Fall home maintenance checklist (winter prep edition)

Fall is the most consequential season in home maintenance. Mistakes in spring become inconveniences. Mistakes in fall become emergencies in January. The goal of the fall checklist is straightforward: make sure the heating system works, water cannot get into places it should not, and the house is sealed against the weather.

Heating system

• Schedule a heating tune-up in September or early October. Last week of October is too late; contractors are already booked.
• Replace HVAC filters. A new filter going into heating season is a fresh one, full stop.
• Test the heat early. Run the system for an hour before you actually need it. Smelling burning dust is normal on first run; smelling anything else is not.
• Have the boiler serviced if you have one, especially if it is oil-fired or older.
• Replace thermostat batteries if applicable.
• For homes with secondary heat sources: have the chimney swept and inspected before lighting the first fire of the season.

Plumbing winterization

• Disconnect garden hoses and store indoors. A hose left attached can backflow into the spigot and freeze the interior pipe.
• Shut off and drain outdoor spigots. If you have interior shutoffs for them, close those and open the outdoor spigots to drain.
• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces (garages, crawl spaces, basement perimeters near exterior walls). Foam tubing is cheap insurance.
• Identify rooms or pipes that froze last year and consider heat tape or temporary cabinet door opening on the coldest nights.
• Drain irrigation systems and pool plumbing before the first hard freeze.
• Check sump pump one last time before freezing temperatures arrive. Replace if it is over 8 years old.

Exterior

• Clean gutters and downspouts after the last leaves have fallen. This is the single most important fall task on the list.
• Walk the roof from the ground (binoculars or phone zoom). Replace any missing shingles, secure any loose flashing, and verify the chimney cap is intact.
• Trim tree limbs back from the roof and any wires. Snow load is a force multiplier on weak limbs.
• Inspect window and door caulking on the exterior for cracks; recaulk before freezing temperatures arrive.
• Check weatherstripping on every exterior door.
• Have the chimney inspected and swept if you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove. Annual is the rule.
• Walk the foundation for any new cracks; small ones can be sealed with hydraulic cement before water and freeze cycles widen them.
• Verify dryer vent termination is clear outside; birds use them as winter shelters.
• Service or store outdoor equipment. Mowers, string trimmers, blowers. Stabilize fuel or run the equipment dry.
• Check that the snowblower starts before you need it. If you do not have one and it snowed last winter, this is the time to think about it; supplies dry up fast in November.

Yard and landscape

• Final mow at lower-than-usual height after the last growth
• Aerate, overseed if needed, and apply winterizer fertilizer
• Rake leaves from the lawn and away from the foundation
• Wrap or stake young trees that struggled with last year's wind or rabbits
• Cut back perennials, leaving anything you want birds to eat over winter (coneflowers, sedum, ornamental grasses)
• Drain and store garden hoses, sprinklers, and rain barrels

Interior

• Reverse ceiling fans to winter mode (clockwise viewed from below, low speed) to push warm air down.
• Test smoke and CO detectors. Replace any over their service life. Carbon monoxide risk goes up in heating season; this is the worst time of year for a non-functional detector.
• Stock winter supplies. Rock salt, ice melt (pet-safe if you have animals), sand for traction, snow shovels, a roof rake if you live in heavy-snow country.
• Stage emergency supplies in case of a power outage: flashlights, batteries, a few gallons of water, a backup plan for medications and refrigerated food.
• Check the attic insulation depth. Anything under 12 inches deserves a top-off before heating season; the payback is fast.
• Address window drafts. Weatherstripping, window insulation film, or thermal curtains, depending on severity.

Pest control

Mice, ants, and stink bugs all look for indoor shelter as temperatures drop. Walk the exterior in early fall looking for any gap larger than a pencil eraser; mice can fit through anything that size. Steel wool and silicone caulk seal most entry points cheaply. For bigger gaps under sheds and around utilities, expanding foam with rodent deterrent is more durable.

The single most important thing

Of every item on this list, the one that creates the most damage when skipped is gutter cleaning before winter. Clogged gutters in cold climates cause ice dams. Ice dams force water under shingles and into ceilings. Ceiling water damage is one of the most expensive home repairs there is, and it is almost entirely preventable with one Saturday in November.

Tracking it

Keep the list and check it off year over year. Items that always seem to slip are candidates for hiring out or scheduling earlier in the season next time. The fall checklist is the one where the cost of forgetting is highest, and the value of having it written down somewhere you trust is correspondingly biggest.