Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

The weather is turning crisp and our first freeze is among us—it's time to get prepared. Below is a guideline to help prepare your home for Fall.

Around the House

• Clean out gutters and downspouts.
• Check your roof, repair any holes or loose shingles, and remove branches hanging over the roof.
• Check all the weather stripping around your doors and windows (gaps in weather stripping account for up to 10 percent of your heating bill, according to the US Department of Energy).
• Turn off outdoor plumbing: disconnect hoses and store them indoors.

In the Garage

• Organize your garage. Bring out winter tools and store summer lawn & garden necessities.
• Winterize and store the lawn mower.
• Check your snow removal equipment, make sure it's working properly for the first snow.

Around the Garden

• Cut back your landscaping.
• Bring in your potted plants.
• Fertilize and reseed your lawn.
• Clean and cover, or store, your patio furniture.

Inside the House

• Check your fireplace and have it cleaned.
• Check all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Change batteries as needed.
• Change your air filters.