MERRILLVILLE, IN…
For the many people who live in a climate with four seasons, fall can mean any number of things. Football. Foliage. Frost. And the one “f” homeowners dread most, fixing up your home in preparation for winter. DirectBuy, the home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, has some suggestions for the top of your to-do list this fall.
“From a home improvement standpoint, fall projects really are about getting ready for winter, namely making your home more energy efficient and thereby cost-effective,” said Sara Butler of DirectBuy. “Ideally, you would replace furnaces, windows and other higher ticket items but that’s not always realistic. There are some things you can do in the interim to improve efficiency.”
For starters:
Furnace – Test your heating system now before you actually need to turn the heat on in the house. If there’s a problem, get your furnace serviced now before it gets cold and other people have the same idea. Be sure to replace the filter on your furnace prior to turning on the heat in the fall. Filters come in a number of different makes—30, 60, and 90-day, as well as ones you don’t replace but occasionally clean. It’s important to know which type you have in your home if you’re considering changing these yourself.
Weather stripping – You’ll find weather stripping around most doors and windows. The elements can do a number on weather stripping over time and you’ll want to do a quick inspection in the fall to determine if any stripping needs to be replaced before the cold weather hits. Your local hardware store should carry replacement stripping that you can use to replace any deteriorating sections.
Winterize your hose bib – The hose bib is the part of the outdoor faucet where you attach the hose. If you do not turn off the outdoor water source from the inside of your home, you run the risk of the pipe leading to the hose bib freezing and bursting—even if it’s only been for a few days of sub-freezing temperatures. So, be sure to turn that water source off before the frost begins.
Painting – Fall is also a great time to paint, both indoors and out. As long as it’s not too cold or, obviously, raining, paint goes on and dries better in the fall. If you’re painting the outside of your house, paint actually has a sealant quality. So, in addition to giving your exterior a fresh look, you’re also preparing it for elements associated with winter.
“The beauty of most fall projects is that, for the most part, they are not huge undertakings but the benefits can be plentiful. The key is planning and prioritizing what’s important to your home and your household,” said Butler. “By simply creating a small checklist of projects you want to do this fall, you can still make a difference in your home without overwhelming yourself.”.
DirectBuy offers everything you need for your fall fix-up projects—windows, water heaters, insulations, ladders, you name it—at wholesale prices direct from the manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. In addition, DirectBuy also employs product specialists and designers, so if a fall fix-up project is a bit aboveyour skill level or you don’t have the time, you have professionals at your service who can get the job done and help get your home ready for the winter months.
For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can visit http://www.directbuycares.com.
For more than 38 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.
Anyone can refer friends and family to DirectBuy and earn big rewards in the process. Visit refer.directbuy.com today for all the details.
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