The Complete Guide to Fall Home Maintenance: Tasks You Can't Afford to Ignore

Fall is the perfect time to give your home some TLC and prepare it for the colder months ahead. With the changing leaves and crisp air, the season presents an ideal opportunity to tackle those much-needed home maintenance tasks. From cleaning gutters to sprucing up your lawn and garden, a comprehensive fall home maintenance checklist is essential to keep your home in top shape.

One of the key areas to focus on is gutter cleaning. Leaves and debris can quickly accumulate in your gutters, causing clogs and potential damage to your home's roof. By taking the time to clean your gutters, you can ensure that rainwater flows smoothly and prevent costly repairs down the line.

Interior and exterior maintenance is also vital. This includes checking for any drafts and sealing windows and doors to keep the cold out and the warmth in. Additionally, inspecting and cleaning your porch, deck, and other outdoor areas will help maintain their integrity and prolong their lifespan.

Lastly, don't forget about your lawn and garden. Fall is the perfect time to fertilize your lawn, remove any dead plants, and prep your garden beds for next year's planting.

Fall Maintenance Checklist

Download our complete fall home maintenance checklist so you can safeguard your home against potential issues and ensure it remains in excellent condition throughout the season. So grab your checklist and get started on these essential tasks today.

Tools and Materials to Get the Job Done

Tools and materials you will want to consider to complete this fall maintenance checklist:

Exterior Maintenance

1. Polyurethane caulking or foam caulking and a caulking gun to seal cracks in your foundation or holes in your siding

2. Storm windows

3. Storm doors

4. Exterior paint to touch up peeling or blistering paint

5. Paint brushes

6. Hand-held paint bucket 

7. Weather stripping for your garage door

8. Driveway filler to repair cement cracks

Gutter Cleaning

1. Garden hose with a telescoping water-fed pole

2. Wet/dry vacuum with gutter cleaning attachments

3. Leaf blower with gutter cleaning kit

4. Power washer with gutter cleaning nozzle and aluminum hose extension

Interior Maintenance

1. Caulking & caulking gun to seal windows

2. Shop vacuum to clean out your woodstove or fireplace

3. Batteries for your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector

Porch and Deck Maintenance

1. Hedge trimmers to clean up landscaping around your deck

2. Broom or hose to remove debris from your porch

3. Deck cleaning solution

4. Deck stain to protect the wood and improve the appearance

5. Deck sealant is used to prevent moisture damage, mold and cracking or splintering

6. Paint brushes to paint near your house’s siding and doors

7. Hand-held paint bucket

8. Paint rollers, paint tray, tray liner, roller extension pole

9. Sandpaper to smooth out rough spots

Lawn & Garden

1. Rake

2. Lawn mower (my husband loves his zero-turn lawn mower)

3. Leaf blower

4. Hedge trimmers

5. Weed killer, grass seed & fertilizer

6. Seed spreader

7. Mulch

Detailed Resources

If you want more information about how to complete gutter cleaning, exterior maintenance, interior maintenance, or deck cleaning, check out the following articles where we talk in-depth about how to complete these tasks and why they are important. 

1. 8 Expert Tips to Keep Your Home's Exterior in Shape this Fall

2. The Ultimate Guide to Rain Gutter Cleaning this Fall

3. Don't Neglect Your Home this Fall: Interior Maintenance Checklist

4. 10 Ways to Prep your Lawn & Garden for Fall and Winter

5. Top Fall Porch and Deck Maintenance Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Can’t “Save” It for Next Year

The fall season is the perfect time to tackle these key home maintenance tasks. By doing so, you can help protect your home and save money over the long-term.

And while it’s important not to neglect your home this fall, it is also important to keep in mind that you can’t ‘save’ it for next year. It will only get worse and more expensive to fix. So make sure to get started today on these important fall home maintenance tasks and avoid potential costly issues and repairs down the road.

If this whole list seems daunting; you don’t want to purchase the tools and materials to complete the job; or you simply don’t have the time, consider hiring Simler Solutions LLC or another professional to complete the job for you.

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