Fall home maintenance checklist: 12 tasks before cold weather

Heating and safety

1. Book the annual heating inspection. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a yearly professional inspection of fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues, and vents. Read the CPSC heating guidance.
2. Test carbon monoxide alarms monthly. CPSC recommends CO alarms on each level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Follow the alarm maker’s instructions for placement, testing, and replacement.
3. Check alarm batteries. CPSC recommends replacing smoke and CO alarm batteries annually and testing alarms monthly. If an alarm has a sealed long-life battery, follow its replacement instructions.
4. Check the heating-system filter. Inspect or replace a furnace filter as its manual directs. A clean filter is one of the weatherization steps listed by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Drafts, insulation, and pipes

5. Look for drafts around doors and windows. Weatherstripping doors and sealing air leaks can reduce unwanted air movement. Use a suitable product for the surface, and ask a qualified professional about gaps you cannot safely reach.
6. Check insulation in accessible areas. The Department of Energy identifies attics, garages, and pipes as places where insulation may matter. If you find a concern, get advice before disturbing old or damaged building materials.
7. Identify pipes in unheated spaces. Note exposed plumbing in garages, crawl spaces, or other cold areas. Insulate vulnerable pipes using guidance suited to your climate and plumbing system.
8. Locate the main water shutoff. Make sure household members know where it is and how to close it if a pipe leaks or freezes.
9. Prepare hose bibs and irrigation where freezing is possible. Disconnect garden hoses and follow the faucet, irrigation-system, or local utility instructions for winterizing outdoor water lines.

Outside and seasonal equipment

10. Clear leaves from gutters and drains. If your home has gutters, check that leaves are not blocking water flow. Use a qualified service for roof or ladder work if you cannot do it safely.
11. Look for signs of water entry. After rain, note overflowing gutters, damp spots, or water collecting near the foundation. Arrange a repair if the same area keeps getting wet.
12. Store or winterize outdoor equipment. Put away hoses and seasonal tools, and follow the maker’s instructions for pumps, irrigation controls, and other equipment exposed to freezing temperatures.

Turn the checklist into reminders

For each task you choose, record the item or system, the work to do, and the next date. Use the equipment manual or local guidance to set repeat intervals instead of applying one schedule to every home.

Home Upkeep Log keeps your home details in this browser. Add a maintenance task, due date, and optional repeat interval, then export current dates to your calendar. Calendar files are snapshots, so export again after changing a date.

Turn the checklist items that apply to your home into dated reminders with the home maintenance app guide, or keep a spreadsheet with the blank maintenance log template.