Back to School: Back to a Schedule and Time to Reclaim and Restore Your Luxury Custom Home from a Carefree Summer

Come September, families of all types seem to be ready to reestablish a schedule, whether it be school based or just a return to normalcy after summer fever concludes. Families with school-aged kids typically use summer as a time to relax in all areas, including routines and rules. Come Labor Day, everyone could do with a refresher in organization, including your custom home that was so lovingly planned to provide specific living solutions for your needs. Yet it’s not just the interior that needs some cleanup attention: there are some exterior concerns best addressed before the quick transition to a Wisconsin winter.

The checklist for Wisconsin homeowners can appear daunting during preparation for the colder months, yet making a checklist this time of year allows for a seamless transition, preventing any unwelcome surprises. This checklist should be helpful to all homeowners, even those with newly constructed luxury custom built homes, especially to protect the investment. Some specific areas that should be considered or addressed upon need include:

• The chimney: has it been cleaned in the past year? Particularly important if it has been heavily used and enjoyed.
• A fresh clean supply of wood: wood should be dry when it is burned.
• Gutters: so easily clogged throughout the year, and improper drainage brings a host of problems. This should be addressed regularly throughout the year, but late fall is clearly a priority for end of season tree-shedding debris. Downspouts should also be cleared.
• The heating system should be checked, along with vents and filters, to ensure efficiency and prevent quality of the home’s air.
• All screens should be removed, cleaned and repaired (in preparation for a stress-free spring transition). Getting storm windows on in a timely fashion will help insulation and reduce heating costs.
• Any crawl spaces in the home should be checked for cracks and possible entry from critters looking to nest during the winter months.

A few other exterior home concerns that should be addressed this autumn, if relevant, include:

• Schedule trimming for trees and bushes, so that no foliage is touching the home.
• Clean patio furniture and grill prior to storing so it is ready for enjoyment next spring. Any planters and exterior decorations susceptible to winter damage should also be properly cleaned and stored.
• Examine the health of the decks, seal if necessary.
• Protect your landscaping investment with precautionary mulching for plantings that may suffer when temperatures fall, in addition to preparing garden beds for next spring.

Autumn in Wisconsin is one of the best times to enjoy your new custom-built dream home, and preparing for fall cleanup and winter maintenance in advance of the impending holiday distractions is the best way to ensure proper maintenance and keep unnecessary emergency situations from occurring.