Fall is the time to begin preparing your home – indoors and out – for colder temps, bad weather and winter. It’s important to make sure your home is in tip-top shape and to get ahead of any repairs before peak season and damage gets worse. If you maintain your home and equipment, you’ll extend the life of your home and save money for costly repairs down the road.Not sure where to start? Check out this complete Fall Maintenance Checklist:

Shut Off Outdoor Water and Drain Hoses

As the colder months roll in, there is not a need to water your lawn and outdoor plants, so turn off the water, drain the hose and bring it in the house. Unhooking the hoses for the winter can prevent cracks and leaks. When you use your hose and then turn the spigot off, water is still trapped in the hose, and even in the link going into the spigot. During colder temperatures, this water can freeze, and in turn cause the pipes to crack. If your house has a shut-off valve inside of the house, you should shut this off too.

Clean Gutters and Inspect Roof

After leaves have fallen, clean out the gutters and downspouts, flush them with water, inspect joints, and tighten brackets if necessary. Clogged gutters are one of the major causes of ice dams. Replace old or damaged gutters with new ones that have built-in leaf guards.

Ice, rain, snow and wind combined with rapidly changing temperatures and humidity wreak havoc on roofs. Your roof is your first defense in protecting your home. Without it functioning properly, water damage can occur. A leaky roof can lead to deterioration of insulation, wood and drywall which could make electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems vulnerable. It’s better to proactively deal with repairs in the fall than to discover a leaky roof during a snowstorm.

Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke detectors and fire alarms may be some of the most important items in your home when it comes to your family’s safety. These early warning devices can only help alert your family to fire and smoke if they are periodically tested to ensure proper function. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month and batteries should be changed twice a year. An easy way to remember to do this is to change your batteries when you change your clocks for daylight saving time.

Change Air Filters

Ensuring that your home has a clean air filter has a wide range of benefits for the longevity of your A/C unit, the energy efficiency of your home and the overall well being of your family. While this is an important home maintenance task, many people simply forget or are unsure how and when to do it. The life of your filter depends on several factors such as density of airborne contaminants, use of candles or incense, the number of occupants or pets, and the type of filter. A vacation home or single occupant home with no pets and no allergies should change their filter every 6-12 months. The average suburban home with no pets should be done every 90 days, add a dog or cat you’re at 50 days and if there is more than one pet or anyone who has allergies filters should be changed every 20-45 days.

Caulk, Caulk, and More Caulk

To reduce the loss of heat, carefully inspect the perimeter of your home and caulk or weather-strip where needed. Both caulking and weatherstripping can reduce the flow of cold air in and warm air out-lowering your energy costs substantially. Check the following areas for leaks:

• Around door and window frames

• Gaps around electrical outlets and phone/cable lines

• Outdoor faucets

• Around heating or cooling units

• Openings around drain pipes in bathroom and kitchen

Aerate, Fertilize and Seed Yard

Fall is a great time to fertilize your lawn, as it provides grass with the nutrients required for the winter when the top layer of grass is dormant but the root systems continue to grow. It is during this time that the roots can easily absorb and store nutrients a good fertilizer can supply. Overseeding is the secret to a beautiful lush lawn. It simply means spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. Overseeding warm-season grass with cool-season grass adds green color during the winter.

Clean Dryer Vents

Lint and other debris can build up in your dryer hose and vent duct, reducing air flow and potentially backing up exhaust gases which could result in a fire. Cleaning the lint filter between every cycle allows hot air to move efficiently through the dryer. If your vent is clogged or blocked, your machine will have to run longer to fully dry your load.