Fall is in the air, which means pumpkin patches, corn mazes, football, apple cider donuts, pumpkin spice lattes, and…getting your home ready for winter!
Here are 10 Smart Fall Home Maintenance Tips to consider doing every year, especially if you’re in the Midwest.
1. SERVICE YOUR FURNACE AND CHANGE THE FILTER
Make sure your furnace is working safely and efficiently by having it inspected and cleaned once per year. This is also a good time to replace your furnace filter.
Regular maintenance will hopefully help prevent your furnace from breaking down during the frigid winter months.
Have other filters? Consider if your vacuum cleaner, refrigerator water, dishwasher, air purifier, humidifier, or clothing drying filters need replacing too.
2. CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS
No one wants wanter getting into their house, so regular maintenance of your gutters and downspouts is important.
Things like:
- leaves
- twigs
- shingle pieces
- and other debris
can clog or cause damage to gutters and downspouts. If there’s clogged water, it can also turn to ice in the winter and cause further damage.
Having your gutters cleaned twice per year is a good rule of thumb, and that’s why it’s on our Spring Home Maintenance checklist too.
3. INSPECT YOUR ROOF
Inspect the outside of your home including the roof, siding, windows, and doors.
To prevent roof leaks, you should inspect your roof or hire professional to look for potential issues like:
- loose seams
- missing shingles
- damaged shingles
- loose shingles
Definitely have your roof inspected f you’ve had severe weather. Here are more tips for what to do if a storm damaged your house.
4. WINTERIZE YOUR OUTSIDE WATER SPIGOTS
Before the freezing weather arrives, get your water spigots and hoses ready:
- drain hoses
- disconnect hoses
- turn off water valve for outdoor spigots
- open and close the outside tap to drain any water from pipe
- optional: cover exterior faucets with an insulated cover
5. CLEAN YOUR GARDEN AND LAWN TOOLS
Rinse and brush off your garden and lawn tools before storing them away for the winter.
Empty any remaining fuel from your lawn mower and weed trimmer if they use gasoline as well.
6. SEAL WINDOW & DOOR AIR LEAKS
Check your windows and doors for air leaks. If you can feel air coming in, you’ll want to seal the leaks to help keep the cold air out and warm air in.
Here are some ideas for ways to seal window leaks, such as:
- weathstripping
- caulking cord
- foam sealant
- shrink window insulation kit
6. TOUCH UP YOUR EXTERIOR PAINT
Pick one of those nice warm fall days to touch up your exterior paint, as a fresh coat of paint or sealer can prolong the life of your siding, trim, porch stairs, etc.
Contact a local painter if you don’t want to tackle this project yourself.
Speaking of paint colors, if you’re thinking about freshening up your interior paint, here are some realtor tips for picking paint colors.
7. CLEAN YOUR CARPETS
The months of autumn are a good time to clean your carpets. The humid days of summer are gone but the temperatures are still above freezing, so you can open your windows for ventilation.
Our list of Southern-Wisconsin contractors & vendors includes places you can rent carpet cleaners or businesses you can hire to clean your carpets for you.
8. TEST SMOKE ALARMS, CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS, & FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Fall is a good time to test your safety equipment like:
- smoke alarms
- carbon monoxide detectors
- fire extinguishers
Use a battery tester to check the batteries and see if they need replacing.
It’s also good to inspect fire extinguishers by doing things like checking the expiration date and shaking them monthly to prevent powder settling.
10. REVERSE AND CLEAN CEILING FANS
Finally, it’s time to clean your ceiling fans and change the fan’s direction to improve comfort and energy efficiency.
Fans should turn clockwise in the winter to push the warm air downward.
If you haven’t cleaned your bathroom vents lately, check out our Realtor, Allie’s, how-to video on YouTube!
Fall Checklist to Get Your Home Ready for Winter
Owning a home is a dream of many, but once you own a home, it’s important to maintain it and get it ready for the cold winter months.
This will help you enjoy your home more day-to-day and increase the home home value if you decide to sell in the future.
More Tips for Home Owners
