Fall is the perfect time to get your home ready for the colder months ahead. A few hours of maintenance now can prevent expensive repairs later, and many of these tasks are quick enough to knock out in a single weekend. Here are the five we recommend to every homeowner.
1. Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
Once the leaves have mostly fallen, clear out your gutters and make sure downspouts are flowing freely. Clogged gutters can send water spilling over the edges and pooling around your foundation, which leads to basement leaks, cracked concrete, and even rotted fascia boards. While you’re up there, check that downspouts direct water at least three to four feet away from the house.
2. Replace Your Furnace Filter
A dirty filter forces your heating system to work harder, driving up energy bills and shortening the life of your equipment. Most standard filters should be replaced every one to three months during heating season. If you haven’t had your furnace professionally serviced in the last year, fall is the time to schedule it, before the first cold snap when technicians get booked up.
3. Check Weatherstripping and Caulking
Small gaps around doors and windows let heat escape and cold drafts in. Walk around your home and look for cracked or missing caulk, and test your weatherstripping by closing a door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out easily, the seal needs replacing. This is one of the cheapest ways to lower your heating costs.
4. Shut Off and Drain Outdoor Faucets
Water left in exterior pipes can freeze, expand, and burst the line, often inside the wall where you won’t notice until there’s damage. Disconnect garden hoses, shut off the interior valve that feeds each outdoor spigot, and open the faucet to let any remaining water drain out. Consider adding insulated faucet covers for extra protection.
5. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Heating season means furnaces, fireplaces, and space heaters are running more often, so it’s critical that your detectors work. Press the test button on each unit, replace batteries as needed, and replace any detector that’s more than ten years old. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home.
Need a Hand?
Not everyone has the time (or the ladder) to tackle a fall checklist. Our Home Maintenance Plans include seasonal visits that cover all of these tasks and more, so you can head into winter with peace of mind. Contact us to schedule your fall visit.
