Fall is a perfect time to tackle home maintenance jobs before the days get shorter and the weather gets colder. Not only does this protect the longevity of your home, but it ultimately saves you money and makes your home safer for you and your family or guests.

We can help you or direct you to our professional and reputable referrals.

Exterior

1. Care for trees and shrubs>>> Heavy snowfall, which tends to happen in the fall in Colorado, can break and destroy limbs on trees. If you have trees on your property, look into hiring a professional arborist to trim trees and look for troublesome branches and trees that could potentially cause more damage to your property, or even your home.

2. Clean out gutters and downspouts>>> Be sure to do this after most of the leaves have fallen or you may be doing this more than once this fall. Leaves and debris can clog gutter and downspouts and cause water to pool. This water has the potential to cause damage to your roof and siding. Again, hire a professional if you’re uneasy on a ladder. Maybe even a neighbor can help you!

3. Roof and siding repairs>>> Any shingles or siding that was damaged during the spring and summer storms can cause serious problems within your home. This doesn’t always call for an entirely new roof, but focus primarily on the damaged sections in order to keep water from getting to the inside of your home. Take a walk around your home and look for any damage to the roof, siding or foundation and schedule a time to get it fixed before the winter months hit.

4. Stock up on winter supplies>>> Many people don’t realize they need cat litter or snow salt until they are stuck in the bottom of their driveway because of the snow. Check your home to make sure you have shovels, ice scrapers, well-stocked emergency kits in the home and in vehicles, and ice melt. If you use a snowblower instead of a shovel look into getting it serviced before the first snow storm hits.

5. Shut off exterior faucets and remove hoses>>> Keep your pipes from freezing by shutting off exterior faucets and disconnecting all hoses. Winter weather can cause the water that is trapped in the outside faucets or pipe connections to freeze, which can cause a pipe to burst. Home Energy Resource provides a great 4-step method to turning off exterior faucets.

6. Get sprinklers blown out>>> This is CRUCIAL to fall home maintenance and is something that must be done every fall to keep your lawn care expenses to a minimum. Simply turning off sprinklers is not enough because water can still remain in the pipes. Be sure to hire a professional to blowout your sprinkler system so the remaining water doesn’t freeze and crack your irrigating systems. Ask us- we have plenty of recommendations for great companies!

Interior

7. Remove window A/C units>>> You won’t be using this for awhile, so why keep them in the windows? They can cause more harm than necessary if left in the windows, not to mention they are most likely not completely sealed and draft free. If you must leave the window A/C unit in, be sure to cover the exterior portion with an insulated wrap to keep the cold out.

8. Use weather stripping and caulk windows>>> Save on your energy bill and look for any drafty windows and doors that may let the cold air in. Even getting a home energy audit can help identify how much sealing you need to be doing for the cold winter months ahead. Keep the warm air in and the cold air out!

9. Schedule an HVAC inspection>>> Your heater is most likely going to run for months at a time. Hiring an HVAC inspector will eliminate health and safety concerns by making sure it is in good working condition and by changing the filters. Your furnace and/or other heating system should be serviced at least once per year, so make a valiant effort to make the fall checklist that one time. Our team has had great experiences with many local HVAC companies and can give you a great recommendation, just give us a call!

10. Change ceiling fan direction>>> Your ceiling fans have two settings; one for warm weather and one for cold weather. During the warmer months you want the fan to pull the warm air up, but when the weather get’s cold you want the fan to push the warm air down. It is a simple switch that can make a huge difference in room temperatures.

11. Check all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors>>> The risk of fires is much higher during the fall and winter months because your furnace and other heat sources are running constantly and candles are most likely being burned more often. Make sure to change the battery in your detectors. This should be done seasonally anyways, but specifically you want to do it in the fall.

12. Drain and De-Scale the Water Heater >>> Your water heater also needs regular maintenance to make sure it is performing at its peak. Draining and descaling you water heater will prevent build-up from happening and will help your water heater function normally. This is also a good time to raise the temperature of the water as you may have bumped it down during the summer months.

These items are not just important for new home buyers, but are important for every home owner. They are common and regular maintenance routines that should be done every fall season. Our team has great resources to provide to you if you have any questions about what you should be doing to prep your home for the winter. Give us a call if you need any referrals or simply have a question about what you should be doing!