Fall home maintenance is about one thing: protecting your home from what winter is about to throw at it. Frozen pipes, heating system failures, and ice dams are all preventable -- but only if you act before the first hard freeze.
Heating system: service it now
Have your furnace or heat pump serviced in October before HVAC companies get slammed with emergency heating calls in November. A fall tune-up checks heat exchanger integrity (critical for gas furnaces -- cracked heat exchangers leak CO), cleans burners, verifies ignition, and ensures the system is ready to run for months without issue. Replace the filter at the same time.
Winterize exterior plumbing
Shut off and drain all exterior hose bibs. Disconnect and store garden hoses -- water left in a connected hose can freeze back into the bib and crack the valve body inside the wall. If you have an irrigation system, have it blown out with compressed air before the first freeze.
Gutters: the fall clean is the critical one
Trees drop most of their leaves in October and November. Clean gutters after the last major leaf fall -- clogged gutters in winter cause ice dams (water backs up under shingles, damaging decking and insulation) and can lead to foundation damage when the spring thaw sends that water straight down along the exterior wall.
Seal the envelope
Heat you're paying for escapes through gaps in the building envelope. Check weatherstripping on all exterior doors (should compress slightly when the door closes), caulking around window frames, and any gaps where utilities enter the house. Foam pipe insulation for exposed pipes in unheated spaces (garage, crawl space, attic) costs a few dollars and prevents a burst pipe.
Bottom line
Fall maintenance takes a weekend and prevents the most expensive winter emergencies. Schedule your HVAC service now -- heating season books up fast.
Need heating & cooling work done?
Novum sends its own licensed crew. Flat upfront quote before we touch anything.