Learn how to warm the house, fix up the yard, and get ready for winter. Don’t “leaf” these fall home-maintenance tips till the last minute.
Fall is the season for brisk air, falling leaves, and maybe a few cups of hot cider. But while you’re enjoying this colorful time of year, you should also take care of some seasonal home-maintenance tasks. Moderate temperatures make outdoor activities more comfortable, so this is a great time to get your home winter-ready—especially if you live in a cold climate.
This transitional period can also be the perfect opportunity to schedule any pros you need. If you wait for harsher weather, “you’ll be competing with other homeowners for the best roofers, handypeople, and yard services,” says Yelp home-improvement expert Don Vandervort, founder of HomeTips.com. “Later on, service providers’ schedules will fill up, and their costs may go up too.”
So don’t delay getting started on your fall maintenance to-do list. Here’s what you need to know about these important tasks.
Take care of your yard
Nature likes to put on a beautiful display for fall, with a dazzling show of red, orange, and gold leaves, plus blooming fall flowers and still-green grass. But don’t get too distracted—your yard needs some care now so it will still look amazing next spring. Here are some tasks to get done:
Put the lawn to bed
When daytime temps have cooled but the soil under your lawn remains warm, that’s the best time to fertilize, aerate, and overseed (add extra grass seeds to boost a lawn’s density). You can add even more nutrition by shredding fallen leaves with a mulching mower and sprinkling them around the yard. This extra TLC will help your lawn handle the cold weather and give it a head start toward lushness next spring. Not sure where to start? Hire a lawn care pro for help.
Get trees ready for a safe winter
As leaves fall and branches become increasingly bare, it’s easier to see diseased or damaged tree limbs—and have them taken off before they become prey to winter storms. Call in a tree pro for annual pruning and advice on what needs to be removed. When you hire a tree company, they’ll typically charge $262–$773 for routine service.
- Pro tip: Late fall is also the time to stow your gardening equipment. Store garden hoses, lawn mowers, and other tools you no longer need until spring. Close shut-off valves for outside faucets and sprinkler systems. (You may need to blow out sprinkler lines before the winter months set in.) Put away patio furniture. Now is also a good time to service snow blowers and other tools you’ll use over the winter.
Weatherproof your home’s exterior
Those nice, cool autumn breezes will turn into winter weather before you know it. If you live in an area where heavy rains, snow, or high winds are common, you’ll want to seal your home up tight. Here are some tasks to focus on.
Fix up the gutters
When gutters and downspouts are in good shape, they have one job: Take the water that lands on the roof and move it away from the house. But broken or clogged gutters may not drain properly, leading to potential water damage. In freezing weather, the problem gets worse: “Ice dams form when warm air from the house melts the snow on the roof, which then refreezes in the gutter, causing the water to back up under the roof shingles,” explains Ian McNaught, owner of HomeKey Inspections in Sterling, Virginia, and Leander, Texas. To prevent this, hire a gutter contractor to make sure the gutters are pitched and installed correctly, and that they’re free of debris that causes clogs.
Caulk any cracks
Check for gaps around window and door trim, as well as cracks in the foundation that might allow cold air in, and fill them with caulk. This is a relatively simple home improvement project if you have some DIY experience. Or you can hire an experienced handyman service to do the job, usually for about $40–80 per hour, plus the cost of materials. Just be sure to get a caulk that’s designed for exterior use. Be aware that some caulks can’t be painted.
- Pro tip: After you caulk outside, go inside to check on weatherstripping around doors and windows. When properly installed, it will cut down on drafts from air leaks and help reduce energy bills year-round.
Examine the roof
Use binoculars to check out the condition of your roof from the yard. Look for missing shingles and damaged flashing (where the roofing shingles or tiles intersect with a protrusion like a chimney or skylight). Or have a roofing contractor do a thorough inspection for about $225. (Learn about How to hire a reliable roofer and Signs you need a new roof.)
Keep your indoors cozy
Make sure your home stays cozy and warm this winter weather by doing a few fall checkups. This will give you time to hire any pros you need before the temps start dropping.
Get an annual HVAC inspection
Make an appointment with a local HVAC contractor to inspect and service your system early in the season, because they get busy when cold weather approaches. Expect to pay $150–450 for furnace maintenance, $175–375 for a boiler tuneup, and $80–200 for heat pump maintenance. A pro will usually change the furnace filter during a maintenance visit, but you can also do it yourself. (Learn about How to hire a good heating and air-conditioning contractor.)
- Pro tip: Dampers are valves in your HVAC system that help regulate where the hot air goes. Before heating season begins, partially close your dampers to the upper levels of the house, and open the dampers to the lower levels, recommends Ian McNaught of HomeKey Inspections in Sterling, Virginia. “Heat rises, and if you push the heated air to all levels of the house equally, the upstairs can become too hot.” You can ask your HVAC contractor to do this—some have equipment to measure exactly how much air flow is getting to each area.
Clean out the chimney
An annual inspection and cleaning by a chimney sweep will help keep your home safe. They’ll use special brushes to remove a tar-like substance called creosote from the walls of the flue. If creosote is allowed to build up, it can potentially cause a chimney fire. (Learn more from The complete guide to home fireplace safety.)