Preparing your fall prevention checklist? To get ready for fall, here are some things you shouldn’t forget to do. Grab your pen and paper, and start taking notes!
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Easy Prevention Checklist For Fall
1. Prepare Your Lawn
Everyone loves seeing leaves turn into a comforting shade of orange except for your grass. Leaves falling all over the place may kill your lawn. It can suffocate the grass and breed fungal diseases. And worse, it can prevent grass growth in the spring.
As fall approaches, continue watering and mowing your lawn. Apply some fertilizer as well. By doing this, more sun to reach the crown of your grass and fewer leaves will turn brown during winter.
Similarly, you would also need to aerate your lawn. So, water, fertilizer, and oxygen can easily penetrate the grassroots. You can rent a walk-behind lawn aerator, or hire a landscaping contractor if your lawn is too big.
Wondering what to do with your fall leaves? The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation prepared this guide that you can follow.
2. Clean Your Gutters
The same beautiful orange leaves may kill your grass can also clog and even damage your gutters. And as you know, clogged gutters can lead to a lot more issues like the following:
- Roof damage – water overflowing from the clogged gutter to the sides of your home
- Landscape damage – overflowing water from the clogged gutter may kill the plants surrounding your home
- Home structure damage – the water overflow can also damage your home’s walls, window frames, and doors
Therefore, set aside some time to clean gutters in your fall prevention checklist. Take some time during the week to check and clean them with a gutter brush or a gutter vacuum.
3. Check Your Roof
Is your roof already prepared for fall? You wouldn’t want fall to pass by and winter to come, only for you to realize that you are missing some roof shingles. So when you check your gutters, make sure you inspect your roof as well.
Here are some things that you can include in your fall prevention checklist:
- Inspect for any damages – check for missing shingles, warped flashing, and any leaks and molds
- Look out for pests – check for pests like termites that can ruin your roof’s integrity
- Remove moss buildup – spot any buildup and remove them immediately, as moss can corrode asphalt shingles and wood
- Assess your chimney – if you have a chimney, clean it out and check for any obstructions that can lead to a chimney fire
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4. Install a Plastic Sheet Over Your Windows
This is another important activity that you need to put on top of your fall prevention checklist. During fall and winter, drafty windows are a major source of heat loss. And as a result, your power bills are unexplainably high.
To prevent this problem, install plastic sheeting designed for window insulation. Upon installation, the sheeting will shrink against the window to prevent energy and heat from escaping. And when properly applied, it will look smooth and almost invisible.
5. Put Your Summer Decor Away
Summer has already ended, and fall is here. If you live in a place with a colder temperature, keep your summer patio furniture away to prevent them from getting damaged by surprise storms.
Make sure that your summer outdoor furniture, such as sun umbrellas and small BBQ equipment, are secure. And, they won’t get blown away during windstorms. Otherwise, store them indoors.
Also, check if your deck boards and patio stones are not loose to prevent anyone from tripping or falling.
6. Prevent Frozen Pipes
Nobody wants frozen and bursting pipes, especially when winter comes. So, make sure to shut off all the water coming into your exterior faucets.
To avoid this problem, perform the following prevention activities in your fall prevention checklist:
- Drain water from water sprinklers and swimming pools
- Store water hoses indoors
- Insulate the attic, crawl spaces, and the basement
- Insulate exterior pipes placed in unheated areas using pipe sleeves or heat tapes
7. Watch Out for Lint
As you know, as temperatures drop, static electricity increases. If lint casually builds up in your dryer, then static electricity will make it so much easier to cause a fire hazard.
Also, when your lint filter is not clean, your dryer will be forced to heat up and work harder. This can cause low efficiency and higher power bills.
To clean your exhaust duct, first, shut off the gas and unplug your dryer. Then, pull your dryer away from a wall and disconnect the duct. Using a vacuum or a brush, remove all the lint.
8. Check Your Home Insurance
Fall and winter seasons are the most perfect time of the year to check your homeowner's insurance, so make sure to include this in your fall prevention checklist. Review if your policy is accurate and up-to-date.
And more importantly, make sure that your insurance can help you survive a storm and that you’ll be covered no matter what fall or winter may bring.
9. Trim Dead Trees and Shrubs
As the summer slowly bids goodbye, it is now time to prune plants and trees. Start by removing dead leaves, branches, and limbs using tools like anvil pruners, bypass, and ratchets.
As a general rule, keep limbs and branches at least three feet away from your house. This provides a safe distance against moisture dripping into your roof and against damages when these trees accidentally fall onto your home during high winds.
Want to learn how to prune fruit trees in your homestead? Learn from this step-by-step YouTube guide from JSacadura:
Fall would definitely be a good time to take care of your big home repair projects before the cold can make outdoor work more difficult. And with these nine fall prevention checklist items, you’ll be ready for fall and winter’s worst. So, get ready for fall, and help keep your home happy.
What precautionary measures are included in your fall prevention checklist? Share your homesteading tips in the comments below!
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Thank you for mentioning such a thing as protecting pipes. But let me add that it’s also crucial to clean both the area around the furnace and its internal components for optimal performance and safety when preparing your home for the fall season.
To do this, remove leaves, dust, and debris from around the furnace and check the vents and ducts for anything that might be blocking them. Also, gently clean the flame sensor with a soft cloth or emery cloth and use a vacuum to carefully clean the blower compartment and its parts. Pay special attention to the blower wheel, as it tends to collect dust and dirt.
Thank you for this comprehensive fall prevention checklist! One additional tip I’d like to share is to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are in proper working condition as part of your fall preparations. Test the alarms, replace the batteries if needed, and ensure they are strategically placed throughout your home. Safety should always be a top priority as we transition into the fall season. Stay safe, everyone!