Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Now that the cool weather is here and I’ve been dislodged from my comfy spot, floating in the pool, here’s what I’m doing around the house to make sure that my home is functioning in top condition.
Now, I’ll preface this post by saying I live in Canada, and as such, we fully experience all four seasons. So, fall is a slightly more intense season for maintenance because there’s a lot of tasks that you’ll want to knock off your list so you’re not dealing with issues when the frigid winter temperatures set in. Not to mention, you’ll definitely want to focus on maintenance if you’re considering selling your home.
To make this task list simpler, I’ve broken it down into three categories:
what to check
what to change, and
what to maintain.
Please be aware that any links I’ve included here are not sponsored or affiliate links. They’re simply local (London Ontario) businesses that our family uses and loves so I’ve included them here in case you’re a curious local.
What to check
Foundation - internal & external
Look for cracks, signs of damage.
Note that while damage to your foundation can seem scary, in many instances the fix can be more affordable and easier than you think. If you’re looking for someone in the London area to help, we know many people who recommend Wal-Tech Drainage.
Window wells
Clean out and check for signs of damage that could result in rain and precipitation coming through your windows and into your basement. Consider window well covers as an extra precaution to keep rain out.
Roof - shingles, drainage, soffits, chimney
Look for worn shingles (peeling, green/moldy), and ensure that drainage on multi-level roofs is not spilling onto shingles. Look for signs that animals have tried, have gotten into, or could get into your roof/chimney. Consider pest proofing your chimney (yup, we’ve had raccoons go down our chimney before and we learned our lesson!).
Perimeter pest control check
Walk around the exterior of your home and identify cracks that shouldn’t be there (e.g. look for worn/cracked caulking around vents, pipes and wires that run through your homes exterior to your interior). And while you’re at it, check for signs of animal break-ins (pulled down/bent soffits etc). As the weather gets colder, your home starts to look more inviting to rodentia as well (i.e. squirrels, raccoons, mice and the like!). So, try to keep the vermin shivering outdoors where they belong by fixing and sealing what you can.
Personal story time: I’ll never forget the night that my wife and I learned that raccoons will nest in chimneys. We suddenly heard loud scratching and scraping and those patented raccoon screams and chitters coming from within our walls. We were alarmed to say the least. After calling pest control, we learned that apparently, some raccoons are ‘chimney raccoons.’ Which is to say they’re born in chimneys and then when they grow up, think chimneys are the right place to nest. And…if these buggers get homey enough to have their babies in there, you have to wait for them to get big enough that they can climb out before you can oust them for good. We were lucky to get them evicted and the chimney capped by Wild Things before getting to this stage. Learn from our lessons!
Sump pump
How long has it been since you’ve opened up that cover? Or since you checked the batteries on your back up? Make sure nothing is blocking your sump pit and that all is working as it should. You’re going to need your sump pump running well as the rainy season starts, and especially as we go through cycles of snow…and then rain that melts all the snow and overwhelms the ground. And while you’re at it, take a look at where the sump pump discharges water into your yard. Has the trajectory of the water changed? Is anything blocking the output? Adjust as needed.
Hardwired smoke alarm/CO2 alarm
How long has it been since you’ve tested that bad boy? Now’s the time to hit the test button and ensure all is working as it should.
Doors & windows for drafts
I’ve heard that if you take a lit candle and hold it close to your windows and doors (make sure that your HVAC is turned off) and see the candle flame flicker, you can discover which openings are less than draft proof. If you find any of these, move your window and door draftproofing down to the ‘maintain’ section.
What to change
Furnace filter
In our house, we change the furnace filter every time the season changes. You may be surprised just how disgusting these can get & in the fall it’s the start of dust bunny season indoors.
Battery-operated smoke alarm/carbon monoxide alarm batteries
September 28th is Test Your Smoke Alarm Battery Day in Ontario. The special day was started in 2023, after 133 Ontario residents lost their life in a fire (more than in the previous 20 years).
For me, rather than simply checking the smoke alarm to make sure it works, I just swap the batteries. Why? I don’t want to wait for batteries to run out. Who knows how long it’ll be until I discover that they’re dead? I’d rather spend a few extra dollars to protect my most precious asset - my family.
Sump pump batteries (if you have a battery backup)
If you have a battery backup on your sump pump, this is yet another power source that you don’t want to fail in a very rainy season. Especially in London, where our clay soil holds a lot of moisture and we receive a fair amount of precipitation, we have a lot of homes with a sump pump. No one wants to risk a flooded basement.
Curb appeal decor
Just in case you wanted an excuse to go to the local home and garden centre (hello Heeman’s!) or HomeSense… This is for you.
What to maintain
Eavestroughs/gutters
Sigh. This feels completely pointless because they’re just going to fill up again in the blink of an eye, but at least the leaves won’t be falling into an already clogged system. So, if you don’t have gutter guards, you know the drill. It’s time to climb up that ladder, don some gloves and start pulling out all the leaves, sticks, birds nests, rodents, etc. so that water flows free and clear and away from your home.
Pressure wash home exterior & clean windows
We have siding on the upper portion of our home and it gets surprisingly dirty. Now is time to pressure wash all that built up grime, as well as tackle cleaning every piece of glass, which gets equally as icky. As a bonus step, we also replace any screens that have been torn/damaged. There’s nothing like the freshness of an open window in the fall, so make sure the only thing you’re letting in is air.
Sewer back flow valve clean out
Do you have one of these in your house? A sewer back flow valve is a great investment in flood prevention, specifically for sewer backups. The caveat? It has to be clear of debris. So make sure to open up the cover and take a look to ensure that it’s not full of leaves and other things!
Interior paint
With the cooler weather, it’s the perfect time to open your windows and tackle that painting job. It’s not so cold you’ll freeze, but not so humid that your paint takes days to dry.
Lawn & garden
Get those yard bags out, break out the rakes, aerate and fertilize, remove dead plants and make your gardening this spring easier by maintaining your space this fall.
Tree maintenance
Put your hand up if you’ve ever had major tree damage occur during a fall or winter (ice) storm. We have a beautiful mature maple in our front yard and we’re always sure to remove dead wood, or get it removed. We use ArborScience for our trees and always love their service.
In-ground sprinkler systems
Schedule your shutdown or if you’re a maverick at this, do it yourself. Get some antifreeze flowing and shut off the water supply. We have an in-ground system and usually use Blue Jay Irrigation (London Ontario).
Shut off outdoor water supply
With how cold our winter gets, you’ll want to be shutting off your exterior water (to hoses etc), before water has a chance to freeze in the pipes, and/or burst them wide open.
In-ground & above ground pool/ponds
Schedule that shut down or set aside the time to do it yourself.
It’s okay. Spring will be here before you know it!
Home declutter (garage, home, etc)
Home decluttering is an elephant-sized tasks, and the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Let the fall be a time when you take a few bites out of the beast. Spend some time over the weekends going through old boxes of things that you haven’t opened in a while. Make a list of what to donate, trash, and sell and work your way through. Especially if you’re thinking of selling in the spring (fall is the time to start!).
Wood burning fireplace(s)
This is definitely one home asset that you want working properly. Not ensuring that it’s venting properly definitely leaves you at risk of many extreme dangers, from CO2 to house fires. Schedule yourself in with a specialist for some seasonal maintenance.
Gas fireplace(s)
Schedule maintenance (e.g. with someone like Corner Gas or Donaldsons) to make sure there are no gas leaks and that everything is clean and working as it should. If you’d like to also do some maintenance yourself, there’s no harm in cleaning the glass, vacuuming all the dust out, and making sure there are no spiders/webs (yup, that’s a known problem) around your pilot light yourself as well too.
Weatherproof windows & doors
Sometimes all you need is to redo the weather stripping around your windows & doors, sometimes you have to seal them up with weatherproof shrink wrap, and sometimes you need a full on replacement. No matter what, fall is a great time to prepare these openings to keep the cold outside where it belongs.
Hang Christmas lights
I know, I know. The mention of Christmas anytime before December 1st is a trigger for some people, but hear me out: I don’t want to be hanging lights in minus twenty weather as ice pellets assault my fingers and challenge the stability of my ladder a la National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation ladder scene.
So, sometime around November (that’s reasonable in London Ontario), I’ll be up on the roof clipping in some lights.
Turn them on whenever you deem appropriate (after Remembrance Day is a great time :)…but work smarter by putting them up early!
What else are you tackling around the house this fall?
Honestly, I didn’t realize how much there was to do around the home until I drafted this list. Now I’m a little overwhelmed but also feeling better organised to tackle each item on the list.
Let me know - what did I miss?
Is there anything you’d add?
