Maybe I’m just a neurotic architect. Or maybe seasonal change encourages existential reflection for everyone. Whatever the reason, as the leaves turn I’m acutely aware of a dependence on home for shelter and survival.  Which means fall is a great time for a home maintenance check. I relish the thought of discovering small problems when easily fixable. And I laugh out loud when fixing them. Because a nasty winter catastrophe is avoided. Thought I’d share a list of maintenance items I diligently check. Just in case you feel the same about fall. 

☑The Roof
Ladders are dangerous, please be careful. But I always inspect the roof before winter.  Are any shingles askew? Is flashing rusted or bent? If anything looks funky I call a pro and make them climb on the roof to look more closely.  Of course I don’t assume a whole new roof is needed, unless everything looks old and worn out. But I do want minor items fixed before the snow flies.

For the do-it-yourself crowd, black roofing patch only goes so far. Dust off the roofing “how-to” manual and fix it right. My friends at Taunton Press probably have the best manual: Roofing, Flashing & Waterproofing. If you don’t already have a copy check it out.

While on the roof, I don’t forget to remove the neighbor kid’s kite, stray toys and broken branches. Roofs perform best when clean and uncluttered.

Also while inspecting the roof, I scan soffits and fascias for obvious signs of leaks or rot. Problems here are usually signs of roof trouble, and a warning to look up stream.

☑Gutters
After the leaves drop, gutters should be cleaned. Clogged gutters in winter increases the possibility of ice damming and leaks. I haven’t tried a gutter cleaning tool yet, but Amazon carries several gutter maintenance products. Blower extensions, scoops on a pole and other jet sprayer tools, like the one pictured, are all available. So find one that works and stay off the ladder.

Now is also a good time to spray the hose into gutters looking for leaks. Sometimes leaks are surprisingly sneaky. Other times, they can be inexpensively fixed with Rust-Oleum Flexible Rubber Sealant or other comparable product. Rust-Oleum works well, is cheap and accessible.

☑Downspouts
A thorough job means checking downspouts for clogs. I take a garden hose and shove it down from the top. But a jet sprayer would work nicely too. Is there any back up? If so, I turn up the water and plunge deeper or take the down spout apart in sections until a clog is found. Don’t worry if a downspout leaks when clogged. They’re designed with slip fittings. Only worry about leaks with no clogs.

Also good to make sure downspouts are securely fastened, screws come loose. There’s nothing worse than a banging downspout during a winter storm.

When inspecting downspouts I make sure they extend at least 5 feet from the house  and aren’t too mushed. Sometimes extensions get flattened and impede drainage, so they need to be replaced. I also make sure extensions drain onto a hard surface or splash block. Don’t have splash blocks? They’re a cheap solution for keeping your foundation dry. Splash blocks are usually made of concrete, plastic or leftover stone paving. Plastic is lighter and easier to place. Both plastic and concrete come in multiple colors designed to blend with surroundings.

☑Exterior Walls
No matter the exterior siding, I walk around the house looking for anything loose, rusty or out of place. I also look at vertical joints between materials and where siding butts to trim. If a caulk joint is loose its time to remove the old caulk and replace. Although never caulk flashing. If properly installed flashing will naturally shed water. Caulk only gets in the way.

Keep in mind some counter flashing on chimneys requires a sealant be tooled at the top. This sealant get’s old and brittle, so must be changed periodically.

I also look at wall penetrations.  They also need to be properly caulked. Abandoned pipes, holes or ducts should be capped. Since they provide a direct conduit for critters and cold air. Rubber caps with metal screw tight bands are easy to install. Check exhaust and vent caps to ensure flaps close properly.

After sealing and caulking, areas needing paint touch up are scraped, primed and painted. Good to get caulking and painting done before temperatures drop.  Some products can only be applied in warm weather.

☑Doors & Windows
Areas around door and window trim need periodic caulking. I look for peeling caulk between trim and siding on each vertical side. Remove any failed caulk before adding new. I also caulk below the window, even though some experts suggest this joint be left open to drain. It’s more probable driving rain will enter from the exterior.  But I don’t caulk at the top. Every opening should have cap flashing which needs to drain.

Older windows may need re-glazing. Glazing putty is the stuff that holds window glass to a wood frame on older windows. Over time putty will harden and fall out.

If an older window has wood screens, these need to be replaced with storm windows. Storm units increase energy efficiency and comfort. They also protect wood from winter damage.

☑Foundations
Yes, I scan the foundation for visible cracks. In reality, hairline cracks are common in foundation walls and nothing to lose sleep over. If cracks look displaced, then I worry. Open and jagged cracks often indicate differential settlement. They’re best inspected by a pro.

A more common maintenance problem is settling or heaving soils near foundations. Settling happens when back fill around the house consolidates and the grade or slab sinks. Heaving takes place when clay or organic soils expand and rise. In both cases grades slope towards the house, draining water onto the foundation. I look for obvious areas of negative drainage within the first 10 feet around the home. Settling is often easy to fix, simply fill in the hole with dirt and compact. Don’t use gravel or porous materials.

With heaving, the best approach is usually removing soil. Unless your house sits high, then you can add more dirt. Most codes dictate the grade remains 6 inches or more below any untreated or unprotected lumber. If the grade gets close, I add flashing to the wall.

Add a plastic or water resistant surface before covering any changed grades with ornamental gravel. And remember, it’s best not to have plantings, even grass within 5 feet of the foundation. Definitely keep all irrigation at least this far from the foundation.

☑The Yard
Along with raking leaves, fall is a good time to put away garden hoses, lawn furniture and anything else that suffers from winter weather.  Non frost proof hose bibs should be turned off and frost proof bibs checked for leaking.

Don’t forget to turn off irrigation. This usually requires closing a valve below grade and blowing out the pipes. I don’t forget this task because a big repair would await come spring. Sadly full pipes freeze and burst.

☑Inside the Home
Dropping temperatures mark an end to cooling and the start of heating season. After turning the thermostat to heat, I change furnace filters. Then I check that registers are open and return vents unblocked. I’ll even pull off registers and shop vac the ducts if feeling extra industrious. My old furnace gets a tune up every other year or so. But with new furnaces, don’t bother.

For those living in dry climates, winterize your swamp cooler. However, I now have an A.C. condenser and don’t cover it for winter, which could trap moisture.

Unless my house had a really tough year, this checklist only takes a few hours or a day. But my piece of mind lasts the entire winter.