that you get those questions answered. And if you are stuck on a home improvement project, if you wanna do it there, we can put it in the show. Now, if you wanna share up or get a group view of that, head over to Facebook and look up around the House Show and then join around the House Nation.

[00:19:33] Eric Goranson: That is our group of experts from around the world. We've got people from everywhere. It doesn't matter if you're looking here in the United States, Canada, all of you guys out there that I see in Ireland and England, all of you out there, India, we have so many people out there with their home improvement questions, and we have some of the best of the best in this group.

[00:19:55] Eric Goranson: You can have a world renowned architect in Hdt. [00:20:00] DIY Network or even Magnolia Network TV Star answer you on the right way to do it. It is absolutely fascinating with what our friends do on that, and I thank you all for doing that. That is a great place to be. So head over there to around the House Nation and uh, it's a safe place to share up your project or ask a simple question.

[00:20:19] Eric Goranson: Now we've been talking about our fall maintenance checklist here today, and, uh, let's keep going on this one. Here's a big one. If you are in a northern state that is fairly wet, like me, for instance, inspect that roof for moss or hail damage and treat as necessary, and make sure all you're flashing in pipe jack.

[00:20:42] Eric Goranson: Are good. So when rains and snow come, you don't get those leaks. So let's talk, Let's break that down for a minute. Moss and stuff up there is really bad for the roof. If you get that moss or laken or something like that, maybe your house is shaded from big trees. That stuff is really bad for the roof. Now I am gonna [00:21:00] tell you, you don't want to have somebody come up there and pressure watch it, cuz what happens is if you've got a regular, you know, asphalt composite shingle roof, you will knock off the granules.

[00:21:09] Eric Goranson: And those granules are what protect that roof. So make sure that you clean that roof per the manufacturer's instructions. And yes, each company has their instructions of what to. You can use zinc strips across the top. I use some of the powders and it keeps my roof, which is, you know, on its last 10 years.

[00:21:29] Eric Goranson: Clean and that keeps it from getting torn up by that. If you have wind or uh, hail damage up there, get those things fixed like always, I always recommend having a bundle of two of shingles sitting in the back of the shed. So if you have to pop up and do that quick repair, you'll be good to go. And, uh, that'll keep you.

[00:21:45] Eric Goranson: I have that in some, uh, ice shield ready to go just in case we get some damage. It will stop a lot of sun sins quickly. If you do have damage, you can get that fixed up pretty quickly, so make sure you've got that all taken care of. Pipe jacks. Now, [00:22:00] if you don't know what I'm talking about with that, that is that piece of metal that goes around the vent pipe or even electrical that comes up through the house roof Now, If it's electrical, be careful up there.

[00:22:10] Eric Goranson: Those, those are power lines up there. And, uh, touch those wrong cuz they're bare, those will kill you. So, uh, be very careful working around any power source and that's something that you're not able to turn off. So make sure that you're safe around that. But if you've gotta coming up through the roof of the house.

[00:22:26] Eric Goranson: Those vent pipes, make sure that that rubber seal that goes around that is in good condition. And if it's not, maybe you need to do some repair work on that and get that ready to go because, uh, water can leak down there. It will look like you have a leak in a pipe someplace, cuz it's gonna show up in a bathroom or a kitchen or any place close to that.

[00:22:44] Eric Goranson: And then you're gonna be chasing down a project that's actually on the roof, not inside the house. So it can, uh, tease you a little bit. To go, you know, the wrong way and that I don't wanna see you. Go that in the wrong direction. Now decking, clean off all that decking. Make sure it's ready to [00:23:00] go out there.

[00:23:01] Eric Goranson: You know, if you're in the, uh, hot desert, make sure you got all the dirt and dust off there. I like to make sure and clean in between wood duck boards as well. Get out there, get that cleaned up because if you have dirt sitting in between or leaves or anything like that, sitting between those deck boards on the framing, That's what causes rot and will cause the premature failure of the deck.

[00:23:22] Eric Goranson: So go through and give it a good, a good clean. I dunno if you were listening to the uh, Dr. Deck segment I did here a few weeks ago, we actually went through, I went through on my deck, I have a composite deck. I've got protected down below. I still clean mine off and so I have a very, um, low pressure, pressure washer.

[00:23:40] Eric Goranson: Yeah. They're actually good for something and it's good for cleaning the deck, so I don't do any damage to it if. You got a better pressure washer, just hold it back. Don't have such a crazy tip on it, but you can wash everything off and get it cleaned up that way. Now, if you do have a deck that needs resurfacing, now's not a bad time to [00:24:00] do it, but, uh, you wanna make sure that that thing hasn't had rain on it.

[00:24:03] Eric Goranson: You wanna make sure and follow the manufacturer's directions and give a chance to cure before the rains comes. So, uh, if you've got a nice seventies and 80. Might be a time to resurface that deck and take a look at it. So that's a key right there. Now the other one here is, this is one I'm looking on right now.

[00:24:21] Eric Goranson: Inspect for rodent damage, repair any holes. I was standing there at my little bar the other day here that's in my living room, and you might have seen some pictures up about that. I have this really cool bar, seventies bar in my living room, sitting there making a cocktail. I look out in the little dog area to the side outside of my house.

[00:24:42] Eric Goranson: I see a rat out there. Now I live in the woods. We see wildlife rats are a part of that, but I'm looking at that going, that dude is gonna try to get inside someplace. So if I see him outside, it's something I need to be concerned about and he could get inside if I'm not watching it. So what am I doing [00:25:00] this next weekend?

[00:25:00] Eric Goranson: I'm gonna go around and check every single one of those foundation event. And make sure those things are closed up cuz I don't want that critter in my crawlspace and trying to get up into my house someplace, cuz that's the last thing I need. So stay on top of those roading things. And if you've got a lot of mice and you've got a lot of rats and it's a problem down in your crawlspace sometimes guys, it's better.

[00:25:25] Eric Goranson: I mean, you could fight that battle yourself and it's a lot like Caddy Shack where they can sometimes win. Sometimes it's better to bring the pros. Pay a little bit more and let them bring the big guns in and take care of it, because sometimes that is the easier way. Now, here's another secret for you too.

[00:25:42] Eric Goranson: While you're going around and if you find those holes, those cracks, those kind of things, what you can do is they make some spray foam. I think it's big stuff that makes it, and it is a rodents proof spray foam. I don't know if it's got cayenne pepper in it or what, but it is made so if rodents [00:26:00] eat on it, they do not like it.

[00:26:02] Eric Goranson: So if you've got those, uh, you know, where the cable guy made a big hole, or if you have it where the H V A C people have a big hole where those lines are going through the house, this stuff works well, and those rodents and pests don't eat through this. So it is a great barrier for stopping that. And, uh, that stuff works pretty good.

[00:26:20] Eric Goranson: But, uh, like all spray foams, wear the gloves with the eye production. That stuff's nasty. And the last thing you want is all over you, your hands or the side of the house. So that's a big one right there. Now, inspecting the gutters and down spots we talked about, but make sure they're draining correctly.

[00:26:38] Eric Goranson: You know, if they go into the street, sometimes I lived in a house where that went out and it went out to the street. I would go up in the gutter and use one of my quick grip clamps. I would put that on the, put the hose, crimp it to the gutter, hold it there, turn the water on, and I'd go out in the street and make sure that's draining, correct.[00:27:00]

[00:27:00] Eric Goranson: Because I had a problem like that. You know what I was doing is it was plugged by some roots in there and the builder had attached the low point drain in the crawlspace to that. Well, that's great if it's all draining correctly. But if it's not, I was loading up water, roof water into my crawlspace cuz it was back flowing up into that.

[00:27:21] Eric Goranson: So make sure you test that. Wherever that's coming out now my house now goes into a storm drain system. It goes into dry wells. I can't visibly, visibly check that. So how we have to do that is every five years. I recommend you go out there. And get, uh, that scoped or go down and rent one of the sewer scopes.

[00:27:39] Eric Goranson: Make sure that it's going and you might have to air jet that thing out with water and, uh, clean that thing up so you're good to go. Cuz that can be an issue if you're, if you're not having that drain, you don't wanna see those gutters overflow that will cause water damage to the outside of your house or inside the house.

[00:27:55] Eric Goranson: And so that's a big. Now, last one, before we go out to break exterior cameras, [00:28:00] get that Windex out and clean all of your camera systems for your security. Get those things cleaned up, get all the spiderwebs out of 'em, give them a good wipe down and clean that way since we're getting into the fall and uh, porch robbery season as I call it.

[00:28:13] Eric Goranson: We wanna make sure that you are set to go. All right guys, we'll wrap up this fall checklist just as soon as around the house returns.

[00:28:49] Eric Goranson: Welcome back to the Around The House Show. This is our home improvement source for you every single week so you can be a better caretaker for your home. Doesn't matter if you're a [00:29:00] homeowner or contractor. We're here to give you some great advice to help save you some money, whether you want to do it yourself or hire it yourself.

[00:29:07] Eric Goranson: We've got the answers for. Now I have one favor to ask you out there. If you get a chance, if you're following us or listening to us on the podcast, make sure you follow. We'd love some great reviews on it. It's been a while since I've asked for reviews, but, uh, great reviews help us and, uh, please share this with a friend as well.

[00:29:25] Eric Goranson: But, uh, really hit that subscribe button, especially if you're on a desktop and you're listening to me right now on, uh, iTunes. Hit that subscribe button and, uh, that does help us stay up on the charts and the more people listen. Uh, the more we can get information out to everybody so we can help. And if you've got that friend as well that might need some help, turn 'em onto the show.

[00:29:47] Eric Goranson: I would appreciate it. And you know something, you'll look like the smartest person in the room anyway. Well, we've been talking about my fall maintenance checklist here, that we've done this for years. This was actually handed down to me from the previous host of Around the [00:30:00] House. So this, uh, list is at least 20 years old and growing.

[00:30:05] Eric Goranson: Which is great. So let's take it inside a little bit. We just kind of tacked in the last three segments outside. Let's dive into the inside for a minute now. Make sure you have that furnace or AC serviced by a licensed professional. If you're in Minneapolis, it's time to make sure that that furnace is going.

[00:30:24] Eric Goranson: If you're in Texas time to make sure that furnace and AC is going because you could have both of those run on this season. And you know something? I will tell you what, every single time I have been burned by an H V A C system that let me down, it was because I didn't get my maintenance done. And it would've been something that people would've caught if they'd have been looking at that thing every year.

[00:30:48] Eric Goranson: So with the way gas prices for natural gas are and electricity prices, You could be better off having 'em come in, get that thing adjusted, especially gas, they can adjust that. It saved [00:31:00] me some money by going through there and getting that thing fine tuned. It's kinda like tuning up a carburetor on a car, get that thing fine tuned so you get the most heat out of it and the most efficient use of that gas.

[00:31:10] Eric Goranson: And it's a good thing to have that cleaned out and ready to go. So that will end up having a healthier home. And of course, get those furnace filters changed while you're doing that. And, uh, make sure that you are ready to go for winter time, whether it's. Heat kick it on and you're trying to get yourself warm or the ac trying to keep it down out there as well.

[00:31:29] Eric Goranson: Now, remove the hair from drains, sinks, tubs, showers. Do not use drain cleaner. I'm sorry, I do not like the chemical drain cleaners. If it's an enzyme one, I'm okay with that. But, uh, the, the draino type products out. Um, uh, they're just bad for your, your system. I mean, if you've got metal to chew it up, plastic, it's not greed for, I, I do, don't say use those at all.

[00:31:55] Eric Goranson: Now, if you're gonna do some treatment to your main sewer line or something, that's a different story. But you're not using acids for those [00:32:00] anyway, or caustic stuff. So you wanna make sure and go that direction. So get it cleaned out. It's not something you're doing for fall, it's just something you should do on a, on a, you know, every four to six month thing.

[00:32:11] Eric Goranson: So, uh, go around. It's nasty. Nobody likes doing. But it's a good time to do it. Now, here's the big one here that you need to check on. Insulate the pipes in the unheated garages, ATS and crawlspaces. This can be a great one. And here's another thing. If you're down in that crawlspace or basement, go out and spend 20 bucks on insulation if you have those hot water pipes, expos.

[00:32:38] Eric Goranson: You know when you turn that water on in the kitchen sink or maybe the master bathroom, you turn in the shower and you gotta wait like two minutes for the hot water to get there. Why not insulate that and make it so it doesn't lose the heat so bad? Maybe it's only a minute instead of two, maybe you don't get that temperature drop as much because it stays warmer in that pipe.

[00:32:56] Eric Goranson: So, uh, save yourself some water, save your some, sell some [00:33:00] electricity or some gas. Let's put some money back in your pocket this time of year when things are getting so expensive. That's another quick little tip by putting in some insulation that can save you some serious money. In the long term. And, uh, I did that when I had, uh, some drywall work open in my kitchen.

[00:33:16] Eric Goranson: I insulated all the pipes up there and it definitely made a difference on getting warmer water to that. And I have less of a temperature drop from point A, which is my water heater to point B, which is whatever the faucet or dishwasher, whatever's using it. Now, another one here is good test all your smoke detectors.

[00:33:33] Eric Goranson: You should be doing this monthly. Nobody does, but make sure you test them. And, uh, there are some great smoke detectors out there. There's some new smart one. And I like those because you can see what's working, what's not, and uh, you get a status update on your phone whether that thing's working correctly.

[00:33:51] Eric Goranson: So, uh, I'm a big fan of that. Uh, and you could also tell when there's fire, carbon monoxide, that kind of stuff before it happens cuz it'll warn you, Hey, I'm starting [00:34:00] to notice some smoke and you can maybe get on it before things get outta control. Cuz many times for the time that smoke detector's going.

[00:34:07] Eric Goranson: You have a full on fire and you gotta take care of stuff. So that's a good one there. Here's another one that always gets missed, and it's one of my hot fall winter questions that I always get every year, but test all those G F C I outlets. They recommend you do those monthly. Nobody does. I don't. You don't.

[00:34:26] Eric Goranson: Nobody goes around and does it, but make sure you get those things tested. Now, ironically, during Christmas light season, I'm sorry. If you're putting Christmas lights up right now and it's before Thanksgiving, shame on you. I'm gonna shame you on that one. I'm a, I'm a purist. Don't put those up unless you've got bad weather out there.

[00:34:44] Eric Goranson: I, you could put 'em up. Just don't plug 'em in till Thanksgiving ish. But, uh, that's my personal belief. But really, if you've got those GFCs, that is my number one question over the holidays. Oh my gosh, my Christmas lights don't work. What [00:35:00] do I do? The outlet's. 95% of the time there is a G F C outlet someplace behind the beer fridge in the garage.

[00:35:09] Eric Goranson: It's the one in the bathroom you don't use. Maybe it's the one in the powder room. That thing is the one that is kicking off your Christmas lights, cuz maybe you've got a short, or maybe you've got it loaded up cuz you've got some old school lights out there. That is the number one cause of your Christmas light's not working right.

[00:35:24] Eric Goranson: So, uh, when in doubt those things look bad, get 'em changed out and uh, you know, get it swapped out. It's a pretty easy DIY project. And of course, always turn the power off before messing with those things and test that the power is off before you touch 'em. I do wanna go back and hit one thing on the smoke detector that I forgot to mention out there.

[00:35:44] Eric Goranson: This is all stuff that, uh, is important. Smoke detectors have a 10 year lifespan, like milk in your fridge. After 10 years, you should replace that. So when you have the cover off, look at the manufacturer date and if it's been a decade, [00:36:00] time to change some newer technologies. So that's a little good DIY project and I will give you a hint right here for this if you are unable to get up.

[00:36:10] Eric Goranson: Because you have an, uh, an ability issue to get up there and do it, or if you're elderly or it's dangerous. I bet if you call your local fire station and explain to them that you're having a problem, I'm sure you're gonna get some nice firemen or woman out there with a ladder that's gonna help you get that taken care of.

[00:36:32] Eric Goranson: So there's a tip right there. Lean on your fire department. I would call and say, Hey, when you guys get a moment, could you come by and help me with. I bet you that they're gonna come over and help you out with that. I know my fire department well, and I've had many that will do that as part of just a community service because they wanna make sure that you are safe out there, and that is something that I think is super important.

[00:36:56] Eric Goranson: So make sure you stay on those things. Now here's another one [00:37:00] here. Make sure that you inspect the food areas and under sink areas for ice rod and damage, patch and treat is necessary. You can also get little pests and bugs in those things like flour that you haven't used, rice you haven't used, and keep an eye out for that stuff.

[00:37:18] Eric Goranson: When you get into the flower, you get into the rice. If you don't have those things sealed up or you just got the bag rolled up or the box half open because you can get those little. Little worms and stuff in there, and it's gross. Then you gotta go through and throw everything away in the pantry and make sure that you're not getting your extra protein with that.

[00:37:35] Eric Goranson: So that's another one. Make sure you're doing that. And then another one here too, is lighting. Make sure that you've got all your lighting working. Again, walk around the house and expect, inspect it inside, outside. If you've got old bulbs, maybe put in some good LEDs and all that stuff. And then the last 20 here, I wanna talk.

[00:37:53] Eric Goranson: You go down in that crawlspace or basement, look for cracks, look for water damage, and if you've got [00:38:00] cracks, make some notes. Take some pictures, draw a line across it. See if things are moving. This way you can document things getting worse because you wanna sit there and notice it. Pull boxes away from the wall.

[00:38:12] Eric Goranson: You could have mold growing behind them. And also test the humidity in your basement if it's over 60%. It's time to get a good dehumidifier and I don't recommend the little portable ones where you have to drain them. Get something that's got a pump that'll drain and you could put it in permanently and have it on a thermostat.

[00:38:28] Eric Goranson: So when it needs to come on, it comes on. It will save you money in the long run and uh, it'll keep that a much more usable space down there in the summertime. It'll save you money cuz you're not taking that humidity out of the air. And that's the key. All right, everybody, if you want a copy of this list.

[00:38:46] Eric Goranson: I wanna say, hit me up over on Facebook and, uh, hit the contact us page, uh, actually over on our website, around the house online.com if you do that right there and hit that, say. Eric [00:39:00] Gee, I want to get a copy of that. I will email this back in a PDF form for you so you can go around and hit this list by yourself.

[00:39:07] Eric Goranson: Right everybody. Time to get outta here. Thanks for listening to Around the House

[00:39:10] Intro: We'll see you next time.