Marianne's Tip of the Week

Fall Home Maintenance Guide

September 23, 2023 is the official start of the fall season which means its time to start thinking about preparing your home for cooler weather.  Fall home prep goes beyond bringing out the cozy throws and autumnal candles. In home ownership, new seasons come with extra maintenance responsibilities to help keep your home in excellent condition and ready to face the upcoming weather challenges. As you prepare for the cooler temperatures, read on for the fall home maintenance tasks every homeowner needs to complete this season.

Change the filters and batteries

The HVAC filters should ideally be replaced every three months. The start of a new season is an ideal time to do so because of the temperature changes. Changing the filter in the fall is especially important so your heater works optimally the first time you need to turn it on, so your home is more energy efficient and keeps your heating bills where they should be.

Batteries on the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be changed twice a year, so changing the batteries in the fall and spring is easy to remember and to ensure that these necessary alarms are correctly working.

Clean the gutters

Over the spring and summer, your gutters fill with leaves, seeds and other debris. Before the leaves fall in the autumn, clean out the gutters so they don’t overflow. This will also help the snow drain better once the first heavy snowfall comes.

Check the doors and windows for air leaks

Drafty windows and doors can be a significant source of heat loss and higher energy bills. One way to determine if your doors and windows leak is to put a piece of paper under the door and if the paper slides around, it’s time to have the doors and windows resealed.

Drain and seal the outdoor spigots

Once the fall gardening season is over, the next step is to drain the outdoor fixtures attached to your house, disconnect the hoses and attach the outdoor spigot covers. If you don’t drain the outdoor spigots and disconnect the hoses, you risk the pipes bursting if the water freezes in the winter.

Protect the outdoor furniture

After your final outdoor fall fire, it’s time to cover up the outdoor furniture. Whether you cover the furniture with weather-proof covers or bring it indoors, protecting it from the upcoming winter weather will ensure you can use your outdoor furniture for many summer seasons.

Repair the driveway

If your driveway has cracks, repairing this damage before the temperatures drop can help protect the cracks from traveling throughout the driveway. When a crack freezes, it can then expand and damage the driveway.

Test the snow blower

If you rely on a snow blower to clear the snow from your driveway, testing it before the first snow will save scrambling to make any repairs when you need it. If it’s not working correctly, have it serviced in the fall so it will be ready to run once the first heavy snow arrives.