Prepare your home for winter with this fall maintenance checklist. Covers furnace inspection, gutter cleaning, weatherstripping, outdoor faucet shutdown, chimney service, leaf cleanup, and snow equipment prep.
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Heating System Inspection
Schedule a professional furnace inspection and tune-up
A fall furnace tune-up costs $80-$150 and catches cracked heat exchangers, carbon monoxide leaks, and worn ignitors before the first cold snap. Book in September—October and November appointments fill up fast in cold climates.
Replace the furnace filter before the inspection
Clear 3 feet of space around the furnace for the technician
Test your heating system by running it for 30 minutes
Turn on the heat before you actually need it. Run it for 30 minutes and check that warm air comes from every vent. A burning smell for the first 5 minutes is normal (dust burning off). If it persists, shut it off and call a technician.
Bleed radiators if you have a hot water heating system
Air trapped in radiators prevents hot water from flowing, leaving cold spots. Use a radiator key ($3-$5) to open the bleed valve until water (not air) flows out. Start with the radiator farthest from the boiler.
Replace batteries in all carbon monoxide detectors
CO poisoning peaks in winter when furnaces, fireplaces, and space heaters run in sealed-up houses. Replace CO detector batteries every fall even if they test fine—fresh batteries ensure 6 months of protection through the heating season.
Gutter Cleaning and Roof Check
Clean all gutters after most leaves have fallen
Wait until late October or early November so you only clean them once. Clogged gutters in winter cause ice dams that cost $1,000-$5,000 to repair. A pro cleaning costs $100-$250 and takes 1-2 hours.
Remove leaves and debris by hand or with a gutter scoop
Flush downspouts with a hose to confirm clear flow
Inspect the roof for damaged or missing shingles
Use binoculars from the ground to check for curling, cracked, or missing shingles. Fix damage before winter storms arrive—a single missing shingle can let in enough water to cause $2,000-$10,000 in interior damage over the winter.
Check attic insulation and ventilation
The attic should have at least R-38 insulation (10-14 inches of fiberglass batts). Insufficient insulation causes heat loss, ice dams, and heating bills 20-30% higher than a well-insulated home. Adding insulation pays for itself in 2-3 winters.
Weatherstripping and Sealing
Inspect weatherstripping around all exterior doors
Close each door on a dollar bill—if you can pull the bill out easily, the seal is too loose and cold air is leaking in. Replace worn weatherstripping for $5-$15 per door. Foam tape is the easiest DIY option.
Replace cracked or compressed weatherstripping
Add a door sweep to the bottom of exterior doors
Caulk gaps around windows, doors, and utility penetrations
A 1/8-inch gap around a standard window frame lets in as much cold air as leaving the window open 3 inches. A tube of silicone caulk ($5-$8) seals 50-100 linear feet of gaps and lasts 10-20 years.
Add window insulation film to drafty or single-pane windows
Shrink-fit window film ($15-$20 for a 5-window kit) creates a dead-air space that reduces heat loss by 25-50% on single-pane windows. Apply with a hair dryer in 10 minutes per window.
Seal gaps where cables, pipes, and wires enter the house
Expanding foam sealant ($5-$8 per can) fills large gaps around pipes and cables on exterior walls. For gaps around gas pipes, use fire-rated caulk instead of foam. Check the basement rim joist area—it is the most common air leak location.
Outdoor Plumbing Shutdown
Disconnect and drain all garden hoses
A garden hose left connected to an outdoor faucet traps water that can freeze and crack the faucet or the pipe behind it. Repairs cost $150-$500. Drain hoses, coil them, and store them in the garage.
Shut off and drain outdoor faucets (hose bibs)
Find the indoor shutoff valve for each outdoor faucet (usually in the basement near the faucet location). Turn it off, then open the outdoor faucet to drain remaining water. Leave the outdoor valve open all winter.
Locate the indoor shutoff valve for each outdoor faucet
Install insulated faucet covers ($3-$5 each) on hose bibs
Drain and winterize the sprinkler system
A sprinkler blowout by a professional costs $50-$100 and takes 30 minutes. They use compressed air to push water out of all underground lines. Skipping this step can crack pipes and sprinkler heads, costing $500-$2,000 to repair in spring.
Chimney and Fireplace
Schedule a chimney inspection and cleaning
A Level 1 chimney inspection with cleaning costs $150-$300. Creosote buildup in the flue is the leading cause of chimney fires—clean after every cord of wood burned or at least once per year before the heating season starts.
Book the appointment before October for best availability
Ask the sweep to inspect the damper, cap, and flashing
Check the chimney cap and spark arrestor
A chimney cap ($50-$150 installed) prevents rain, animals, and debris from entering the flue. Without a cap, raccoons, birds, and squirrels nest inside chimneys and block airflow, which can push carbon monoxide into the house.
Stock firewood and store it 20 feet from the house
Seasoned firewood (dried 6-12 months) burns hotter and produces less creosote than green wood. Stack it off the ground on a rack and at least 20 feet from the house to prevent termites from migrating to your foundation.
Yard Cleanup and Snow Prep
Rake leaves or mulch them with the lawn mower
A thick layer of leaves left on the lawn smothers grass and causes fungal disease by spring. Mulching with a mower (no bag, run over leaves twice) breaks them into fertilizer and saves hours of raking.
Apply fall fertilizer to the lawn
A fall fertilizer application is the single most important feeding of the year for cool-season grasses. Apply in October when grass is still green but growth is slowing. This builds root strength for a faster spring green-up.
Drain and store outdoor furniture, grills, and hoses
Wipe down furniture and apply a coat of furniture wax or protectant before covering. Store cushions indoors—outdoor covers still trap moisture. A grill cover ($15-$30) protects against rust if the grill stays outside.
Service the snow blower or buy ice melt and shovels
Change the snow blower oil and test-start it before the first storm. Stock 40-80 pounds of ice melt ($15-$25 per bag) and check that you have a sturdy snow shovel. Calcium chloride melts ice down to -25 degrees F; rock salt only works above 15 degrees F.
Test-start the snow blower and check the auger belt
Stock ice melt and a quality snow shovel near the door
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I schedule my furnace inspection before winter?
Schedule your furnace or heating system inspection in September or early October — HVAC companies offer lower rates ($80-$120) during this shoulder season compared to emergency winter rates ($150-$300). The inspection takes 45-90 minutes and includes checking the heat exchanger for cracks (which can leak carbon monoxide), testing ignition and safety controls, cleaning the burner assembly, and replacing the air filter. A cracked heat exchanger is the most dangerous finding — replacement costs $1,500-$3,000 or may warrant replacing the entire furnace if it's over 15 years old.
How do I winterize outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems?
Disconnect all garden hoses from outdoor spigots (leaving hoses attached traps water in the pipe, which freezes and cracks the faucet body). Close the interior shut-off valve for each outdoor faucet, then open the outdoor spigot to drain remaining water from the pipe. For sprinkler systems, hire a professional blowout service ($50-$100) to force compressed air through every zone — a single freeze event can crack $500-$2,000 worth of underground pipes and sprinkler heads.
What is the most overlooked fall maintenance task?
Inspecting and sealing the weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows is consistently overlooked but prevents 10-15% of heating energy loss. Weatherstripping deteriorates over 3-5 years and costs only $5-$15 per door to replace with peel-and-stick foam or V-strip options. While you're at it, apply rope caulk ($3-$5 per window) around drafty window frames and install foam outlet gaskets ($0.50 each) behind electrical outlet and switch plate covers on exterior walls.
Should I clean my gutters before or after the leaves fall?
Clean gutters twice in fall: once in mid-October after the first major leaf drop, and again in late November after deciduous trees are fully bare. Clogged gutters in winter create ice dams — water backs up under the roof shingles and causes interior water damage costing $2,000-$10,000 to repair. If you have mature trees overhanging your roof, gutter guards ($7-$15 per linear foot installed) reduce cleaning frequency from twice yearly to once every 2-3 years.