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Autumn in the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful season, and it’s also an important time to prepare your home for colder weather. From cleaning gutters to fireplace safety, fall home maintenance is a must in our region. Here’s our handy checklist to ensure your home is ready.
Exterior Home Maintenance
Decks, Patios, and Yards
You may have already thought about how the time is nearing to put away your lawn furniture, but have you also thought about storing your lawn tools, hoses, and your grill? And, are the tools you will need ready to go? Don’t forget hose bib insulators prior to freezing temps! Fall is also the time to prune, clear out garden beds, fertilize, and reseed.
Walkways and Outdoor Lighting
Like it or not, 4 PM sunsets do happen in our latitude. Make sure your outdoor lighting is working, and check for trip hazards or cracks in pavers to make sure you can get in and out of your home safely in the dark, cooler months. Also consider your guests or delivery drivers and the path they take to access your front door. This may be a different route than your family who may drive right into the garage and enter from an interior door.
Gutters and downspouts
Without regular maintenance, your home’s gutters can get so clogged they can cause damage and leaks. So, it’s important to stay on top of this seasonal task. In fact, clogged gutters are one of the top home repairs you should never put off. Clear out all debris including leaves and pine needles, and then test them by flushing them out with the hose. Additionally, make sure the downspouts drain away from the house or into your street. You never want any water to pool back towards your home’s foundation.
Interior Maintenance Considerations
Fireplaces and Fire Safety
When it’s time to cozy up to your fireplace, you definitely don’t want to be dealing with cracks and soot. They can become fire hazards. So take time to check and clean your chimney – call a professional if you’re unsure.
No one wants to deal with a chirping smoke detector in the middle of the night. A good rule of thumb is to change batteries in all detectors in your home the same time you change your clocks for daylight savings. This also includes carbon monoxide detectors as well. With the increased use of fire places, wood stoves, and heaters, you’ll also want to check your fire extinguisher.
HVAC, Ducts, and Vents
In addition to your regular annual HVAC maintenance, do your own little inspection to ensure it is ready for colder weather. Power it off, wait for the blower to stop, and then vacuum out all of the vents. Next, replace the air filters, which should be changed every three to six months (timing depends on their thickness). Finally, turn it back on and make sure the intake vent is sucking in the air as it should be, and that you feel the warm air. If anything seems off, call a local HVAC professional.
This is also a great time to check your dryer vent. An often overlooked maintenance item, too much lint can be a fire hazard – make sure to check the exterior as well, clearing lint and debris.
Prevent pests
Rodents love finding warm places when it gets cold, and they can really damage your property. So, do all you can to prevent them from moving into your attic, crawl space, or basement. Prune back any branches that may hang onto your roof. Don’t store anything in your crawl space since that serves as an invitation for critters to burrow there. Check your attic regularly and keep it as clean and tidy as possible. If you hear scuttling overhead or find droppings anywhere, take immediate action
Make sure your house is well sealed
A well-sealed home will prevent drafts and high utility bills. Weatherproof entry points to the outdoors including your garage, doors, windows, and exterior siding. If you see a gap, install new or larger seals. A weather strip works well if you notice a gap with your garage door or under your front door. When it comes to your windows, caulking, flashing, and additional sealing may be needed.
After you finish with this list, you’ll probably want to relax with a seasonal comfort meal. Check out these fall recipe ideas using local produce for inspiration.
