Tuesday, September 22 is the Autumn Equinox, the first official day of the new season. (As we are sure you will understand, along with all of our friends and customers in Cleveland, being roofers we sincerely prefer to say “autumn” rather than “fall.”) When the wind starts to blow more briskly, it’s time to get out your sweaters. This is also a really good time to tackle some home maintenance chores before winter sets in.
Maintain Balance
On the equinox, whether you are talking about the one in the spring or the autumnal one that occurs this month, light and dark are in balance. As the Old Farmer’s Almanac explains, “The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, “night.” On the equinox, day and night are roughly equal in length.”
From now until the winter solstice (which occurs on Monday, December 21 this year), the days will get progressively shorter and the nights longer. Before you know it, it will be dark before you get done with work and the cold air will turn your unprotected hands red and stiff. In other words, if you have maintenance chores to do around the house – especially chores outside in your yard or around the house, you might want to think about getting busy.
Your Autumn To Do List
The home experts at Porch have put together a handy list of chores to tackle in September. Among their recommendations are:
- Repairing the siding on the exterior of your home, if needed
- Cleaning the fireplace and stocking up on wood and kindling
- Checking the attic and basement for leaking air, which could contribute to skyrocketing heating bills this winter
- Testing your smoke alarm and changing the batteries, if you have a model that uses them. If you have a carbon monoxide detector, the beginning of Autumn is a good time to check it, too.
- And you should add inspecting your fire extinguishers to the list of routine safety checks. (You do have a fire extinguisher, right?)
And, of course, the task we consider essential:
- Clearing the leaves from your roof and gutters.
If you need help preparing your roof for winter, or if you have concerns about the ability of your residential or commercial roofing to withstand Cleveland’s harsh winter weather, please call 440-516-7546.