With fall comes changing weather which can be really tough on our houses. Now is the PERFECT time to focus on home maintenance… to get your home ready for the rain, snow, sleet, strong winds and colder temperatures that come with your typical Canadian winter.
To help protect your home from weather-related annoyances, here’s my handy fall home maintenance checklist of 34 (yes 34) items for your To Do list!
Roofs and gutters
• Clean out gutters and downspouts for good drainage
• Make sure your gutters are STRAIGHT and securely attached to your home.
• Check the roof for loose shingles, wood damage, gaps and holes.
• Inspect the fireplace and chimney for damage and critters.
• Check your attic for critters and insulation coverage.
Appliances
• Check that all your home appliances are ready for fall and winter.
• Get a furnace tune-up and change the filter.
• Winterize your air conditioner.
• Prepare your snowblower.
• Clean out stove and dryer vents.
• Wash the oven range hood filter.
• Check water softener and add salt if necessary.
• Check and clean your humidifier.
• Vacuum refrigerator coils.
• Test and tune up your garage door and door opener.
• Check that circuit breakers work by turning them on and off.
Lawn and garden
• Fall is actually a great time to water your law – it helps it recover from summer wear and gain strength for the winter ahead.
• Rake and cut your lawn short – ideally 1.5 to 2 inches.
• Aerate, fertilize and seed your lawn – choose a fertilizer that’s labeled 4-1-2. (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer).
• Drain and put away garden hoses and equipment (if you live on the west coast you may want to put this off until winter actually arrives in December!).
• Drain outside faucets (see above).
• Check trees for interference with utility lines.
• Remove weeds from driveway cracks, fix and reseal.
Porch, patio, and fencing
• Prepare your deck with protective waterproofing.
• Clean and put away patio furniture.
• Clean your barbecue and cover.
• Fix damaged or loose fencing and deck or porch rails.
Windows and doors
• Check and replace weather-stripping around windows and doors.
• Check caulking around your windows and doors.
• Repaint outdoor windowsills and ledges for protection.
Paint storage
• Might seem like an odd one but many people forget to properly store the paint they use for regular home maintenance – move your paint indoors when the temperature starts to drop.
Your home’s foundation
• Check for a fix any cracks, holes or gaps in your home’s foundation.
Safety from fire and storms
• Check your detectors – with furnaces active and windows and doors closed, fall is a great time to check your smoke and CO detectors to make sure they’re in working order.
• Make sure you have flashlights and extra batteries on hand in case of power outages.
And that’s it! Your home will now be ready for whatever Mother Nature hits you with throughout the fall and into the winter. Bring it on!
HeyBryan is an app that connects home service providers to homeowners and anyone else seeking qualified taskers. It is a peer-to-peer marketplace app connecting independent contractors to consumers with everyday home maintenance needs. We eliminate the middleman, put the power back into the hands of the public, and take away the issue of money exchange.
You can easily book a trusted HeyBryan Expert who specializes in handyman services, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, and more, to help with any number of small home maintenance tasks. Each Expert has been vetted, background checked, and approved by the HeyBryan team so you can feel comfortable having an Expert in or around your home to complete your task safely and efficiently.
HeyBryan instills trust, eliminates the constraints of time, and handles the money exchange for you. We allow the independent workforce and the consumers, who value time, the ability to work together.
Leave a comment