Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Fall has begun in much of the world, the hot days of the summer have given way to warm days and cool nights. The green of the summer has started to change to shades of yellow, red, and orange, the kids are back in school and businesses have released their pumpkin flavored drinks and baked goods. The change of the seasons also means a change for our homes, follow this checklist to get your home ready for the fall.
Early Fall
Inspect all windows and doors for loose weatherstripping or failing caulk
Go around to all the windows and doors in your home and check them for loose weatherstripping and loose caulking. Repair as needed
Inspect roof for missing and/or damaged shingles and flashings
Perform a visual inspection of your roof and look for loose and missing shingles and flashings. Note roofs can be dangerous, exercise extreme caution while on a roof. Do not climb on a roof if you feel uncomfortable.
Clean windows
Give your windows a good cleaning to let all the light they can during these shorter days
Wash Siding
If needed, now is a good time to wash the grime of the summer off your home
Complete any interior work that needs open windows
In early fall the weather is usually comfortably warm, now is a great time to do interior work that needs or is done better with open windows such as carpet cleaning and interior painting.
Perform a visual inspection of your roof from the ground and look for loose and missing shingles and flashings.
Mid and Late Fall
Mulch Leaves
As the trees start losing their leaves it may be tempting to remove all of them from your lawn, however mulching them with a mower is a more environmentally friendly option. Mulching the leaves will help protect your lawns roots, preserve soil moisture, help wildlife, and provide nutrients to the soil.
Drain in-ground irrigation system
If you have an in ground irrigation system it should be drained before the first hard frost of the fall.
Drain and store hoses
Just like an in ground irrigation system all hoses should be drained, once they have been drained they should be stored indoors in a heated space.
Turn off and drain outdoor spigots if not frost proof
If your spigots are not frost proof then be sure to turn them off in the house and drain them on the outside.
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Test all detectors even if hard wired, replace if non functional
Inspect fire extinguishers
Inspect all fire extinguishers, if there is a gauge then make sure the gauge needle is in the green.
Inspect furnace filter and replace if needed.
Check your furnace filter, replace if dirty or if enough time has passed since the last change. For 1- to 2-inch filters, replace them every 1 to 3 months. For 3- to 4-inch filters, replace them every 6 to 9 months. For 5- to 6-inch filters, replace them every 9 to 12 months
Clean gutters and downspouts
Clean all gutters and downspouts, if you have a lot of trees you made need to clean them more than once this fall.
Have all heating equipment professionally inspected
Before the weather gets too cold, have your heating equipment inspected by a professional, these include boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, geothermal systems, fireplaces, and woodstoves.
Replace screens with storm windows
By mid and late fall the temps are usually starting to dip, and you may find the heat turning on. Replace the screens on your windows and doors to help keep the cold at bay