Fall brings to mind warm colors, pumpkin carving, and holiday preparation. As a homeowner, it also means cleaning out gutters and insulating water pipes. Don't wait until the weather grows colder to prepare for the winter months. Use our fall maintenance checklist to prepare your home for the winter season.

Fall Care Tips Checklist for Your Home

Mind Your Gutters: Your roof's drainage system diverts thousands of gallons of water from your home's foundation walls. That's why cleaning and maintain your home's gutters and drainage system is vital to keep things running smoothly. Clogged drains can lead to damaged exterior walls and cracks in your foundation, not to mention the potential of water in your basement. Before the leaves begin to fall, have your gutters cleaned, and then cover them with mesh guards to prevent debris from returning.

Fill-in the Gaps: A drafty home with gaps in caulking and weatherstripping has the potential to increase your heating bill by 10 percent. Weatherstripping is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep heating and cooling costs down. It also reduces drafts and keeps your home comfortable all year long since weatherstripping can deteriorate over time; it's essential to inspect it periodically.

Caulking: Fall is an excellent time to check for missing or damaged caulk around windows and doors. Entry points for electrical and cable can allow air in, so seal any gaps with a suitable caulk.

Roof Inspections: No issues are more problematic for a homeowner than a leaking roof. Once the dripping starts, identifying the source of the problem can be frustrating and time-consuming. Prevent this annoyance by inspecting your roof from top to bottom. Check your shingles for cracks and wind damage. Look for damage to flashing around vents and chimneys. Look in your gutters to check for accumulations of granules, which is a sign your roof is losing its coating, and you could be expecting problems soon. Avoid backups by ensuring your gutters are flowing freely.

Replace Your Filter: Furnace filters are notorious for trapping dust that otherwise would deposit itself on your furniture and other wood items. Clogged filters make it hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature and can increase utility bills. Cleaning your filter once a month can keep everyone in your home, breathing free and clear. Disposable and foam filters can be vacummed and need to be replaced per the manufactures suggested guidelines. If your furnace filter is metal or electrostatic, wash it with a steady stream of water.

Check Your Furnace: It's a good idea to have your heating system inspected by a professional once a year. Avoid scheduling these appointments last minute, as many professional book up quickly. A heating system that doesn't seem to be working as well as it once did could be a sign of multiple issues. Your heating ducts could be blocked, burner misadjusted, or your blower motor is about ready to go out.

Fireplace: It doesn't matter if you only use your fireplace on occasion, you should still check it annually for damage and potential hazards. Inspect your flue for creosote, a flammable by-product of burning wood. A chimney sweep can identify this substance and remove it. Check for flue blockages as birds love to next at the top of an unprotected flue. Make sure that your flue cap is in place, and exercise the damper to ensure its working correctly.

Buy a Humidifier: Dry winter air is bad for your health, and can also crack fine wood. A humidifier can keep you and your home comfortable during the months it's running.

Gas Heater: Maintaining a gas heater is essential to both safety and cost. An improperly maintained gas hater can fill the air in your home with poisons and can cost you more to operate. Be sure to check the air-shutter openings and vents for dust and dirt. Vaccum the air passages to the burner and clean it. Follow the manufacture's guide for any additional maintenance needed.

Driveways: If your driveway, steps, or sidewalks are damaged, they are a potential hazard. Fixing these problems can be critical to preventing small problems from becoming expensive headaches. Look for cracks more that are 1/8 wide and uneven sections. Most of these problems are easy to fix yourself but save significant repairs for experienced professional

Smoke and CO Detectors: Make sure you replace the batteries in every smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Test each sensor by pressing the test button, or if you're adventurous, hold a smoke source close to the unit. You may also want to install additional units to ensure you have one on every floor in your home.

Fire Extinguishers + Plans: Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher in the kitchen that's rated for all fire types. But it's a good idea to have multiple units throughout the house. Check them annually to make sure the indicator on the pressure gauge is charged, the lock pin is firmly in place, and the discharge nozzle is not clogged. If your fire extinguisher is more than six years old, replace it and mark the new unit with the date of purchase. All rooms should have two exit paths. Windows shouldn't be blocked by furniture or other items, and upper rooms should have a rope ladder near the window for emergency exits.

Cleanup: Try to rid your home of old newspapers and other hazardous household chemicals—store flammable materials and poisons in clearly marked containers. Avoid storing close to heaters, furnaces, and other heating appliances.

Fall Care Tips Checklist for Your Condo

Deep Clean Your Kitchen: We all know the kitchen should be cleaned regularly, but its especially important to do a deep cleaning during the fall. Appliances can collect a lot of old food and grease, which increases your risk of fire. Start by cleaning the range hood; it accumulates the most grease throughout its use. Once that is done, clean the stovetop, oven, and any other appliances. Having a clean kitchen goes a long way to ensuring you can breathe when it's too cold to crack a window while cooking.

Laundry Room: While it's a good practice to clean the laundry room every few months, fall is a great time to do a deep clean of your washer and dryer. Your washing machine can accumulate a lot of soap scum, which can harden and cause your machine not to operate efficiently. The same goes for your dryer and the lint trap. Besides the lint trap, you'll want to clean the dust vent and dryer drum. Lint accumulates over time and can be a fire hazzard. Most condos have two lint traps, one in the dryer and the other in the wall or ceiling - so remember to clean both.

Storage Unit: Most condos or townhomes have some assigned storage facility - as it too needs to be cleaned out or organized regularly to help reduce clutter. These types of units are susceptible to flooding, so make sure to check your unit at least once a year to make sure your items are in good condition.

Home Safety: Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors need to be checked at least once a month and require yearly battery replacement. As we move into fall, batteries are usually changed to coincide with the end of daylight savings time. During fall and winter, colder and dryer air increase static electricity, which can cause a fire if they come in contact with combustible materials like dryer lint.