The Ultimate Fall Checklist for Your Home

As fall is just around the corner, it is a wise idea to start prepping both your interior and exterior for the colorful yet chillier season. As the weather is set to become cooler, it’s likely you will soon be spending more time inside your home and less time caring for your garden.

For this reason, you must overhaul your property to ensure it is ready for the blustery season. Check out this ultimate fall checklist for your home.

Tend to Your Garden

Don’t make the mistake of neglecting your yard this fall or you could come to regret it once spring and summer roll back around. 

To ensure your garden remains both beautiful and tidy when temperatures start to drop, you should use this time wisely to:

• Plant bulbs for spring flowers
• Cover your pool
• Rake away old leaves
• Fertilize and seed your lawn
• Trim your overgrown landscaping
• Both clean and cover your patio furniture
• Remove dying or dead limbs from your trees

It will ensure your garden appears gorgeous and healthy once the colder seasons have come to an end.

You also must take the time to seal any exterior air leaks with caulk, which can prevent unwanted cold air and moisture from entering your property. For example, you should seal crack surrounding the trim and siding, as well as your windows, doors and where wires and pipes enter your property.

Create a Warm and Cozy Home

Temperatures will start to plummet once the fall season arrives, and you will likely want to escape into the warmth and comfort of your home if the weather becomes a little windy. 

To create a cozy, inviting space, you must:

• Pull cozy bed linen and thick blankets out of storage
• Stock up on firewood if you have a wood-burning fireplace
• Change your air filter in your HVAC system
• Create a dedicated area for coats, umbrellas and muddy shoes

You should even aim to contact one of the best local plumbers to ensure that your exposed water pipes don’t freeze over and are still working correctly, which will help to create an inviting, organized and warm space throughout both fall and winter in your home. So, you will have no reason to want to venture outside into the blustery, rainy weather.

Weatherproof Your Property

While the sun is still shining, you should utilize this time to weatherproof your property in time for both fall and winter. By following the below tips, you can ensure you will not experience an unwanted draft or structural damage to your property during tougher climates.

So, you should:

• Clean both your gutters and downspouts of debris
• Replace or repair any loose shingles or holes in your roof
• Trim branches hovering over your roof
• Check the weather stripping on your windows and doors – replace if needed
• Repaint exterior paint if it is peeling to prevent further weather damage
• Fill any cracks in either your driveway or patio

Test Your Detectors

As you will be more likely to crank up your heating or fireplace during fall and winter, it is wise to check your detectors at the start of the chillier seasons. For example, you should test both your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. It might also be a wise idea to replace their batteries, even if they seem to be working fine. It will provide peace of mind that your family will be protected within the home.

Bleed Your Hot Water Radiators

Trapped air can block a hot water radiator, which can prevent heat from circulating across your home while forcing your heating system to work harder to increase your home’s temperature.

For this reason, you must bleed all radiators before fall arrives. To do so, you should:

1. Use a radiator key or screwdriver and turn the valve counter-clockwise
2. Allow water to drip into a cup or bowl and release any trapped air
3. Replace the valve
4. Repeat the process on your other radiators

By doing so, you can quickly warm up your home once fall arrives, so you will not long for spring and summer to return.

All good things must come to an end, and while the sun is unlikely to be shining brightly throughout fall, the above actions can ensure your home is both warm and inviting, and your yard is tidy and attractive throughout the season. 

So, don’t delay in transforming your interior and exterior before the blustery temperatures officially arrive, which can protect your property and family from the chillier elements.