Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Updated September 2, 2021 . AmFam Team
Autumn means warm colors, pumpkin carving and holiday preparation. As a homeowner, it also means taking time to clean out gutters and insulate water pipes. So, don’t wait until temperatures plummet to prepare your home for icy weather. Use our handy fall maintenance checklist for homeowners to see how you can prepare your home for colder weather.
1. Insulate Water Pipes
Few things are worse than waking up to frozen water pipes — and it could get worse if the pipes crack or burst as they thaw. So, if you’re worried about freezing pipes this winter, follow these steps in the fall to avoid the mess:
- Seal holes, cracks, or crevices around the home where cold air leaks in
- Apply foam-rubber insulation to any exposed pipes or to pipes that are in unheated locations Remember to wrap the corners and elbows too
- Keep cabinet doors open on severely cold nights
2. Clean the Gutters
A few leaves piling up along the roof might not seem like a problem, but it can lead to serious issues. If water doesn’t drain away from your home, cracks can form in your foundation, siding can rot and your basement can flood. Climb up there while temperatures are comfortable during the fall and clear out the debris. If you don’t want to do this yourself, you can hire someone to help.
While you’re up there, be sure to check for loose shingles and flashing. A wet winter’s night is not the time to discover that the roof over you bed is leaking.
3. Sweep the Chimney
If you have a wood-burning fireplace and haven’t had your chimney cleaned, this is a must have item on your fall checklist because it’s time to get it swept out. This removes the soot from last year, makes sure you won’t smoke out nesting guests and keeps it safe for another season.
If you’ve never had your fireplace cleaned and inspected, call a professional chimney sweep. They’ll check that creosote hasn’t built up to dangerous levels and make sure the lining or masonry are intact. It’ll be easier to relax next to the warmth of the fire when you know that it’s smoke and sparks have a safe path out of your home.
4. Weatherize Your Space
Simple upgrades will help keep your family warmer this winter, and fall is the perfect time to get them done. Try some of these simple tasks to prepare your home for fall and winter:
- Add weather-stripping and caulk to old windows and doors
- Beef up the insulation in your attic and crawlspace
- Install radiator panels to walls behind radiators
- Clean the chimneys on any fireplaces
- If you can, trade drafty old windows for double-paned replacements and add a layer of solar film to let in the winter sun without letting in harmful UV rays
5. Schedule an HVAC Inspection
Stay warm and cozy this winter by having a professional complete a maintenance check during the fall on your heating and colling systems, vents, and ductwork at least annually. This can keep you safe from carbon monoxide, mold spores and other allergens.
An HVAC professional will perform a variety of checks, including:
- Changing the filter
- Lubricating moving parts
- Testing the voltage
- Inspecting the thermostat
- Checking the start-up and shut-down controls
6. Check for Drafts
Checking for drafts in your home is a simple way to ensure that come wintertime, you’re efficiently keeping your home warm. The first thing you need to do is to turn off any appliances that may cause an air disturbance — ceiling fans, the stove, etc. Next, use a long-stemmed match or a stick of incense and slowly patrol your home. When you notice a disturbance in the flame, then you’ve found a draft. What you use to remedy the draft varies widely, but it shouldn’t be an expensive fit. Plus, you’ll safe some money on your heating bill too!
7. Drain Your Sprinkler System
Unless your sprinkler system has a self-draining feature, you need to drain your sprinkler system every fall to ensure there isn’t any water remaining in the system. What could be a harmless amount of water can ruin your underground pipes if it freezes.
If you’re uncertain if your sprinkler system has a self-draining mechanism, the best way to find out is to look at the sprinkler heads. Self-draining sprinklers have check valves on them.
To drain your sprinklers manually, first shut off your water completely. Next, locate your valve’s drain cap and open the valve to drain the last bits of water remaining. Sprinkler systems vary widely, so we suggest you hire a professional to take of this unless you know for certain what you’re doing.
8. Care for Trees and Shrubs
If you’ve spent time in the warmer months taking care of your yard, you’ll have less to worry about during the winter and can use that extra time to watch football or hang out with your family more. It’s a good idea though to walk your property and ensure that there aren’t any wayward branches on trees or overgrown shrubs that could be an issue once a freeze strikes.
9. Stock Up on Winter Supplies
Now is the best time to stock up on all the winter supplies you’ll need once those temperatures begin to drop. Oftentimes, there might be sales in your area you can take advantage of too. But having a stockpile of wood to burn, a good axe and other winter items is a great idea, especially if you live in an area where winters are ruthless. If you don’t stockpile items now, you might be wishing you had once winter strikes, and you’re snowed in.
10. Clean Dryer Vents
This is an often-overlooked potential fire hazard that is quite easy to prevent. It’s up to you how often you do this, but it’s wise to periodically check your clean dryer vents to make sure they don’t have any lint building up. Lint is extremely flammable and many house fires each year are caused by someone’s negligence when it comes to keeping their dryers clean. This will also extend the life of your dryer, as a clogged vent makes the engine work that much harder.
Have Your Fall Maintenance Checklist Ready? Let’s Get Started!
Slip on a sweater and try these simple home repairs while the weather is still hospitable. With these handy fall home maintenance tips in mind, we hope you’ll head outside to do a visual inspection on your home: roof, gutters, siding, windows, doors and garage. If needed, call in a pro to check out the important systems to make sure your home is winter proof.
Following this fall maintenance checklist can help protect your home from costly damage down the line, but for more protection, you’ll want to make sure your home is protected from the unexpected with homeowners insurance.
Related Articles
- 9 Steps to Create a Home Inventory for Insurance Claims
Your home is more than a roof over your head. It’s where your dreams grow, your family thrives and memories are made. But the possessions you keep inside are important, too.
Whether you’re renting an apartment or own your home, you’ve most likely got an insurance policy designed to protect your dwelling and the things inside. Should the unthinkable happen and you have to use that insurance policy, it’s important to have a plan in place. And a home inventory list is a great way to get started!
We’ll walk you through how to create a home inventory so — in the event of the unexpected — you’ll be more prepared and have a streamlined recovery.
What Is a Home Inventory?
Quite simply, a home inventory is a complete list of all the items, especially valuables, in and around your home. The best home inventories include photos, descriptions and dollar values of each of your belongings. The more detail, the better! It’ll help you provide a comprehensive list to your agent of items lost in the event your home is damaged or destroyed, allowing you to get the most out of your coverage.
When your describing the items in your list, remember that the more information, the better. Here’s a quick reference list of the type of information you should include in your home inventory list:
- An in-depth description of the items. For example, rather than writing down “diamond ring,” be more descriptive, such as: “an emerald cut diamond ring, with white gold shank, accent stones and initials inscribed below the bridge.”
- Make, model, and/or serial number of the items.
- Date of purchase, receipts and photos.
- Estimated replacement cost if you bought it today. Do note that the value of the items might be different today than it was when you first bought them. This is especially true with jewelry, and other valuables.
- Appraisals at time of purchase. Especially if your items were appraised for insurance purposes.
Why Do I Need a Home Inventory?
Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, everyone can benefit from a home inventory!
If you ever have to make a claim, a home inventory is a great asset to have, especially after stressful events like theft, storm damage or a fire (take a look at how one renter used their home inventory after facing an apartment fire).
When you make a claim, you typically submit information on everything that was lost — which can be difficult to do off the top of your head for all your possessions. Remembering to replace your TV or computer are no-brainers, but when it comes to remembering each piece of jewelry in your jewelry box, things tend to get overlooked. Having a personal property inventory will help, along with knowing how to properly insure your jewelry.
When you have your home inventory checklist, you know exactly what needs to be replaced, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing your entire household is protected.
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You’re admiring the rain from the comfort of your home when you notice a sound — the unmistakable drip of water dropping onto your floor. The first and hardest step is figuring out why your roof is leaking. And with these tips, you’ll find the culprit in no time!
Here’s Why Your Roof Is Leaking
The list of reasons why your roof is leaking may seem long, but don’t worry — when it comes to finding the leak and fixing it, the finding is the hardest part. And the good thing about these problems? They can all be fixed. Check out the list and see what’s troubling your roof:
Your roof is old
Roofs don’t last forever. Protecting your home and everything inside it from the elements comes with a cost. And with all that rain, snow, ice, wind and even sunlight wearing down your roof, it becomes more susceptible to leaks. Every roof will eventually need to be replaced, so learn more about how long your roof should last based on what it’s made of.
- How to Check Your Roof for Storm Damage
There’s no good time to find out your roof needs repair — but you may be able to mitigate that pain by routinely checking your roof for damage after severe weather. Waiting for a leak or damage to present itself gives the problem time to grow and worsen.
And sometimes, you’ll be faced with expensive roof and interior damage repairs if you’re not diligent. By being proactive and checking your roof for damage after severe weather hits can help your roof — and your savings — stay healthy.
