By Jule’ Dunham
Greetings from the World of Real Estate with Julè. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. Thanksgiving not only means being thankful for all that we have and sometimes for what we do not have, but means it time for more Fall maintenance. Make sure to remove and drain any hoses that are still connected and put insulated covers on your exterior faucets to protect them from freezing. If you have a traditional foundation, closing your crawl space vents will help to reduce the cold air under your floors – just don’t forget to open them in the spring. There are thermostatically controlled vents available these days that will open and close mechanically on their own if that appeals to you. Have your heating system (and fireplace if you have one) inspected for proper function and safety.
Clean your gutters-getting the leaves and tree debris out of them not only helps them drain better, but it can also help prevent wood rot. When your gutters are full of leaves and debris they overflow and the leaves hold the water there which gives it time to find any defect in your paint or even get up under your shingles and penetrate the wood setting it up for rotting. Getting the leaves up out of your yard not only makes it look nicer, if you have a lot of leaves, they can kill your grass. Many people recommend mulching your leaves instead of raking because the small mulched leaf pieces will fall below the grass and add nutrients to the soil, HOWEVER, I would like to personally add that if you have as many leaves as I do, even mulched leaves in this quantity can kill your grass. So, if your mulched leaves are taller than your grass, you might want to get rid of the excess.
Check the caulking around your windows, doors and flashings on the roof around vents and roof transitions. Check the seals on your windows and doors – look for damaged or dried and crumbling weatherstripping. If your windows have glazing check to make sure it’s not dried up and crumbling away as well.
Now is a good time to seal up cracks in your driveway and sidewalks. Cracks will let moisture get underneath the pavement and erode the soil beneath which takes support away from the pavement causing more cracks, but during freezing temperatures, any moisture trapped in those cracks and under the pavement freezes and expands causing even more damage.
Well, you have gotten the work done and worked up an appetite. Left over turkey anyone? There is so much to be thankful for this year. Even as crazy as 2020 has been, we have so many blessings to count. Is there someone that you can bless this season, by simply bringing them a meal and a smile? I am sure that a shut in would really appreciate your generosity or an unfortunate child or adult. Share. It will bless your heart as well.
This is Julè Dunham, your local realtor signing off for now. Have a great week.
Remember: Say Hello. Be Kind. Be Friendly. Embrace Life and all that it really offers. Keep Life Simple. Making good relationships is very important to our mental, emotional and physical health. Pay it forward, you will be glad you did.
Should you have a topic you would like addressed, please feel free to contact me.
Here is your local realtor, Julè Dunham, signing off until next week.
Crye-Leike Realtors
Julè Dunham, Affiliate Broker, GRI, SRES, RENE. Contact her by phone at 901-828-8471 (cell) or 901-840-1181 (office) or by email to: [email protected] for an appointment to speak with you, your group or club. “Let’s Make This Happen Together”
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