Time to get serious about preparing your home for the fall season

It’s the first of October - can you believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away?! Now is the perfect time to get an early start on your fall home maintenance, especially if you didn’t get a lot done last month.

A lot of the things you should do around your home in October are really things you should have done in September. But there are also a few additional things you should consider to ensure your home is ready for the season. We referenced Tarion’s home maintenance checklist and expanded on a few of the tasks! 

Check windows, screens and sealing

Do a thorough walk around your home and inspect all the windows, screens and sealing around the windows. If you have any tears in your screens from use over the summer, you should repair them before it gets too cold. You also want to make sure your windows are sealed properly with caulking so your home can actually keep all the warm air inside (once you turn on your heat). 

Drain and shut off exterior water

Temperatures are dropping, so you’re likely not using your exterior water very much these days. In order to avoid water freezing and damaging pipes, make sure you drain and shut off your exterior water now, long before the first deep freeze of the season. You’ll be thanking yourself later. 

Make last minute shingle repairs 

With rain, leaves, heavy winds, and snow on the way, your roof is about to take a beating. If you have any damaged shingles, now is the time to make any last minute repairs so your home is as prepared as possible for the somewhat more aggressive season. If you’re uncomfortable on the roof or lack the tools/knowhow to make these repairs, call a professional! And if you are doing these repairs yourself, make sure you have a spotter and you take all necessary safety precautions. 

Check eavestrough and downspouts   

The leaves have already started to change colour and drop. If you have any blockages in your eavestrough or downspouts, you should clear them now before more debris falls your way. You’ll likely get a lot of build-up of leaves, twigs, and dirt over the fall season, but it’s better to have a clear path from the get-go in order to avoid potential roof or other property damage. 

Clean furnace filter and HRV

You’re actually supposed to clean your furnace filter and HRV every one to three months, depending on the amount of dust in your home and size of the filter. It’s easy to do, but people don’t do it enough. All you have to do is remove the filter, vacuum it, rinse it under water, then leave out to dry before replacing it. Doing this will allow your furnace and HRV to work more efficiently, providing you with better air quality. 

And as always, especially if you didn’t do it last month, check and reset your GFCI, as well as test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 

If you get started now, you can probably finish these fall home maintenance tasks before Thanksgiving! And if you’re reading this after Thanksgiving, get a move on!