Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

With the fall season upon us, now is the time to prepare your home for the colder weather. Use our fall home maintenance checklist to get ready before your house transitions from hot summer days to cool fall nights...and eventually freezing temperatures.

1. Once most of the leaves have fallen off trees, it’s finally time to clean out gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters can risk water damage to your roof or foundation when your gutters overflow. Whether you do the job yourself or your hire help, this task is important in helping maintain your home before the winter season.

2. Fall is the best time to test your fireplace before the extreme cold that comes with winter. Whether it’s your chimney, fireplace, or furnace, they should be cleaned and in working order before you need to turn on the heat. Remember to check or change your furnace filter to keep it well maintained. A good rule of thumb is to replace the filter around every 3 months. Maintaining your heating system will put you at ease knowing it’s ready to perform in cold weather.

3. It’s also a great time to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors have new batteries. You can use the fall  yseason as an annual event to make sure all the detectors in your home are working properly. Don’t forget to check them on each level of your home. 

4. The fall season means winter is soon to follow, so it’s essential to protect your pipes from freezing temperatures. Once you’ve drained, unhooked, and removed your hoses and hose bibs, remember to store them indoors.

5. Snow and rain can be especially troublesome if you’re not properly prepared for the coming winter season. Test to make sure your snowblower is running and that shovels and roof rakes are ready in the event of heavy snowfall. You should also seal any exterior concrete such as driveways, sidewalks, and garage floors to protect them from the road salt used on streets.

Download our fall home maintenance checklist!