It’s important to take time to prepare your home for seasonal weather (yep, winter) as the days continue to get shorter and the temperatures start to drop. A few easy steps may help prevent a surprise repair during an inconvenient time of year.
So, let’s break down your complete fall home maintenance checklist and make sure you’re prepared for the long, cold Michigan winter ahead.
Exterior Maintenance
- Inspect your roof. Look for missing shingles and damage such as cracking, splitting and curling. Also, check all flashing and seals around vents, skylights and other areas of the roof where items are protruding.
- Clean out your gutters. Remove all leaves and debris that have accumulated in your eavestroughs to avoid water damage, roof damage, ice formations, pest problems and other issues.
- Check and seal cracks around your home’s exterior. Look for gaps around windows, doors, electrical outlets, foundation seals, vents and fans. Add caulk or weatherstripping to prevent air leaks or unwanted critters.
- Remove window screens. Clean, repair and store window screens in a dry area.
- Organize your garage. Clean and store summer garden tools.
- Clean outdoor furniture. Clean, cover and store porch and deck furniture in a protected area.
Lawn + Garden Maintenance
- Rake leaves. Rake or mulch fallen leaves in your yard.
- Prep your lawn. Core aerate your lawn to allow important nutrients and treatments to reach the roots of your grass and fertilize it with a high phosphorous mix to prevent things like snow mold from developing. Mow your lawn so the grass is approximately 2 inches high.
- Prune plants. Trim plants and trees once the summer growth cycle is over.
- Winterize sprinkler system. Drain your irrigation system to prevent frozen lines, burst pipes and sprinkler head repairs in the spring.
- Drain garden hoses. Disconnect and drain your outdoor hoses and spray nozzles. Put them away in storage to ensure they don’t freeze.
- Drain gas from power equipment. Drain fuel from all gas-operated equipment such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and chainsaws.
- Empty soil from planters. Remove dirt from clay pots and put them away in storage to ensure they don’t crack with the cold temperatures.
- Prep snow equipment. Check to see if all of your snow equipment is up and running before the first flurry falls.
Interior Maintenance
- Check your HVAC system. Test out your heating system in the fall before colder temperatures hit and service with a licensed heating contractor (if needed).
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test all alarms to ensure they’re working properly and replace batteries every year.
- Replace furnace filter. Change your furnace’s air filter to keep dust, dirt, mold spores, soot, germs and allergies from accumulating in your home’s air. Regular maintenance is essential for the longevity of your furnace, and more importantly, the health and safety of your family.
These home maintenance tips will keep your home running in peak condition all winter long.