Your home is a major investment. The best way to protect that investment is to follow a routine maintenance schedule to ensure repairs and necessary tasks are dealt with before they become major problems.

Fall is a time of doing for many people, school’s on again and our thoughts turn back to the home front. Fall is a great time to do a thorough maintenance check before winter sets in.

Use the following checklist as your guide:

Lawn and garden

	Prune trees, shrubs and hedges. Cut back all excessive and remove any dead or diseased branches.
	Fertilize the lawn. The fall is an ideal time to fertilize as the grass roots will absorb and store the nutrients.
	Store your lawnmower and put away gardening tools in a safe, dry place.
	Drain and store outdoor hoses.
	Take in any outdoor container plants you plan to winter over, clean and store all other containers.

House exterior

	Seal any cracks and apply caulking and weatherstripping wherever necessary. This will prevent heat loss and improve the energy efficiency of your home. Check around doors and windows, any exterior openings such as vents and fans.
	Check air vents to ensure they are clean.
	Inspect your roof. Check for any missing or damaged shingles and do any necessary repairs. Check for gaps around skylights and chimney flashing and seal.
	Inspect, clean and repair gutters and drainpipes. Debris clogged in the gutters can cause water to seep into your basement.
	Look for cracks or splitting in house siding and repair where necessary.

House interior

	Close the attic vent to conserve heat.
	Have your furnace or heating system cleaned and serviced. Change filters.
	Vacuum electric baseboard heaters to remove dust. Remove the grilles on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
	Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
	Vacuum radiator grilles on the back of the refrigerator and freezer.
	Clean your humidifier, if you operate one.
	Inspect your sump pump, if you operate one.
	Remove window screens and put in storm windows.
	Remove window air conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.

Safety

Check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers.

By following a regular seasonal maintenance schedule, you can put your mind at ease about any number of small niggling worries that build up. Now you can settle in and enjoy your home through the winter.