Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Fall is the busiest maintenance season: everything that freezes must be drained, everything that heats must be serviced, and everything that fell from the trees must leave the gutters.

• Every 90 daysReplace the HVAC filterA clogged filter makes the blower work harder, raises energy use, and lets dust bypass into the ductwork.
• Every monthTest smoke and CO detectorsDetectors fail quietly — the only way to know one still works is to test it.
• Once a yearReplace detector batteriesA chirping detector gets its battery pulled at 2 a.m.
• Twice a year — spring and after leaf dropClean the guttersBlocked gutters overflow against the fascia and foundation, which is how a handful of leaves becomes rot, ice dams, and a wet basement..
• Once a yearFlush the water heaterSediment settles at the bottom of the tank, insulating the water from the burner and corroding the liner.
• Every 3 monthsTest GFCI outletsGFCI outlets protect the wet areas of the house from shock, and their internal mechanism can fail while the outlet keeps delivering power..
• Every 6 monthsVacuum the refrigerator coilsDust-blanketed condenser coils force the compressor to run longer and hotter, which shows up in the electric bill first and the repair bill later..
• Every 2 monthsClean the dishwasher filterModern dishwashers trap food in a filter you're supposed to rinse — few people know it exists.
• Twice a year — before wet seasonsTest the sump pumpA sump pump spends most of its life idle and is only discovered dead during the storm that needed it..
• Every fall before first freezeShut off and drain outdoor faucetsWater trapped in an exterior faucet freezes, expands, and splits the pipe inside the wall — the leak only shows up the following spring..
• Once a year if you burn woodHave the chimney sweptCreosote builds up in the flue with every fire and is the fuel for chimney fires.
• Every 6 monthsLubricate and test the garage doorThe garage door is the heaviest moving object in the house.
• Every 6 monthsInspect tub and shower caulkFailed caulk lets shower water into the wall cavity, where it rots framing and feeds mold invisibly.
• Twice a year and after big stormsInspect the roof from the groundOne lifted shingle is a cheap repair; the same shingle after two rainy seasons is a ceiling stain and a mold problem..
• Every fallCheck weatherstripping and caulkGaps around windows and doors leak heated air all winter and cooled air all summer — usually the cheapest energy fix in the whole house..
• Twice a yearReverse ceiling fan directionCounterclockwise pushes a cooling breeze down in summer; clockwise on low pulls warm air off the ceiling in winter.
• Every fall before first freezeWinterize the irrigation systemWater left in irrigation lines freezes and splits pipes, valves, and backflow preventers underground where you can't see the damage until spring..
• Every fallWinterize lawn equipmentFuel left in a mower over winter gums the carburetor — stale gas is the number one reason small engines refuse to start in spring..
• Once a yearService the furnace before winterA fall tune-up catches failing igniters, cracked heat exchangers, and blocked flues before the first cold night — and keeps most warranties valid..
• Every fallSeal pest entry pointsMice need a gap the width of a pencil.
• Every 3 monthsDegrease the range hood filterA grease-saturated filter stops capturing cooking exhaust and becomes a fire risk sitting directly over the burners..
• Every fallBleed radiators and check boiler pressureTrapped air keeps hot water out of the top of a radiator — the classic 'cold on top' symptom that wastes fuel all winter..
• Every fallGet snow equipment readyThe first storm is the worst possible time to discover the snow blower won't start and the stores are sold out of ice melt..
• Once a yearTrim branches away from the houseBranches touching the roof abrade shingles with every breeze, drop debris into gutters, and give squirrels and ants a bridge into the house..

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