Winter has a way of finding every weak spot in a home. A clogged gutter turns into an ice dam. A furnace that rattled all last spring quits on the coldest night of the year. A heavy limb that's been leaning over the roof finally lets go in an ice storm.
None of those problems starts big. They start as small jobs that are easy to put off while the weather is mild. That's why fall is the most important maintenance season of the year. You still have decent weather to work in, contractors aren't booked solid yet, and every hour you spend now is a repair bill you may never have to pay.
My parents and grandparents understood this. They didn't call it preventive maintenance. They just took care of what they had, because replacing it wasn't an option. That's a lesson worth holding onto, fellow Patriot. Here's my seven-job fall home checklist, plus a few old-fashioned ways to stretch your budget while you work through it.
1. Clean the Gutters
Clear the leaves before winter storms hit.
Gutters have one job: move water away from your roof and foundation. When they're packed with leaves, water backs up and spills over. In fall rains that means soggy flower beds and puddles against the foundation. In winter it can freeze, and ice along the roof edge can push water back under the shingles.
- Wait until most of the leaves are down, then clean the gutters before the first hard freeze.
- Scoop out debris by hand or with a gutter scoop, then flush each run with a garden hose to check that water flows freely.
- Make sure every downspout is clear and points water several feet away from the house.
- Work from a sturdy ladder on level ground, and have a second person steady it.
Put those leaves to work: don't bag them. Leaves are some of the best "browns" for a compost pile, and compost is free food for next year's garden.
2. Tune Up the HVAC
Catch small problems before they get expensive.
Your heating system sat idle all summer. The first cold morning isn't the time to find out something is wrong. A fall tune-up catches worn parts, loose connections and dirty components while they're still small fixes.
- Schedule a professional tune-up early in the fall, before the first cold spell, when everyone calls at once.
- Run the heat for a test cycle on a cool day. Listen for rattles or squeals and notice any odd smells beyond the brief dusty smell of a first run.
- Clear the area around the furnace, and keep the outdoor unit free of leaves and debris.
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors while you're at it.
3. Swap the Furnace Filter
Every month or two keeps dust out of the air you breathe.
Once the heat is running, the air in your home cycles through that filter over and over. Fall and winter are when houses are sealed up tight against the cold, so dust, pet dander and allergens have fewer ways to escape. A clogged filter also makes your furnace work harder to push air through.
- Check the filter monthly during heating season, and replace it every one to two months, or sooner if it looks gray and dusty.
- Write the filter size on the furnace or in your phone, and buy a few at a time so you always have a spare.
- Mark the date on the edge of each new filter so you know when it went in.
4. Trim the Trees
Keep limbs off the roof and away from power lines.
Wet snow and ice add a lot of weight to branches. Limbs that hang over the roof can scrape shingles in the wind or come down on the house in a storm. Branches near lines are a common reason the power goes out in winter weather.
- Walk your property and look up. Note dead branches and any limbs touching or hanging over the roof.
- Trim small limbs yourself with a pole saw from the ground.
- Leave big limbs, tall trees and anything near a power line to a professional. Never trim near lines yourself; your utility company may handle those.
Three more jobs to go. Keep scrolling to reveal Nos. 5, 6 and 7.
Fix It Small. Save It Big.
It's easier and cheaper to take care of problems when they first appear, before they snowball into something worse. Cleaning your gutters, getting your HVAC tuned up and trimming your trees can save you thousands down the road. Here's how to get these jobs done without spending a fortune.
- Do it yourself first. Your library has books on home repair and lawn and garden care, and there are instructional videos for nearly every job imaginable. Try it on your own before calling in a professional.
- Find a reliable handyman for the rest. Ask neighbors, check your church bulletin board or local listings, and don't be afraid to try out a few people. Always compare quotes and check references before anyone starts work.
- Recycle, reuse, redo or do without. It isn't always possible, but it can buy you time until you find a fix that fits your budget. Many home and yard materials can be reused, and those fall leaves make excellent compost.
- Take a page from your parents and grandparents. Learn to make do when something needs repair. The skills you build this fall will serve you every season after.
Keep the Heat Where It Belongs
Once the furnace is tuned and the filter is fresh, make sure the warm air it produces stays inside. A few inexpensive fixes now can trim your heating bill all winter.
- Find where heat is escaping. After the first frost, take a look at your roof. Spots where the frost has melted away first show you where warm air is leaking out and more attic insulation could help.
- Insulate what you can. Insulation in walls and ceilings saves on heating and cooling alike. A thermal insulation wrap around an older water heater reduces heat loss, too.
- No. 5: Seal the drafts. Check doors and windows for leaks. Weatherstripping, door sweeps and caulk from the hardware store are cheap, quick fixes.
- Heat only what you use. Close off rooms you don't use so you're not paying to warm empty space.
- Mind the small stuff. Wash laundry in cold water when you can, and unplug appliances that draw power while they're off, or put them on a power strip you can switch off.
While You're At It: Get Ready for Winter Storms
A well-kept home is your first line of defense when bad weather rolls in. But even the best-maintained house can lose power in an ice storm or blizzard. Don't wait until a storm is in the forecast to prepare. By then, store shelves may be empty.
- No. 6: Test your detectors. Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and swap in fresh batteries if they need them.
- Know your risks. Find out which kinds of severe weather are most likely where you live, and plan for those first.
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No. 7: Check your storm kit. Build a 72-hour kit, or restock the one you have. Store it somewhere you can grab it fast, like a closet near the front door. At a minimum:
- Water: one gallon per person per day, for at least three days. Emergency Drinking Water Pouches make it easy to keep a 3-day supply on hand.
- Non-perishable food: at least a three-day supply, like the 72-Hour Emergency Survival Food Kit
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio, with extra batteries. The Liberty Band Emergency Solar Weather Radio recharges from the sun or a hand crank.
- A flashlight you can count on when the power's out for days, like the HaloXT Tactical 9-in-1 Solar Flashlight (more on that below)
- A first-aid kit, including dust masks, such as the Lifeline Deluxe First Aid Kit
- Sanitation supplies: wet wipes, garbage bags and ties
- Count on yourself. After a big storm, help can take days to arrive. Plan to take care of your household on your own for at least the first 72 hours.
Don't let your flashlight run on borrowed time. In a long outage, the flashlight in the junk drawer is only as good as its last set of batteries. That's why a solar light belongs in every storm kit. The HaloXT recharges from a solar panel built into the handle, or faster by USB before a storm, so you're never hunting for batteries in the dark. Its 2,000 mAh battery doubles as a power bank to charge your phone and keep you in touch with family. The tough aluminum body is IP66 water-resistant for rain and snow, and you also get an SOS strobe for signaling, a magnetic work light, a compass, a seatbelt cutter and a glass breaker. Keep one in your storm kit and another in your car.
Starting from scratch? The Food, Power & Light Emergency Go-Bag Starter Package covers backup food, phone charging and light in one bundle.
Your Fall Home Checklist
