Home Maintenance Tips | October 2024
The leaves are falling, pumpkins are popping up at the market, and the cozy comforts of home are calling — it must be October. Embrace the season’s harvest, enjoy some fresh air while raking leaves, and get your home ready for winter with these helpful tips. Fall has arrived!
Tidy up the Mudroom
The flurry of activity this time of year can leave the mudroom looking a little worse for the wear. Take some time to regain sanity — sort through papers and put away stray summer items. Clean the floors and invest in a new doormat if needed. Keep a recycling basket near the entrance to make sorting mail and school papers easier, and dedicate a tote or bin for items that need to go out.
2. Vacuum Radiators, Baseboard Heaters & Heating Grates
Prepare for heating season by vacuuming up dust from radiators, baseboard heaters and heating grates. If you have radiators with covers, remove the covers and vacuum beneath them before replacing.
3. Check Safety Devices
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the house, replacing batteries as needed. Check the expiration date on the kitchen fire extinguisher and replace it if needed.
4. Cover or Store Outdoor Furniture and Grills
If you plan to leave your patio furniture or grill outside through the fall and winter, cover them well and stow them beneath an overhang that will protect them from rain and snow. Even if you live in a mild climate, covering your grill between uses is a good idea to preserve the finish.
5. Shut Off Exterior Faucets, Store Hoses & Protect with Hose Bib Covers
Disconnect, drain and roll hoses before storing them for the winter. Shut off the water supply to exterior faucets to prevent frozen pipes. Protect your pipes by installing hose bib covers on every exterior faucet.
6. Clean Gutters & Downspouts
Wait until most of the leaves have fallen to schedule a rain gutter cleaning. Inspect gutters and downspouts for cracks and loose parts, and make repairs as needed.
7. Maintain your Wood Stove or Fireplace
If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it’s essential for safety that you have it serviced before lighting the first fire of the season. If you haven’t done so already, schedule an appointment to have your chimney inspected and, if necessary, cleaned.
8. Keep Seasonal Decorating Low-Key with Natural Finds
Pumpkins, gourds, fresh heirloom apples, quinces, pomegranates, figs and fall foliage make wonderfully simple decor. Bring in cut branches from your yard, stop by a pick-your-own farm, or scoop up fall’s bounty at a farm stand.
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