Fall
If you are living in the North, this season
will provide the most spectacular scenery of the year as
the leaves on the trees turn color with the coming of cooler
outdoor temperatures. Unfortunately, this process is the
first sign that the leaves are dying and will be falling
from the trees very soon (thus the word Fall). In order
to prevent damage to your home in the coming winter the
following precautions should be taken.
- Remove any leaves that have found their
way to the roof of your home. These leaves will eventually
end up in your gutters or cause staining, mold and mildew
on your shingles if left on the roof for long periods
of time. This should be done from the ground or from
a ladder. Use extreme caution when climbing onto a roof!
- Inspect the roof system at this time for
missing or damaged roof vents, shingles and flashing.
Such repairs are warrantable at the time of pre-close
and if verified to have been damaged under normal weather
conditions only. Contact IntegraTech if this is the case
during the contract period. This inspection should be
performed from the ground or from a ladder. Use extreme
caution when climbing onto a roof!
 Clean all leaves and debris from the gutter
system. Run a hose into the gutter and flush out the
downspouts. Make sure there is a good flow free of debris
coming through the discharge point. This will allow proper
drainage and deter the probability of ice damming in
the cold days to come. This should be done from the ground
or from a ladder. Use extreme caution when climbing onto
a roof! - As you are running water through the gutters,
check the entire gutter system for any leaks.
Any areas of gutter leakage will cause icicles
to form on the bottom of the gutter during periods of freezing
temperatures that may cause damage to the gutter, siding,
windows, screens, or any other surface it comes in contact
with. Icicles are also dangerous to humans in the event
of falling from their point of origin. Repair any areas
of leakage. Contact IntegraTech if gutters leak during
the contract period.
Now that you have inspected the gutter system
and any repairs that were made, you can store away the
garden hose for the rest of the year.
- Be sure to Disconnect all hoses from exterior
faucets. Even if your home is equipped with frost-proof
exterior faucets, the hose must be disconnected from
the faucet
to prevent freezing and bursting of water supply pipes
within the structure. This is the responsibility of the
homeowner and the builder is not responsible for any
damage due to bursting water pipes if the hose was not
connected.
Drainage Swales are provided to maintain proper drainage of your lot
and should not be altered if draining properly. Fallen leaves may
act as a dam in these areas causing water to stand in the area for
long periods of time which can seriously damage grass and cause the
soil to become soft and muddy. Any overflowing of the swales may
cause water to stand in the area of the foundation causing hydrostatic
pressure against the foundation walls that may result in water infiltration
of the basement.
- Remove leaves that have built-up in the
drainage swales or drainage areas in the yard especially
near the foundation. Removal of leaves is the responsibility
of the homeowner. Check with your township or municipality
office to find out if there is curbside leave pick-up
or other means of discarding fallen leaves available
to you.
- Check all weatherstripping and seals around
windows and doors for deterioration that will cause the
intrusion of water or excessive drafts. The builder is
responsible to correct such deficiencies one time during
the first year of occupancy. It is the responsibility
of the homeowner to maintain caulking once the condition
has been corrected.
- Check exterior siding for delamination,
splitting, joint separation or deterioration. Contact
IntegraTech if these condition exist during the contract
period. Such deficiencies are the responsibility of the
homeowner after the first year.
- Check the exterior painted and stained
surfaces for deterioration. Contact IntegraTech if deterioration
is observed during the contract period.
- Check the grading around the foundation
for signs of settlement that will cause water to not
drain away from the structure. Fill any areas that have
not settled more that 6” in depth. Contact IntegraTech
if settlement of more than 6” has occurred during
the contract period.
Much like Spring, the Fall season may provide warm temperatures during
the day and cooler temperatures at night and early morning.
- Now is the time to check the furnace to
make sure it will heat properly during the cold winter
days ahead.
Did you remember to change the furnace filter?
- With a clean filter in place, set the
thermostat mode to heat. You may need to raise the temperature
setting slightly higher to allow the furnace to operate.
Open all in line dampers within the system and check
all the registers in the home to make sure warm air is
being distributed throughout.
- Check all visible ductwork for separations
or leaks. Unless otherwise instructed by your builder,
you should contact IntegraTech if you find any problem
with the operation of the system.
- Reset the thermostat to the desired temperature
setting. Set the mode in your thermostat to “auto” to
allow both the heating and cooling operations to maintain
thermal regularity at this time.
- If your home is
equipped with a wood burning stove or fireplace, this
is a good time to check the chimney and flue to make
sure they are free of debris, bird nests, etc. Any obstructions
in these areas will cause the appliance or fireplace
to fill the home with smoke. Cleaning the flue or chimney
is the homeowner’s responsibility after pre-close.
Remember the 3/10 rule for chimney operation
(the top of the chimney must be 3’ higher than any
surface within a distance of 10’ to allow proper
drafting). Contact IntegraTech if there is a concern regarding
the height of the chimney during the contract period.
- Trim any tree branches that are in close
proximity of the chimney. This is the responsibility
of the homeowner after pre-close.
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