Fall Home Maintenance Checklist: 15 Things to Do Before the First Freeze

By Steve · First Home Fix

Your first fall as a homeowner is when a little maintenance saves the most money. Here are the 15 jobs to finish before the first freeze, grouped by where they happen, with why each one matters.

Outside

1. Clean gutters and make sure downspouts flow freely. Overflowing gutters rot fascia boards and send water toward your foundation. Repairs often run $1,000 to $5,000.
2. Extend downspouts 4 to 6 feet from the foundation. Water pooling next to the house is the most common cause of wet basements, which can cost $2,000 to $10,000 to fix.
3. Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor faucets. A connected hose traps water in the spigot, which freezes and can split the pipe inside your wall.
4. Blow out sprinkler lines before the ground freezes. Water left in the lines cracks pipes and heads, usually a $300 to $1,500 spring repair.
5. Check the roof for missing or lifted shingles. Look from the ground with binoculars. Small leaks turn into ceiling damage over a wet winter.
6. Seal gaps around windows, doors and siding. Drafts add $100 to $300 a year to heating bills and invite pests inside.
7. Trim branches hanging over the roof. Ice-heavy limbs can break and damage shingles, gutters or worse.

Inside

8. Replace the furnace filter. A clogged filter makes the blower work harder and raises your bills. Most need changing every 1 to 3 months.
9. Schedule a furnace tune-up. A $100 to $200 visit now beats a $500 to $2,500 no-heat emergency call in January.
10. Insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces. Garages, crawlspaces and exterior walls are where pipes freeze first. See the frozen pipe guide.
11. Switch ceiling fans to clockwise. On low speed this pushes warm air back down so the heat runs less.
12. Flush the water heater. Sediment buildup shortens its life. A replacement often costs $1,200 to $3,000.

Safety

13. Test smoke and CO detectors and swap the batteries. Heating season is peak season for carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell.
14. Get the chimney inspected and swept if you have a wood-burning fireplace. Creosote buildup causes chimney fires.
15. Check your fire extinguisher's gauge and expiration date. Make sure it's charged and within date so it works when you need it.

Cost ranges are rough national estimates and vary by region, home size and contractor. Get quotes locally before hiring.