And just like that, the summer is behind us. As the days draw shorter and the weather turns cooler, it’s time to start thinking about autumn home care. Some tips for autumn home maintenance are obvious—bring in the outdoor furniture, remove your air conditioner window units—but other autumn home tips are easily overlooked. That’s why it’s important to have a reliable seasonal home maintenance checklist. Here’s our autumn checklist for homeowners so you can prepare your home for the effects of chilly weather and falling leaves.
Autumn Maintenance Checklist for Your Home
1. Check the sealing on your windows and doors
Drafty windows and doors are some of the greatest sources of energy inefficiency in the home. Check your windows and doors and apply—or reapply—caulk or weather stripping as needed.
2. Remove your summer screens
If you have a screen door, remember to replace it with a more robust storm door as the weather changes.
3. Clean your gutters and spouts
Leaves are bound to collect in your gutters in the fall. It’s a good idea to check your gutters at the beginning of the season to make sure they’re not already at risk of clogging. Remove any debris so the autumn leaves won’t overwhelm your home’s draining system.
4. Prep your home’s heating system
Dust and other allergens accumulate in your home’s vents over the late spring and summer. Clean your vents before turning on the heat on that first chilly night. It’s also advisable to replace the filter in your furnace and check on your fuel levels. And it can’t hurt to have a professional check on your heating system and thermostats.
5. Service your chimney and flue
If your home has a fireplace, you should have a professional come for an annual chimney cleaning. Dirty chimneys can and do lead to housefires. A technician can also check the seal on the flue.
6. Spot-check your plumbing system
Do a quick scan of your home’s exposed pipes to ensure they are properly insulated. Know where to find your home’s water controls so you can shut off the water if temperatures get too low or if you’ll leave your home unoccupied for a significant period of time.
7. Care for your lawn and landscaping
Autumn is a great time to reseed and fertilize your lawn. This will ensure a green, healthy lawn come spring. Also attend to the trees and shrubbery around your home. Autumn storms and winter snow can bring down tree limbs, so prune any branches that may have grown too close to your home.
8. Turn off your sprinkler system.
The heavy watering we do in the summer isn’t needed in the fall and winter. Have a professional shut down your sprinkler system. They will purge water from the sprinkler lines to keep ice from damaging your system as the temperatures drop.
Keep Your Home Comfortable Year-Round
Remember that every home is different. Your home may require some tasks that we haven’t included above. If you have a pool, for instance, you’ll need to close it up for the autumn and winter. Downloading some of the best home maintenance apps can help you keep a more personalized list of things to manage.