6 Necessary Fall Maintenance Tasks

With the freezing temperatures, strong winds and heavy snow, winter weather can be rough on your home. Preparing for winter in advance not only keeps your home functional and safe throughout the winter, it also minimizes the amount of work you’ll need to do when the weather gets colder. Here are six fall maintenance tasks you should perform this fall.

1. Clean gutters.

Make sure to clear out fallen leaves and debris that have accumulated in your gutters. Clogged gutters prevent water from flowing freely, and when this happens, water can fall right over the top and puddle in your yard, causing foundation issues, rotting windows and basement leaks.

2. Inspect your roof.

Winter weather can cause serious damage to roofs. Have a professional come out to inspect your roof and check for missing or broken shingles, damaged chimneys and leaky areas. It’s best to get this done early so you can have plenty of time to make repairs before winter comes.

3. Seal gaps.

Sealing gaps on the exterior of your home not only keeps warm air in and cool air out, but it also prevents pests from entering your home during the colder months. Take care of even the smallest of gaps - many pests need only a very small hole to get inside.

4. Trim your trees.

Trim all trees and bushes that could block walkways in the winter and cut back dead branches on the trees surrounding your home. Snow and ice can weigh down and break branches which can cause damage to your home and cars or injure passersby.

5. Check your heating systems.

Be sure your furnace or boiler is working properly and all necessary maintenance specific to those systems has been performed before turning it on. Don’t forget to check your chimney and fireplace for buildup before you start your first fire as well.

6. Winterize your outdoor plumbing.

Before the temperatures drop below freezing, remove all exterior faucets. Make sure to drain all hoses and bring them inside too, because the sitting water can freeze and cause your hose to split.