As we slowly enter the fall months, this is the time to start preparing for chilly winds, winter storms, and fallen leaves and twigs. This is the perfect season for taking care of home repair projects before winter, as it will make it too difficult to work outside. Additionally, if you live in areas with severe winter, you must make good use of this time to boost your home’s energy efficiency.
Handling these issues in the season will be beneficial so that you can enjoy winters peacefully. In this article, we have made a fall home maintenance checklist that you can follow to make your life easier.
Do not worry; most of these tasks are simple, and you can do them yourself. If you’re looking for home insurance to protect your property, Surex can help you compare insurance quotes and find home insurance deals.
Fall home maintenance checklist: 14 things to do
Here is a list of things that should be on your home fall maintenance checklist:
1. Cleaning gutter
Most of us are so used to smoothly running gutter systems that we completely forget about their maintenance. Unfortunately, if they are clogged due to debris or fallen leaves, water can flow inside your house and damage the interiors.
This is the perfect time to clean them. If they are heavily damaged, you must replace them. But, of course, you can always use a spatula to clean your gutters easily.
2. Roof inspection
A leaky roof can be pretty frustrating, especially when winter arrives. Once the water starts dripping in, finding the source or the leak can be pretty challenging. You must immediately put a stop to this problem. Check for cracks and wind damage and carefully look around the chimneys and vents for any damage.
3. Check your safety equipment.
The fall is the perfect time to ensure that your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors are working efficiently. First, check whether the batteries have expired or not. In most cases, smoke detectors usually last for ten years, and carbon dioxide detectors class for approximately seven years.
4. Empty your outdoor taps
Most people forget to turn off the water supply to their outdoor faucets. Hence, they are damaged due to freezing temperatures. So you must remember to drain and disconnect all your garden hoses and pipes from the spigots to prevent them from freezing.
5. Replace your filters
If the filters in your HVAC system are clogged, the system will have to work harder to keep indoor temperatures optimum. So you will end up paying more for your energy bills.
You must clean these filters periodically to prevent this. You can always use disposable filters, which can be vacuumed before you want to replace them. This is something you cannot miss on your fall checklist for home maintenance.
6. Check your winter gear and equipment
Ensure that your winter equipment, like the snow blower, is working perfectly. If there is any defect, you must immediately repair it or replace it. This will make your life much easier in the coming months.
7. Start the humidifier
Fall is the perfect time to start the humidifier. Dry winter air can be pretty harsh on your skin and airways and damage fine wooden furniture and even the walls of your home. You must hire a professional to clean your central humidifier so it runs smoothly throughout the winter.
8. Repair pathways
Damaged walkways or driveways are pretty common, but it might be dangerous when it starts snowing. Therefore you must fix any cracks during this time to prevent any expensive repairs. You must check for small cracks or uneven sections and lose asphalt and pebbles.
9. Keep your fireplace prepared
Most people in Canada use their fireplace only occasionally, so you must check it for any damage. Check for accumulation of creosote and get your chimney inspected annually. In addition to this, you also need to ensure any flue blockage. Birds often make nests on the top of uncovered chimneys, so you can put a chimney cap to prevent this.
10. Fertilize your garden
Want your lawn or garden to look gorgeous and green during the spring and summer? Then this fall season is the perfect time to prepare for it. Most roots are still active during this time. Additionally, you can prevent winter damage using certain fertilizers.
11. Bring all outdoor furniture inside
All the equipment or furniture lying outside your garden or the pool is outdoor furniture. Even though they are weather-resistant, that does not mean you should leave them out during winter. Outdoor furniture is expensive, and if you do not want to spend a fortune repurchasing them, you should store them in a garage or a shed.
If you do not have storage space, you must immediately cover them with waterproof sheets, which you can easily buy from any retail store.
12. Start stocking up for winter supplies
If you live in a region where you experience severe winters and snowfall, it is time to prepare.
- Purchase fuel and store it in a safe place
- Get a bag or two of pet and plant-safe ice melt is required
- Buy new shovels and ice scrapers
- Buy emergency food supplies and medical kits for the car and home.
13. Seals holes or cracks
Mice and other rodents only need a tiny crack to sneak into your house and destroy furniture and wreck your pantry. And as the cold months are coming, most of these little rodents will look for warm places to colonize.
So you must inspect thoroughly and seal any holes or gaps using tough hardware fabric or other measures to keep the critters away.
14. Put away your grill
If you do not prefer grilling in winter like most other people, this is the perfect time to store it away before it is damaged by snowfall. Before storing it, remove the grease and food scraps off the grill to keep it clean until the following spring.
Also, you need to shut off the gas supply and unfasten the burners. You can use cooking oil to coat the burners and the other metal parts to prevent them from rusting.
Endnote
Winters in Canada can be pretty rough, so this fall season gives you enough time to make necessary repairs and take precautions. You can follow the above-mentioned things from our fall home maintenance checklist.
Best of luck!
