The Ultimate Guide To Fall Yard and Home Maintenance

As fall approaches, days shorten and temperatures drop, it’s time for sweaters, fire pits, and pre-winter chores. Fall can be a busy season because you’re preparing your lawn, garden, and home for the approaching cold. As you harvest the last of your garden and give that lawn one last grooming, it’s also time to perform maintenance on both the exterior and interior of your home to ready it for the ravages of winter.
Many people have more time on their hands at home because of coronavirus, so this may be the perfect opportunity to start a to-do list and knock off some of those must-accomplish fall chores. Follow these tips for a successful lawn, garden, and home care and maintenance in preparation for that first frost and beyond.
The beginning of autumn in many parts of the country spells the time for seasonal transition, moving our entertainment and lifestyle more indoors. Now’s the time for homeowners to store outdoor furniture and other gear for the winter, deflate and store any pool toys, move plants indoors, and prep, maintain, and repair in anticipation of cooler temperatures.
It’s time to book service appointments before you need your fireplace or heater to make sure everything is in good working order. In addition to professional servicing, we have some easy maintenance tips you can do yourself to make sure you’re getting your yard, garden, and home ready for winter.
In the garden, there may still be much to harvest. Pick the last of the berries, tomatoes, corn, carrots, beets, and pumpkins. You can create great canning or preserving projects for the fall and winter months, bringing a delicious, just-picked taste to your winter table.
Some states start experiencing their first frost dates in early October, so these homeowners will want to use September to begin their annual frost, wind, rainstorm, and winter protection tasks. Before the weather gets too cold, schedule time to clean and repair gutters, along with any needed roof repairs, chimney, or siding maintenance or fixes. We’ll walk you through some of the most important tasks to spend time on during the next month or two.
Why Get Your Home Ready for Fall and Winter?
Why bother spending all the time and expense of working on your home and yard during the fall? Spending a little time and effort now can save you from surprises, like burst pipes and fallen, ice-filled gutters. Some steps taken now can save money in repairs later, during a more inconvenient time.
If you need professional services for your home or property, now is a great time to schedule them. Consider booking a tune-up of your furnace system now, before servicemen are overloaded with appointments for repair as the cold weather challenges heating systems. You’ll be warm and toasty, thankful you didn’t procrastinate.
Winter-Prep Tasks You’ll Need to Do This Fall
Getting your property ready for winter may seem daunting at first, but you can break down the tasks into manageable chunks of time and effort. You won’t have to accomplish them all in one weekend. Many homeowners prefer to start prep work outside and then move to the home’s interior projects as temperatures dip.
Some Additional Considerations When Preparing Your Home For Fall
Make a List
Having a running list of fall-prep maintenance and repair tasks may help you keep on top of everything you need to accomplish during the weekends or when you have time available. For instance, your list may look like this:
- Lay mulch for winter frost prep
- Trim back flowering plants like lavender
- Prune trees and shrubs near your house
- Winterize lawn equipment
- Schedule home cleaning
- Project idea: Can or preserve garden edibles
- Repair exterior siding as necessary
- Prep and clean fireplace
- Check for air leaks in the attic and basement
- Clear roof and gutters from leaves
- Schedule maintenance or repairs from professionals
- Hire a heating service professional to assess your home’s potential heat loss
- Schedule a chimney sweep to inspect the fireplace and ensure safety
Inside Fall Maintenance
Don’t neglect the inside of your home when you’re prepping for fall and winter. Check and replace batteries (if applicable) of carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms, and inspect your fire extinguishers to make sure they’re still viable. Make sure all family members know where fire extinguishers are kept.
Check for air leaks and potential heat loss within the home. Unwanted drafts can lead to a more expensive heating bill over the winter, so use these tips to get started.
- Locate air leaks: check for air drafts behind outlets, around windows and doors, and behind recessed lights. Other areas to check are your ventilation system and fireplace chimneys.
- Check attics and basements: these spaces are typical problem areas for energy loss. Inspect these areas for loss of air, insulation, or other issues like mold. Dirty insulation is often a sign of air leakage.
- Seal leaks: Properly sealing against air leaks will help your heating costs in check.
Schedule Air Conditioner or Heating Tuneup
Just as your air conditioner works hard during the summer, your heater labors during the colder months to keep you comfortable. Nip any future problems in the bud by scheduling a fall checkup for your heating system. Ask your repair professional to check for any air leaks and/or heat loss. Make any repairs needed now, and not in frigid temperatures later on when furnace repair professionals are in more demand.
Ready your Fireplace for Winter
Your fireplace should be a source of warmth and comfort, not a danger hazard. Unfortunately, every year thousands of people (including children) are seriously injured by fires. Some 14,000 house fires each year originate in the fireplace, so the more you know how to maintain your fireplace (and safely use it) the better. Fireplace safety tips include:
- Have your fireplace inspected each year by a professional, especially if your fireplace is wood burning
- Clear the area around the hearth and make sure it’s free of flammable materials
- Use only seasoned hardwood—softwood creates more creosote buildup
- Always use a screen around the fireplace to catch sparks
Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro?
Are you a do-it-yourselfer, or would it make more sense to hire a professional for some of the winter prep jobs? Consider the value of your time and the expertise of someone else. Are you working too many hours to can’t comfortably spend the time needed for the repair or maintenance? Do you have the tools? The skills? If not, maybe it’s time to call in the professionals for a job well done.
The bottom line…
Prepare Now for Peace of Mind Later
As you snuggle up in front of your fireplace this winter, warm and cozy, you’ll be glad you spent some extra time preparing your home this fall. A little work this fall repairing and maintaining your yard and home will result in an abundance of peace of mind later. With preventive maintenance, you will have cut down on the chances of frantically searching for—and waiting for—an emergency furnace repairman or trying to find someone to fix your fallen gutters in freezing weather. Instead, you’ll enjoy your warm home and look forward to each season’s delights and challenges
Originally posted on Porch.com