Home Fall Preparation Checklist

Fall is quickly approaching! Is your property ready? And by ready, I mean more than fancy door wreaths, pumpkin spice candles, and Halloween decorations. Of course, these are also crucial to fully embracing the fall season, but it’s even more important to ensure that your home is fully set and prepared to bear the changing weather.

Here’s a checklist to make sure you don’t miss any important fall preparation tasks for your home:

1. Clean Your Gutters

Your gutters work hard year-round to properly drain gallons upon gallons of water from your roof. A clogged gutter can lead to severe damage and should be a priority when it comes to exterior home maintenance. It is recommended to clean your gutters at least twice a year, fall and spring, to clear out any clogs… and there are bound to be some!

2. Inspect Your Roof

Give your roof a look over to make sure it’s ready to bear the elements this winter. Look for warning signs such as missing or curled shingles, rust spots, moss patches, and other forms of serious damage. Hire a professional for a proper inspection if needed or to make repairs.

3. Prep Your Lawn

If you want your lawn to look ready for spring when the weather starts getting warmer, prep the grass before the cold even arrives! Rake up any leaves and debris on the ground and use a proper fertilizer to prevent winter damage. You’ll be the first on your block to have healthy green grass when spring arrives!

4. Fix Any Pavement or Driveway Cracks

You see it on the highways and parkways all the time; those annoying potholes and breaks in the pavement that are a pain to drive over. Those are made when water seeps into the cracks and freezes, causing the pavement to expand and crumble. Don’t let this happen in your own driveway or walkways by fixing those cracks before it gets too cold!

5. Check For Drafts

Heat loss during the cold months can be very costly, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Check your house, specifically windows and doorways, for drafts to see where you need to cover and close up to keep cold air out and hot air in. Go on the exterior of your house as well and seal up cracks between trim, siding, and where pipes or wires enter or exit your house. Don’t forget to cover your air conditioning unit as well!

6. Turn Off Outdoor Water System, Faucets, and Store Hoses

Make sure to turn off your outdoor irrigation system, faucets, and drain water out of any hoses or pipes to prevent freezing and breaking. Store any hoses you keep outside safely away too.

7. Check Out Your Furnace

It’s a good idea once a year to carefully inspect your heating system to make sure it’s ready for the cold temperatures. Some signs that you need to get your furnace checked as soon as possible by a professional include poor performance, noisy belts, or inconsistent behavior.

8. Change Out Filters

It’s hard to keep your house at the desired temperature if your filters are clogged. Although changing your filters should be done regularly, don’t skip it before the fall weather starts. 

9. Test Your Snowblower

Don’t get stuck inside, dreading all the shoveling you now have to do because your snowblower won’t start. Test it out before winter to make sure it’s ready for the first snowfall.

10. Check Safety Devices

Fall is a great time to make sure all your home’s safety equipment is working correctly. Specifically, change batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, replace expired fire extinguishers, and clean your house of potentially hazardous, flammable, or dangerous materials, especially near heating appliances.

Exterior Home Design in Connecticut

If you need help with any of these tasks, we’re here to help. Ambrosio Landscaping Solutions can exceed your expectations and ensure that your property is always looking and performing its best. Give us a call at (203) 762-5167 to learn more.