Your Complete Fall Home Preparation Guide: Get Ready for Winter

As the leaves start to change and temperatures begin to drop, it's time to think about preparing your home for the harsh winter months ahead. Taking care of these essential maintenance tasks now can prevent costly repairs later, improve your home's energy efficiency, and give you peace of mind when winter storms roll through.

At Salisbury Handyman, LLC, we've put together this comprehensive fall checklist to help you tackle the most important seasonal tasks. While some of these projects are perfect DIY jobs, others benefit from professional expertise. Let's walk through what needs to be done before the first freeze.

Heating, Ventilation, and Fire Safety

Your heating system is about to work overtime, so now's the time to make sure it's ready for the challenge.

Service Your Heating System

Before you need your furnace or boiler on a daily basis, schedule a professional inspection and tune-up. A trained technician can identify potential problems, clean essential components, and ensure your system is operating efficiently. This simple step can extend the life of your equipment, reduce energy bills, and prevent those dreaded midnight breakdowns when temperatures plummet.

Change Air Filters

This is one of the easiest yet most impactful maintenance tasks you can do yourself. Replace or clean the filters in your furnace or HVAC system. Dirty filters restrict airflow, forcing your system to work harder and driving up energy costs. Fresh filters improve both efficiency and indoor air quality—a win-win as you'll be spending more time indoors.

Test and Reverse Ceiling Fans

Here's a trick many homeowners don't know about: ceiling fans aren't just for summer. Test your thermostat to ensure it's working properly, then switch your ceiling fans to run clockwise at a low speed. This pushes warm air that rises to the ceiling back down into your living space, helping you stay comfortable without cranking up the heat.

Inspect the Fireplace and Chimney

If you use a fireplace, professional inspection and cleaning is essential. Creosote buildup in your chimney is a serious fire hazard, and obstructions like bird nests can prevent proper ventilation. A certified chimney sweep will remove these dangers and check that your damper operates correctly, so you can enjoy cozy fires safely all winter long.

Check Safety Detectors

This is non-negotiable: test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. Replace batteries if you haven't done so in the last year. With your heating system, fireplace, and other fuel-burning appliances working harder, functioning detectors are your family's first line of defense against deadly carbon monoxide and fire hazards.

Exterior and Roof Maintenance

Your home's exterior takes the brunt of winter weather, so giving it attention now prevents serious damage down the road.

Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters are one of the most common causes of winter home damage. Clear all leaves and debris from your gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage. When gutters overflow, water can seep into your roof, damage fascia boards, and even compromise your foundation. In winter, standing water in clogged gutters freezes and creates ice dams that can cause extensive roof damage. Make sure downspouts direct water at least 3-4 feet away from your foundation.

Inspect the Roof

Take a careful look at your roof—if you're not comfortable climbing up there, binoculars work just fine from the ground. Check for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and have them repaired before winter storms arrive. A small repair now can prevent water infiltration and expensive interior damage when snow and ice pile up.

Trim Trees

Survey the trees around your property and prune any dead or overhanging branches. Heavy snow and ice can turn weak branches into projectiles that damage your roof, siding, or windows. This is especially important for branches within 10 feet of your home.

Secure the Foundation

Walk around your home's perimeter and inspect the foundation and siding for gaps or cracks. Seal any openings you find—they're not just energy leaks, they're invitations for mice, insects, and other pests looking for a warm place to spend the winter.

Water, Pipes, and Plumbing

Frozen pipes are every homeowner's nightmare, but they're entirely preventable with proper preparation.

Winterize Outdoor Faucets

This three-step process is crucial: First, disconnect and drain all garden hoses and store them indoors. Second, shut off the water supply to all exterior hose bibs or spigots—you'll typically find separate shut-off valves inside your home, often in the basement or utility room. Third, open the outdoor spigots to drain any remaining water, then close them. For extra protection, consider installing insulated faucet covers.

Drain Irrigation Systems

If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, have the lines professionally blown out to remove all water. Water left in irrigation lines will freeze, expand, and crack the pipes, leading to expensive repairs come spring.

Insulate Exposed Pipes

Any water pipes in unheated areas—basements, crawl spaces, attics, or exterior walls—should be wrapped with foam pipe insulation or heat tape. This inexpensive measure prevents frozen pipes that can burst and cause thousands of dollars in water damage.

Water Heater Check

Consider draining a few gallons from your water heater tank to remove sediment buildup. This simple maintenance improves efficiency and extends the life of your water heater, ensuring you have plenty of hot water during cold months.

Drafts and Insulation (Energy Efficiency)

Keeping warm air inside and cold air outside makes your home more comfortable and significantly reduces heating costs.

Seal Air Leaks

Do a thorough inspection of all doors and windows, feeling for drafts. Apply or replace weatherstripping around doors and windows, and use caulk to seal any cracks or gaps in framing or exterior walls. Don't forget less obvious spots like where utilities enter your home, around exhaust fans, and near your attic hatch.

Check Insulation

Adequate insulation in your attic, basement, and crawl spaces is your best defense against heat loss. Most homes should have R-38 to R-49 insulation in the attic. If yours falls short, adding insulation is one of the most cost-effective energy improvements you can make.

Winterize Air Conditioners

For window AC units, remove them if possible and store them indoors. If removal isn't an option, cover and insulate them to prevent cold air infiltration. For central AC systems, clear debris from around the outdoor condenser unit and consider covering the top to keep out leaves and debris (but leave the sides open for ventilation).

Check or Install Storm Windows and Doors

If your home has storm windows and doors, now's the time to swap them in for your screens. That extra layer of insulation makes a noticeable difference in both comfort and energy bills.

Yard and Storage

Properly storing seasonal items protects your investment and makes space for winter equipment.

Store Outdoor Furniture

Clean and store patio furniture, umbrellas, and cushions in a garage, shed, or basement. For grills, clean them thoroughly and store them as well—but remember that propane tanks must always be stored outdoors for safety reasons.

Put Away Summer Tools

Drain gas and oil from lawnmowers and other summer power equipment before storing them. This prevents fuel degradation and engine damage. On the flip side, if you have a snowblower, now's the time for a tune-up to ensure it starts reliably when you need it.

Yard Cleanup

Rake and dispose of all fallen leaves. While a light leaf cover can benefit garden beds, excessive leaves on your lawn block sunlight and trap moisture, promoting disease and preventing healthy spring growth.

Emergency Preparedness

Winter storms can knock out power and make roads impassable, so being prepared isn't just smart—it's essential.

Stock Winter Supplies

Make sure you have plenty of salt or ice melt on hand, along with snow shovels and sand for traction. Check that your emergency kit is current with blankets, flashlights with fresh batteries, a battery-powered radio, and non-perishable food and water for at least three days.

Check Your Generator

If you have a backup generator, test it now to ensure it's in working order. Check fuel levels and consider running it through a full cycle. There's nothing worse than discovering your generator won't start during a winter power outage.

When to Call in the Professionals

While many of these tasks are manageable DIY projects, some require professional expertise and specialized equipment. At Salisbury Handyman, LLC, we're here to help with everything from heating system tune-ups and chimney inspections to gutter cleaning, weatherproofing, and comprehensive fall maintenance packages.

Don't wait until the first freeze to discover problems with your home. Taking action now protects your investment, keeps your family safe and comfortable, and helps you avoid emergency repairs during the busiest (and most expensive) time of year for home services.

Ready to check items off your fall maintenance list? Contact us today at 443.218.3499 or scott@salisburyhandymanllc.com to schedule your fall home preparation service. We'll make sure your home is winter-ready so you can relax and enjoy the season ahead.