Fall Back: Your November Home Maintenance Reminder

On Sunday, November 1, we get that glorious little gift known as an extra hour of sleep.

Before you get too excited, we’re going to give you a few chores.

When you turn your clocks back, use it as your reminder to give the house a quick once-over before Kansas City winter arrives.

Don’t worry. We’re not suggesting you spend your bonus hour working.

Change the Clocks. Check the House.

While you’re wandering around resetting clocks, take a few minutes to check:

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Test them and replace batteries as needed. Finding out they don’t work at 2 a.m. is not the preferred testing method.
• Weather stripping: Feel a draft around your doors or see daylight? Your furnace probably feels it too.
• Doors: Check for sticking doors, loose hinges, wobbly handles and doors that don’t latch properly.
• Caulking: Look around windows, tubs, showers and sinks for cracks, gaps or peeling caulk. Water has an annoying talent for finding tiny openings.
• Walls and trim: Notice drywall cracks, damaged baseboards or other little repairs you’ve been ignoring? Add them to the list.

Your Five-Minute Fall Checklist

☐ Turn the clocks back
☐ Test smoke and CO detectors
☐ Check doors and weather stripping
☐ Inspect caulking
☐ Look for drywall, trim and other small repairs

That’s it.

You don’t have to spend your entire weekend fixing everything you find. The important part is catching small problems before winter turns them into bigger, more expensive ones.

And if your five-minute inspection somehow produces a two-page to-do list, don’t panic.

Handyman Connection of Shawnee can help.

We’ll tackle the repairs.

You keep the extra hour.

Call us today at 913-624-9200. We can help!