The Essential Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

When the chill starts creeping in through the windows and doors, it’s time to get ready for the big freeze. We’ve put together a quick and easy checklist, so you can prepare your home for the cold with confidence.

Inside the Home

Indoor preparations focus on two major components: efficiency and warmth. You want to keep as much heat inside the home as you can to use energy more efficiently, which means taking care of leaks and insulation problems. You also want to have the fireplace, heater, wood stove, and ventilation system ready to go. Here’s a list to help you get it all done.

• Fill in cracks around window frames and door frames with caulk. This is one of the cheapest and most significant ways you can cut heating costs in winter.
• Check the insulation in attics, garages, and basements. If you have a bug or animal problem, you may need to tear out and replace old insulation.
• Make sure any exposed pipes in the attic, basement, and garage are properly insulated.
• Get a check-up for your heating and ventilation system to make sure it’s running as cleanly and efficiently as possible. This can save you a lot of money on utilities.
• Have a chimney sweep inspect the flue and clean the chimney before starting a fire. There may be bird nests or animals blocking the opening, or a highly flammable buildup of creosote. Either of these can start a chimney fire
• Change the batteries in your smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detector. The winter months are prime time for accidental fires & carbon monoxide accidents.

Outside the Home

To prepare the exterior of the home, you need to focus on protecting it from the elements, especially since we live in a snowy climate.

• Clean out the gutters, spouts, and drains around your home. Usually, there is a thick accumulation of leaves after fall, and this can cause trouble when you need your roof to shed snow and water quickly.
• Fill in any cracks in your foundation or driveway with caulk or a patch, to keep moisture out.
• Inspect the roof for cracks, loose tiles, or other signs of weakness. Get all repairs finished now before the snow or winter rains begin.
• Have a tree service trim the trees near your home, especially around the roof, power lines, and back deck. Heavy snow and strong winds can cause branches to break and fall on your home.
• Insulate outdoor water pipes and pipes beneath the house that are exposed to the outside air.
• Empty and store your water hoses.
• Drain and store your lawn equipment for the winter.
• Inspect and organize snow removal items like your snow blower, snow shovel, and rock salt. Make sure they are in a spot that will always be accessible, even if you get surprised by a heavy winter storm.
• Put away or cover the barbecue and patio furniture, if you do not plan to use them during the cold months. This will extend the life of your patio set considerably.