22 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Fall

We recommend that every homeowner take care of some basic home maintenance chores at the start of every season. Here’s our 22 tips to prepare for Fall (plus a bonus tip!)

Interior

  • Change HVAC filters – most manufacturers recommend changing filters at least every 2 months
  • Clean your carpets – Fall is an ideal time to do so, after extra foot traffic of summer and before the winter holidays
  • Clean and sanitize humidifier if you have one

Exterior

  • Check for drafts – windows and exterior doors may need caulk or weather stripping
  • Remove window AC – and cover exterior units as soon as weather permits
  • Check porch and deck supports, stairs and railings
  • Clean and apply sealer to decks
  • Check foundation for cracks
  • Repair peeling paint
  • Inspect roof for missing or loose shingles
  • Clean gutters and downspouts
  • Install storm windows & doors
  • Close the pool – service and cover the pool once the temperature drops low enough that you won’t be using it again

Lawn

  • Prep your lawn – consider fertilizing in Fall and re-seed areas as needed
  • Fix driveway cracks – cement crack filler an prevent cracks from expanding in winter
  • Cover and store outdoor furniture, barbeque grills, etc.
  • Empty dirt from flower pots and containers
  • Plant Spring flowering bulbs
  • Drain fuel from gas-operated lawn equipment and store tools
  • Drain hoses and shut off exterior water valves to help prevent frozen pipes
  • Adjust sprinkler settings to water less frequently
  • Remove overhanging limbs – trim trees and shrubs close to the house

Prepare for Colder Weather

  • Clean the chimney – best left to a professional
  • Have the furnace checked – annual service is recommended for any equipment 10 years or older
  • Stock up on firewood
  • Test winter equipment – other items that you use for home, auto, or pleasure
  • Have a generator? Test it and make sure it’s running smoothly

Safety

  • Check extension cords and plug strips – we tend to use more of these in winter, such as for holiday lighting, so checking all of these periodically for wear and tear can help prevent fire hazards
  • Test and replace smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries – twice a year (an easy way to remember is to make the change when the time changes)
  • Check fire extinguishers
  • Review fire escape plans – including equipment such as emergency ladders

Bonus tip: Schedule annual home maintenance inspection

Home inspections aren’t just for when you buy a new home. One of our most popular home inspection services in Dallas and Fort Worth is an annual maintenance inspection.

These inspections can provide you with the peace of mind understanding the state of all of the systems in your home, so that you can find the items that need minor maintenance now to prevent a larger problem in the future.

Schedule your annual home maintenance inspection – anywhere in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex – today.


For a professional home or commercial inspection in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex that will provide you peace of mind, schedule your inspection now

Call

682-351-2267

or book online

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