Prep Your Home for Winter Now!
As the weather starts to turn, it’s the perfect time to work through a few maintenance tasks that keep a home running smoothly and comfortably once winter arrives. Most of these are simple weekend projects!
Seal up and warm up
Start by checking around doors and windows for drafts, and replace worn weatherstripping or caulk where needed. It’s also worth testing your heating system before you actually need it, changing the furnace filter, and keeping a spare on hand for later in the season. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, a fall inspection is worth scheduling, since chimneys can build up creosote or attract nests over the warmer months, and that is a task best left to a professional.
Tackle the outside
Pressure washing the driveway and walkways clears away a summer’s worth of dirt and grime, and it’s a good time to fill any cracks before freezing temperatures make them worse. Gutters deserve a thorough cleaning too, especially if you have trees nearby, since clogged gutters are one of the more common causes of leaks and water damage. If you grill often, a deep clean before you put it away for the season makes it that much easier to fire back up when the weather warms.
Get the yard ready
Raking or mulching fallen leaves keeps them from smothering your lawn and blocking sunlight, and mulched leaves can even double as fertilizer if you add them to a compost pile. Late fall is also a good time to fertilize your lawn, trees, and shrubs so everything comes back healthy and green in the spring.
Get ahead of winter
Before the first snow catches you off guard, take stock of your winter equipment and make sure everything still works. Once you’ve used your garden hoses for the last time this season, disconnect and drain them along with your outdoor faucets, and consider adding insulated faucet covers for extra protection against freezing pipes.
Why it matters for your home’s value
None of these projects require a big investment, but skipping them can lead to costly repairs down the road, from ice-damaged gutters to a furnace that fails right when you need it most.
Check out our Fall Maintenance Checklist to make sure nothing gets missed!
Whether you’re buying a home and want to know what’s already been maintained, selling and want it to show well before winter, or keeping up your own property, reach out anytime. I am always happy to help!
