Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

How do you prepare your house for fall weather? A strong fall cleaning checklist focuses on the areas that can lead to bigger cold-weather problems later including gutters, drafts, plumbing, heating equipment and slip hazards around your home.

Outdoor areas to check

Clear gutters and downspouts

Gutters and downspouts accumulate leaves and debris through the summer and fall, which can lead to blocked gutters, pest problems and wood rot. Clogged gutters are also more prone to rust and corrosion. Carefully clear them out, or hire a professional, and make sure water drains properly. It can also be helpful to cover them with mesh gutter guards to keep debris from returning. Water from downspouts should flow away from the house so it doesn’t pool around the foundation and cause damage.

Cleaning gutters can take some time each year. It may take a couple of hours depending on the size of your home. Considering the time it takes, combined with the tools needed to complete this task, it may lead you to hire a professional. Clogged gutters can be the start of a larger problem if left unaddressed. Freezing temperatures can cause ice to build up and lead to ice dams, which can produce severe water damage to your home. That’s why cleaning your gutters should be near the top of your fall cleaning checklist.

Want more seasonal prep advice? Learn how to winterize your home.

Check windows and doors

Swap out summer screens for storm screens on your windows and doors to help keep your home better insulated. If you have window AC units, remove them before the temperature drops. If you have to leave them in, use an insulating wrap to cover the exterior of the unit.

Take this opportunity to inspect and repair loose windows or damaged doorframes. Check for any missing or damaged caulk around windows, doors and entryways for electrical, cable, phone and gas lines. Reseal any gaps with new caulk. Consider installing weather stripping around windows and door sweeps to keep drafts at bay and cut energy costs. If you still experience drafts, consider getting your windows replaced. Glass with multiple panes can help solve these problems.

Shut off outdoor faucets

As most parts of the country can experience freezing temperatures in the winter, it’s important to take the time to turn off water to exterior faucets to keep your pipes from freezing when the temperature drops. Drain the faucets after shutting off the water. This is also a good time to drain your hoses and store them for the winter. If you have an in-ground irrigation system, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s procedure for draining it and protecting it from winter damage.

Winterizing your outdoor faucets is one of the most important items on any fall outdoor cleaning checklist. Frozen outdoor plumbing can lead to costly repairs, so be sure to shut them off before the cold hits, and get familiar with basic cold-weather plumbing guidance.

Check walkways, railings and stairs

Damaged pathways, steps and driveways can be a hazard at any time of the year, but inclement weather can increase the risk. Identify outdoor areas that may become a slip or fall hazard if they’re covered in ice or snow, such as loose handrails or a broken step. Tackle repairs now before inclement weather makes it more difficult to address these updates.

Get your outdoor lighting in order, too. Replace burnt-out bulbs on the front and back porches, garage and along the walkway so you and your visitors can safely walk in the dark.

Prep outdoor areas

Get your yard ready for the cooler weather. Be sure to:

• Put summer outdoor furniture in storage.
• Hire a professional to trim tree limbs close to power lines, as snow and ice can weigh branches down and damage the lines – and leave you without power.
• Fertilize or reseed the lawn because roots grow deeper in the fall.¹
• Rake leaves off your lawns and garden beds to give them the air they need.
• After the leaves change color, prune trees and shrubs to promote growth.¹
• Place markers along your driveway, walkways and garden beds. This can help make plowing and snow removal much easier.

Reminder: A fall outdoor cleaning checklist should include both yard cleanup and safety prep before snow and ice arrive.

Indoor areas to check

Perform a heating system check

Prep your furnace for the winter by replacing the filter. Clean your ducts to boost heating efficiency and reduce dust. Remember to vacuum radiators, baseboard heaters and grates to clear away dust. You may want to hire an HVAC professional to perform a maintenance check. To avoid the last-minute rush of the first wave of cold weather, consider scheduling this task in the early fall before the heating season begins.

Test safety detectors

The changing seasons can be a helpful reminder to conduct various safety tests around your home. Take a moment to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. An easy reminder: Replace batteries in your detectors when you change your clocks as daylight saving time ends.

Sweep the chimney

Maintaining your chimney is essential for maximizing safety and comfort during the winter. Over time, burning logs in your fireplace causes creosote, a highly flammable substance, to build up along your chimney flue. Even if you only use your fireplace occasionally, you should check it seasonally for damage or hazards. Hire a professional to inspect the flue for a tight seal and to clean the chimney. You could even knock out two home maintenance tasks in one — schedule your furnace flue inspection at the same time as your chimney inspection. That way, you’ll be ready when cold weather hits. For more information on chimney inspections and why you need to have one every year, visit the Chimney Institute of America.

Inspect the attic

When moving around in your attic, be extra careful. Watch your head and footing for beams and objects in your path. Performing an attic inspection can help prepare your home for fall by making sure there’s proper ventilation and insulation, and making sure there isn’t any mold or moisture that could become a bigger issue. When you’re in the attic, check vents to:

• Make sure they aren’t blocked by insulation to prevent ice dams on the roof.
• Clear away dirt and debris from ridge vents and vents at eaves.
• Ensure bird and rodent screens are in place to prevent pests from entering.

Should you spot a problem that needs further attention during your inspection, it’s likely time to call in a professional. An attic inspection done by a professional will include more detailed observations on airflow, measuring insulation and looking for proper ventilation. Whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself, a thorough inspection of the attic should take about one hour.²

Stock up on essential winter supplies

If you live in an area that gets snow or ice in the winter, adding a few items to your shopping list in the fall can help you be prepared when the snow and ice arrive. Making sure you have salt, sand or ice melt on hand will allow you to address the storm as it comes and not have to run out for supplies in the height of the storm.

Clean dryer vents

While it’s good practice to keep your dryer vents clear to enhance the dryer’s efficiency, there could be some unique safety benefits to doing it in the fall. You may know that lint buildup in dryer vents can cause a fire, but you may not know that the cool, dry weather in the fall increases static electricity, which can ignite lint that has built up. To tackle this task, you can either hire a professional or do it yourself.

Why is fall home maintenance important?

Fall home maintenance is more about the winter than it is the fall. By addressing seasonal home maintenance in the fall, you can be ready before colder weather hits in the winter. And by getting it done in the fall, you don’t have to be out in the cold for tasks that require you to be outside.

A little legwork now means you can relax in a home that’s ready for the winter. Just remember to outsource projects to a professional if it doesn’t seem safe or you don’t feel comfortable tackling them on your own.

Is your maintenance revealing leaks or moisture issues? Next steps may include looking for signs of a water leak, finding out if your home insurance covers water damage, and exploring options for coverage.