10 fall home must-dos

By Amanda Albert

Fall is the perfect time to inspect and perform maintenance on your home — before icy weather sets in or serious winter storms wreak havoc on your abode. Todd Davis, host of HGTV’s Room Crashers, recommends that every homeowner “get to know your home and how it works,” especially in the varying seasons.

“Your worst enemy in the winter is water,” Davis says. He stresses that making sure water flows away from the house is imperative when inspecting a home’s exterior and foundation. “During the fall, check irrigation pipes, leaks, rusting, or rotting in the foundation of your home, so you won’t have thousands of dollars in fixes in the winter.”

Below are Todd’s fall maintenance must-dos:

Home exterior

1. Clear your gutters. Trees shedding their leaves may cause a blockage in gutters and downspouts. Keep them clear of debris to prevent water from soaking into your roof — and, yes, that might mean removing the entire gutter and downspout.
2. Paint the exterior. “When you mix cool temperatures with humidity, you get a great paint job,” says Lowes paint specialist Brandon Adkins, of Bowie, Maryland.
3. Inspect the chimney. Removing soot and other debris, as well as checking for cracks and damage, is a crucial and potentially life-saving step to take before you light that first cozy fire.
4. Nurture your lawn. Cooler weather and increased moisture make fall an ideal time for nurturing grass. With the proper nutrients, grass can store food during the winter months and return looking better than ever in the spring.
5. Check the roof. To prevent rain and snow from coming in, routinely inspect your roof for cracks or torn shingles. Don’t forget to drain or insulate your outdoor water pipes — colder temperatures might make them crack or burst.
6. Seal the deck. Annually seal and waterproof wooden decks. When water and grime get into the wood, it can deteriorate, which can lead to splinters and foundational problems.

Home interior

1. Insulate. Keep warm by sealing all that precious heat inside rather than letting it seep through the doors and windows. Replace screens with storm windows, caulk cracks, and install weather stripping. And don’t forget about the garage door!
2. Check attics and crawlspaces. Falling temperatures make the rarely used areas of your home especially inviting to insects and other little critters. To prevent unwanted guests, inspect, maintain, and add ventilation to those areas if necessary.
3. Replace batteries. Check carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms. These devices can save you from odorless deadly gases or fire, so make sure they always have fresh batteries.
4. Clean and replace filters. A buildup of mineral deposits and dirt can accumulate in your furnace or heating system and cause your water to heat slower than usual. For a fee, you can have a licensed heating contractor from your local utility company inspect and service your gas heater or furnace.