Fall home prep goes beyond bringing out the cozy throws and autumnal candles. In home ownership, new seasons come with extra maintenance responsibilities to help keep your home in excellent condition and ready to face the upcoming weather challenges. As you prepare for the cooler temperatures, read on for the fall home maintenance tasks every homeowner needs to complete this season.

Change the filters and batteries

The HVAC filters should be ideally replaced every three months. The start of a new season is an ideal time to do so because of the temperature changes. Changing the filter in the fall is especially important so your heater works optimally the first time you need to turn it on, so your home is more energy efficient and keeps your family heating bills where they should be.

Batteries on the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be changed twice a year, so changing the batteries in the fall and spring is easy to remember and to ensure that these necessary alarms are correctly working.

Tidy outdoor spaces

Before stashing your lawn care equipment, give your home and landscape some end-of-year attention. Use a power washer to clean lawn furniture and store it away from the elements or use covers to protect it. Remove debris from the flower beds to encourage proper damage.

Clean the gutters

Over the spring and summer, your gutters fill with leaves, seeds and other debris. Before the leaves fall in the autumn, clean out the gutters so they don’t overflow. This will also help them to drain better if heavy rainfall comes.

Check the doors and windows for air leaks

Drafty windows and doors can be a significant source of heat loss and higher energy bills. One way to determine if your doors and windows lead is to put a piece of paper under the door and if the paper slides around, it’s time to have the doors and windows resealed.

Promote air quality

In addition to keeping floors clean and allergies under control, there are other steps you can take to promote better air quality while you’re spending more time indoors. Scheduling service for your furnace can help ensure that it’s in good condition before cooler weather hits. Take time to clean ceiling fans and reverse blades so the air circulates but fans don’t create a chilling effect.

Protect the outdoor furniture

After your final outdoor fall bonfire, it’s time to cover up the outdoor furniture. Whether you cover the furniture with weather-proof covers or bring it indoors, protecting it from the upcoming cooler weather will ensure you can use your outdoor furniture for many summer seasons.

Repair the driveway

If your driveway has cracks, repairing its damage before the temperatures drop can help protect the cracks from traveling throughout the driveway. When a crack freezes, it can then expand and damage the driveway.

*Adapted from an article published by RISMedia

This material is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, no representation is made as to its accuracy.