The ultimate Fall home maintenance checklist
This extensive list of items will tell you what important tasks you should consider taking care of before winter. Though you may choose not to complete every task on the list each year, some could be crucial to up keeping the quality of your home. Professionals from the Bōde Prō Marketplace are there to help you complete the fall home maintenance necessary for your house!
Clean out eavestroughs
It's time to take care of all that build up in your eavestroughs before the winter snow settles in. It's important to have clear eavestroughs to prevent clogging which could lead to interior flooding and damage.
Lawn Care
Did you know that fall is one of the best times to do lawn care? The cooler weather makes for the perfect time for fertilizing, seeding or sodding. Applying fertilizer will also prevent winter damage. Doing this will help your lawn turn green faster in the spring.
Drain your outdoor faucets
In prepare for the colder months, it's time to winterize your outdoor faucets. Turn off all outdoor faucets and shut off valves before winter. Drain and disconnect all garden hoses from outside spigots to prevent any water freezing. Be diligent with this one as not doing this can result in pipes bursting.
Bring in outdoor furniture
Most outdoor furniture is not built to withstand the the snow, rain and cold weather we see in Canada during the winter months. Consider storing your furniture inside or in your garage if possible. If this isn't an option, make sure to cover your furniture with waterproof covers.
Change your filters
Furnace filters should be changed each season (every 3-4 months).
Schedule furnace and vent cleaning
It is recommended to schedule furnace servicing and vent cleaning every 1-3 years. This could also include dryer vents, fireplaces, and central vacuums.
Clean & service humidifier
Over time, the repeated evaporation of water will leave mineral deposits in your humidifier. Clear away any debris and have your humidifier serviced to extend the life of your humidifier and to prevent this becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
Test your batteries
It's time to test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries. Replace any batteries where needed. If you detector is expired make sure to replace the whole unit.
Check weatherstripping
Ensure weatherstripping is still sealed well around doors and windows. If it is getting worn or letting air through replace the stripping where needed. How to check: To check if you have a need to update the weatherstripping, close a door or window on a strip of paper. If the paper slides easily, there will likely be drafts and you need to update your weatherstripping.
Drain hot water tank
As a general maintenance suggestion it’s recommended that hot water tanks should be flushed every 1-3 years to avoid sentiment build up. Consult your manufacturer's directions for guidance on how to complete this.
Change range hood filters
Clean and replace range hood filters in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. This will help maintain the quality of your home's ventilation system as kitchen range hoods remove odours and improve indoor air quality.
Fix driveway cracks
When water gets into cracks it freezes, expands, and can make the crack even bigger. Enough small cracks can turn into big cracks, and eventually the concrete can crumble. Use concrete crack sealer to fill these before the colder months to ensure the cracks do not become any larger.
Test winter equipment
Finally, test out your winter equipment - such as snow blowers. It's better to find out something isn't working now then when you really need it in the middle of a snow storm.
Find top-rated home professionals to help with your fall home maintenance checklist in the Prō Marketplace
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