As soon as the leaves begin turning, a homeowner’s thoughts begin turning, as well – to all that needs to be readied before winter arrives. Now you can with this fall home maintenance checklist.
Chances are, you’ve been keeping up with your home maintenance all summer long – taking advantage of the long days and pleasant weather to make sure that everything is set to handle the conditions.
It certainly never hurts, though, to have a checklist of what to revisit now.
The Importance of a Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
There’s no holiday joy in dealing with ice spots, wet basements, and other assorted maladies that can strike your home when it’s snowy and cold.
If you’d like to reduce your time outside in the cold by completing your fall home maintenance checklist – continue reading!
Heating It Up
It’s best to group everything involved with heating your home into one category – this way you’ll remember all the components and areas it involves.
• Furnace or Boiler
Ensure that everything is operating correctly and tuned up by having it checked out by a qualified contractor. They’ll:
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- Check blower operation
- Make sure that components haven’t been affected by rust
- Test for proper pressure
- Make sure that the flame and igniter are working within proper specifications
You’ll need to change the air filters, change your thermostat batteries, and make sure that the unit is easily accessible.
• Fireplace or Woodstove
Schedule your chimney for cleaning, and check the damper for safe operation. Clean the interior and check the damper for proper operation.
If you haven’t made arrangements for your firewood, make sure that your wood storage area has been swept out and is ready for the new wood.
Prepare Your Garden for Hibernation
As winter approaches, you’ll want to get your tools, plants, and soil ready for Spring. Yes, it’s several months away, but if you do these tasks now, you’ll have a jump on things when you’re ready to get back outdoors.
• Clean and Store Tools
It’s a little depressing to store away your hand tools and other garden helpers, but make the best of it. Clean them up, sharpen them – yes, even your trowels and shovels! – and store them where you can find them.
You can sharpen and maintain most hand tools at home, but don’t neglect the power tools. Now is the time to get your mower checked, the blades sharpened, and then keep it dry until summer. Pull out all the power tools of summer, and make sure that they’re lubricated and that the fuel has been drained before you hang them up.
Don’t forget your garden hoses, either. Be sure to drain and hang them before freezing weather arises.
• Tend to Plants
Also on our fall home maintenance checklist is to aerate and fertilize lawns. Mulch in your flower beds after cleaning and pruning your shrubs. Finish planting any spring-flowering bulbs. You’re ready for winter – and also ready to locate your snow shovel and other equipment.
You’ll also need to deal with the aftermath of all the fall foliage – leaves. Make sure that your gutters are cleaned out – and check for signs of roof deterioration. If you have a shingle roof, and are finding bits of asphalt in the gutter, it’s time to talk to a roofing contractor about an inspection.
Now that the leaves are off the trees, check them for any branches that are looking dead or that might not survive a load of snow or ice. Better to get them removed or trimmed back now – rather than after they’ve come down in a winter storm.
Get the Seals and Approval
Checking all the windows and doors on exterior walls! Doing this now will save you from unpleasant drafts and even more unpleasant utility bills when the weather gets cold. You can test for air leaks yourself with simple items like incense sticks and flashlights.
You can also address a lot of the leakage yourself with caulk and weather stripping. You’ll especially want to do caulking while the temperature is above 45°F. These are some of the most satisfying projects for the homeowner.
Other trouble spots around the home are chimneys, whole-house fans, any exterior entry points, such as HVAC units hoses, dryer vents, and attics. Although you will probably want to leave the roof and attic areas to a professional, this is the time to locate any possible problem areas and make the appointment.
Check and Change All Detector Batteries
All types of detectors should have their batteries checked or changed every spring and fall. Be sure you know the location of all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and don’t wait for them to start beeping before you change the batteries.
While you’re at it, check the age of your detectors. If any of them are more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace them completely. When you do, write the date inside the cover with a permanent marker. And, if you don’t have a smoke detector within 10 feet of every bedroom door, now is the time to add new ones. Remember – you don’t need CO detectors in your kitchen, furnace room or garage.
One Final Trip to the Roof
Fall is your last chance for a good visual inspection of your roof, which is why your fall home maintenance checklist must include an inspection. Just like finding pieces of the asphalt shingle grit in your gutters, there are other indicators that there are problems looming. The worst thing that can happen is a roof leak that is precipitated by winter weather and ice dams.
While you’re assessing your roof, here are some of the items to look for:
- Any shingles that are missing or broken, as well as shingles that are starting to warm and curl. Keep an eye out, especially if this is happening in a group of them.
- Problems around the various vent pipes – cracked rubber “boots” around the base, missing or bent caps, or missing vent screens or covers.
- Algae or moss build-up that can indicate chronic wet areas.
- Bent or loose gutters or roof flashing.
Getting It All Done
There’s a lot on this fall home maintenance checklist that you should do before winter. Some repairs and inspections are best done by professional contractors, who will be able to assess and address the problem faster and more efficiently – and offer a guarantee on their work. Do the groundwork, feel great about getting ready for cold weather, but don’t take on more than you can handle.
