The kids are back in school can you might be considering doing some home improvements before winter sets in. A lot of homeowners work on home improvement projects in the spring and summer and this can increase the price of many materials. By doing these things in the fall, you may actually be saving quite a bit of money. However, you want to check prices from several home improvement stores and of course, ask if your local, hometown home improvement store can offer special discounts or match big box store prices.

Here are six fall home-improvement updates to consider on your Portland home.home improvement updates

#1. Evaluate your roof.

Now is the perfect time to check for leaks, check the integrity and make sure the roof is up to par and ready for winter. It's going to start raining more and more and we may get the chance of snow at some point during the winter. Check out any deterioration on shingles, mold, too much boss or missing composition roof pieces.

#2. Check the seal around windows, siding, doors and trim.

Before the rain really starts to come down you want to check the caulking and the seal around windows, doors and siding. Make sure that there are no plants or vines that are inching their way up into your siding, causing splitting and mold to grow. Check the seals and door jams around doors and windows for no cold air flow increasing the energy efficiency of your home.

#3. Secure railings and decking.

Now is a good time to replace any text lots railings that might be failing, loose or falling apart. You don't want anyone slipping on your front porch or stairs and crashing through the railing on a wet day.

#4. Clean the gutters.

Before all of the leaves start to fall, clean out those gutters well so the rain can go through them easy. You may have to do this a couple of times over the fall, especially if you live underneath a lot of trees that will lose their leaves.

#5. Clean up the landscaping.

"As deciduous trees and shrubs start to lose their leaves things will get muddy, wet and messy. Try to keep things organized by raking away any dead leaves, cleaning up mulch, and emphasizing the evergreens that are going to sustain your landscaping through the fall and winter." - Lineage Tree Care

#6. Ask your home improvement store about any discounts on materials.

This might be a great time to consider a major remodel or update so check with your home improvement store on specials or discounts this time of year. If they have great deals on appliances, it might be the perfect time to update your appliances. If decking and siding are on sale, this might be a great time to repair or replace that deck.

If you're considering setting up your home for sale, contact our office today to get some tricks and tips about what home improvement projects will really increase the value of your home and what to stay away from.