Fall Home Maintenance To-Do

Dare we say that one morning after this warm beautiful September, we’ll wake up and wonder where the cool, fall weather came from?  Doing your fall home maintenance now will save you doing it when it’s chilly outside!

Eaves Droughts
Check eaves droughts to make sure they’re clear.  If you have trees on your property with large canopies where leaves will reach your gutters, inspect them visually throughout fall to prevent clogs.  Soon they’ll be doing double duty with rainstorms and falling leaves.

Keep Mice Out
September and October mice will find cozy places to setup nest for the upcoming winter.
Mice need only a quarter inch opening to make their way into your home, shed, patio, garage, etc.
Check to make sure all exterior vents have a screen.

Weather Stripping and Caulk
Weather stripping around doors and windows can become fragile and loses its intended purpose over time.  It can dry-out, crack, mold or gap and then needs replacing.
Keep moisture and cold air from outside elements by inspecting and replacing with plastic, foam, felt or metal stripping. Seal gaps and cracks around windows and doors with weather-stripping and caulk.|

Yard & Garden
Clean and store summer garden tools and patio furniture.  Empty pots of soil and store away.  Clay, porcelain or ceramic pots can freeze and crack if left outside over winter.
Remove annual garden plants and prune/trim perennials and shrubs (only trim perennials that are meant for fall trimming and that will only bloom from new ground foliage as not all plants or shrub should be cut-back in the fall).

Wood Burning Fireplace
If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove, it’s not too early to work on your supply of firewood. Hardwoods such as oak, hickory and maple are slow, hot, clean burners. Wood piles attract insects and animals, so stack wood away from the house. Wood dries best when it’s protected from rain and has air circulating around it, so under the roof of a wall-less carport would be an ideal wood storage spot.

CO Detectors
Keep your family safe at home. A home safety check should be an annual ritual in every household. Test smoke and CO detectors, inspect (or install) fire extinguishers, review fire escape plans, and rid your home of old newspapers and other fire hazards.

Inspect Chimney and Roof
A visual inspection from the ground, or if the peak of your roof isn’t too sloped to safely inspect yourself, check for missing, shingles, damaged flashing and seals around the chimney, vent pipes, etc.

Clean Dryer Vent
This task should ideally be done every 6 months.
Pull your dryer away from the wall, unplug it and vacuum behind it, (If you are using a gas dryer, turn the gas supply off at the shutoff valve).
Unhook the large dryer tube that leads to the vent and clear the link.  Using a shop-vac on the outside vent to clear lint is also a good idea.

Humidifier
Keep the humidifier humming. Clean the plates or pads to ensure efficient operation.