As the leaves begin to change and cooler temperatures settle in, fall is the perfect time to give your home a little extra attention. A few simple maintenance tasks now can help prevent costly repairs, improve energy efficiency, and ensure your home is ready for the winter months ahead.
Use this checklist to make sure your home is prepared before the first snowfall arrives!
Exterior of Your Home
Clean your gutters and downspouts: Remove leaves, debris, and buildup to ensure rain and melting snow can drain properly. Check that downspouts direct water away from your home's foundation.
Inspect your roof: Look for missing, damaged, or lifted shingles and check for signs of leaks. If you notice anything concerning, consider having a professional take a closer look.
Check windows and doors: Inspect the caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors. Replacing damaged or worn seals can help prevent drafts and keep warm air inside.
Disconnect exterior hoses: Remove garden hoses, drain them, and store them indoors. Leaving hoses connected during freezing temperatures can potentially damage outdoor faucets and pipes.
Winterize outdoor faucets: Shut off exterior water supplies if applicable and drain the lines according to your home's setup.
Heating & Indoor Systems
Book your furnace maintenance: Have your heating system inspected and serviced before you need it. This is also a good time to replace your furnace filter.Test your thermostat: Turn on your heating system before the really cold weather arrives to make sure everything is working properly.
Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Test all alarms and replace batteries as needed. Make sure you have working detectors on every required level of your home.
Check your fireplace and chimney: If you have a wood-burning fireplace, consider having your chimney inspected and cleaned if needed before using it regularly.
Check for drafts: Walk around your home and feel for cold air around windows, doors, outlets, and other potential trouble spots.
Yard & Outdoor Spaces
Clean up leaves and debris: Regularly remove leaves from your lawn, gardens, walkways, and around your home's foundation.Trim trees and branches: Look for dead or weak branches, particularly those close to your home, roof, driveway, and power lines.
Prepare your garden for winter: Remove annual plants, clean up garden beds, and protect any plants that need extra care during colder temperatures.
Store outdoor furniture: Clean and store patio furniture, cushions, umbrellas, and other seasonal items.
Put away summer equipment: Give your lawn mower, gardening tools, pool equipment, and other seasonal items a clean before storing them for the winter.
Prepare for Winter
Check your snow removal equipment: Make sure your snow shovel, snow blower, salt, or other winter supplies are ready to go before the first major snowfall.Inspect your driveway and walkways: Look for cracks or uneven areas that could become more problematic with freezing and thawing.
Check your home's insulation: If certain rooms feel noticeably colder than others, fall is a good time to check whether additional insulation may be needed.
Know where your main water shut-off is: Make sure everyone in your household knows where the main shut-off valve is located in case of a plumbing emergency.
Before winter arrives, take a few minutes to walk around your home and look for anything that seems out of the ordinary. Small issues are often much easier and less expensive to address before they become bigger problems.A little fall maintenance today can help you enjoy a warmer, safer, and more comfortable home all winter long. Save this checklist and revisit it every fall!