Fall is coming up just around the corner, so it’s time to tackle those seasonal home maintenance tasks. Here are the top 8 home maintenance tasks to take care of this fall.

1. Change your filters – Change the filters for your HVAC system. Clogged filters restrict airflow, causing your HVAC system to work harder. This adds to wear and tear on your system and uses more energy which costs you more money on your utility bill. If you haven’t changed your filter lately, now is the time. It’s ideal to change your filters bi-monthly unless you have pets or people with asthma and allergies in your home, then change them monthly.

2. Change batteries – Test and change batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Batteries should be changed once a year and units should be tested at least seasonally (better to test monthly). Changing the batteries is best done in the fall so you go into your heating season with fresh batteries in all of your detectors.

3. Drain outdoor faucets – Prevent burst pipes outdoors by draining and storing away hoses and shutting off the water to your outdoor water spigots. Make sure you drain out any water to prevent dangerous freeze-ups.

4. Clean gutters – Gutters can easily become clogged up with debris. Clogged gutters can result in leaks that damage both the exterior and interior of your home. Keep gutters free and clear of debris so water can flow properly and protect your home as intended.

5. Seal driveway cracks – Cold weather can make driveway cracks worse. Before that cold weather hits, use a concrete crack sealer to seal cracks in your driveway to keep those cracks from growing and spreading across your driveway.

6. Fertilize your lawn – Want a lush and green lawn come spring? The time to fertilize your lawn is in the fall. Getting the fertilizer down now helps it nourish your lawn over the cold season to help it grow back lush and green in the spring.

7. Protect outdoor furniture – This is especially important if any fall hurricanes or tropical storms hit the area. Your outdoor furniture can become dangerous flying projectiles or can get damaged by the extreme weather. It’s best to store your outdoor furniture in a garage or shed, if possible. If not, using waterproof furniture covers can at least protect it from the elements. Note: for tropical storms and hurricanes, always bring furniture inside until the storm passes.

8. Check for heat loss – Check around windows and doors for signs of heat loss. Apply new weather stripping around doors to ensure an air-tight seal. Caulk around windows, if needed, to keep warm air in and cold air out. The U.S. Dept of Energy estimates that 25-30% of winter heat loss happens through windows.

Fall is coming up quick. Prepare your home and property for the upcoming fall and winter season with these 8 key home maintenance tasks.

Like with children, there are a number of things in and around your home that can spell danger for your pet. Some of the most common issues for pets in the home is ingesting small items or dangerous items, including plants. Here are a few of the top household dangers for your pet:

• Medications (OTC and RX)
• Household cleaners
• Batteries
• Insecticides
• Antifreeze
• Plant food/fertilizers
• Rat poison
• Razors or sharp objects
• Exposed electrical cords
• String or tooth floss
• Rubberbands
• Tobacco
• Mothballs
• Corded blinds
• Plants

The most dangerous room in your home for your pets is the kitchen where they can get into the trash and into cabinets with toxic cleaners and supplies, broken glass and food waste that could be hazardous to their health. If possible, it’s best to keep your pet out of the kitchen with an installed baby gate to avoid these dangers. Also keep cords from blinds up away from your pet’s reach and keep electrical cords secured behind furniture or up off the floor. If your pet does try to chew electrical cords, using a taste deterrent such as Bitter Apple Spray should help.

A Special Note About Plants and Your Pet

Household plants can present a particular hazard to your pet. Many pets chew and ingest pieces of household plants. There are many plants that are toxic to your pet such as yew, lilies, tulips, marijuana, oleander, rhododendron, azalea, castor bean, English ivy, autumn crocus, chrysanthemum, peace lilies, cyclamen, kalanchoe, pothos, amaryllis and sago plants/palms. While all can cause significant illness, kidney or liver failure and other serious medical issues for your pet, of particular concern are sago plants/palms.

Sago palms are highly toxic to both dogs and cats, particularly the seeds/nuts but all parts of this plant can be deadly. These plants are very common in South Carolina both outdoors and indoors. The main toxin in these plants, cycasin, can cause increased drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody gums, blood in stools, bloody noses, blood clotting issues, lethargy, muscle tremors, circling, paralysis, seizures, coma, liver failure and death. For the health and safety of your pet, it’s best not to take chances with this plant and avoid having sago palms in your home or yard. Other names for the sago palm include coontie palm, cycades or cardboard palm.

Pets are a part of our families and it’s important to protect them from dangers in our homes. Some dangers are easier than others to protect them from. For example, avoiding having poisonous plants in your home is easy. Keeping them away from electrical cords can be tougher but having an awareness of the dangers in your home can go a long way in protecting your precious furry family member.

The Farm at Carolina Forest is a D.R. Horton natural gas community located off of Carolina Forest Blvd. in the community of Carolina Forest. Carolina Forest is situated between the cities of Myrtle Beach and Conway in South Carolina. The Farm is a mixed development including single family homes, townhomes and condominiums and one of the largest in Carolina Forest. The Farm offers many amenities, including one of the largest pools in the Grand Strand (8,000 square feet!), the big red barn clubhouse, lakes, gazebos, basketball court, fitness center, walking and bike trails, playground, dog facilities, a kiddie pool and a second pool overlooking a lake with a covered deck area.

Single family homes in The Farm range from 1,200 to 4,000 square feet in size with three to seven bedrooms. With over a dozen floor plans to choose from and many custom options, there is a home that’s just right for everyone in The Farm. Some homes feature open floor plans, first floor master suites, hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, granite countertops, vaulted and tray ceilings, screened porches, Carolina rooms and finished bonus rooms. Many of the single family homes back up to one of the many lakes in the community or the nearby protected wetlands. Prices for single family homes range from the mid-$100,000s to $400,000.

In addition to single family homes, The Farm also offers townhomes and condominiums. The Orchards is the townhome division of The Farm and features 180 townhomes, two to three bedroom floor plans available. Townhomes range from 1,000 to 1,700 square feet and many come with detached garages. Pricing on townhomes in The Orchards starts in the low $100,000s. Planter’s Point is the condominium division of The Farm and features two and three bedroom condo homes with garages and large master bedrooms. Condos in Planter’s Point range in price from $80,000 to $180,000.

This community prides itself on the friendly neighborhood atmosphere and cozy farm and barn theme. The Farm is only five miles away from the beach and is close to Highway 31, Highway 17, International Drive and downtown via Robert Grissom Parkway.

When you’re ready to buy your home in The Farm at Carolina Forest, who you choose for your home inspection matters! Call Bridgewater Home Watch for your thorough and complete new home inspection at 843-903-HOME (4663).

Childproofing your home is an on-going process as your little one grows from a crawling baby to a toddling toddler. There are often overlooked hazards in your home that can cause serious injury. In fact, household injuries are one of the top reasons children aged 3 and under are seen in the emergency department. So what can you do to help prevent your child from being injured in your home? We have some tips for you.

1. Go room by room to look for potential hazards to remedy. When you try to address the entire house at once, you could overlook crucial details that will keep your child safe.

2. Invest in safety locks, safety knobs, baby gates and outlet covers. At the most basic, you want to have a way to block rooms you don’t want your child playing in, like the kitchen. And you want to have safety locks on cabinets, safety knobs on doors and outlet covers in all electrical outlets.

3. Hide or buy covers for power strips. If you have powerstrips, try to hide them behind heavy furniture whenever possible. When not possible, you can buy a powerstrip cover to prevent your child from sticking things in the holes and risking electrocution.

4. Mount your TV to the wall. Falling TVs account for a number of childhood injuries. If you can, mount your TV up on the wall where your child can’t tip it over onto themselves.

5. Mount furniture to the wall. Look for easy to tip furniture and use brackets to mount it to the wall should your child climb on it. Things like bookshelves, TV stands and dressers are prime pieces of furniture to mount to the wall.

6. Invest in cordless window blinds to avoid strangulation hazards.

7. Keep cleaning supplies and toiletries in high cabinets with locks on them.

8. Install corner protectors on tables and sharp corners. Make sure any glass in your tables or furniture is tempered glass. Non-tempered glass shatters easily and can result in serious cuts. While we’re on the subject of glass, keep picture frames out of your child’s reach by displaying them up high on a mantle or hanging them on the wall. Even on carpeted floors, kids can break the glass in picture frames and cut themselves.

9. Keep the toilet lid closed at all times and use a baby gate to keep your child out of the bathroom when you aren’t able to accompany them. It only takes a few inches of water in a toilet or a bathtub to result in a drowning incident.

10. Install a faucet cover on the bathtub faucet to reduce the likelihood of burns and scalds from hot water or hot metal.

So much goes into childproofing your home properly. Going room by room and addressing every hazard in each room can help you catch all of the little details you want to address and ways you need to protect your child in the home. As a general rule, if your child could possibly choke on it, be choked with it, break it or be cut with it, you want to make sure you address the safety needs for that object from putting candles up high to investing in cordless blinds.

The Cresswinds is a 55+ community in Myrtle Beach, located near the urban village of The Market Common. This active adult community offers a plethora of activities and amenities. The homes are two or three bedroom homes priced between $250,000 and $350,000. These luxury homes feature granite countertops, hardwood floors, GE appliances, crown molding, designer cabinets, old fashioned front porches and more. Where to Retire Magazine listed The Cresswinds of Myrtle Beach as one of the Top 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States.

The Cresswinds Amenities

The resort-style amenities are part of what makes this 55+ community stand head and shoulders above the crowd. The community houses a 12,000+ square foot clubhouse including a ballroom, spa and state-of-the-art fitness center. The community features a large luxury swimming pool, 5-acre park with nature trails for long, leisurely walks, tennis courts and courts for horseshoes, bocce ball and pickle. The community offers outdoor entertaining areas with outdoor fireplaces, grilling areas and an outdoor amphitheater and event lawn for live music performances. If that’s not enough, the beach is just a short bike ride or golf cart ride away.

The Cresswinds is close to golf, fishing, dining, boating, kayaking, the beach and The Market Common parks and recreational areas. Group activities include yoga, water aerobics, happy hours, movie nights, quilting classes, painting classes, card games, cooking demonstrations and more. The Cresswinds offers a full activity calendar so you always have something fun and interesting to do as part of your active lifestyle.

When you’re ready to buy your home in The Cresswinds, call Bridgewater Homewatch for your thorough and professional home inspection. Whether pre-owned or new build, Bridgewater Homewatch will provide you with a detailed inspection report, including thermal imaging at no extra cost to you. Have questions? Give us a call at 843.903.HOME!