---
title: Tackle This Fall Home Maintenance Checklist Over a Couple of Weekends
description: Simplify fall home maintenance with this easy checklist. Prepare your home and yard for cooler weather over a couple of weekends with these practical tips.
---

[MilitaryByOwner Housing Blog ](https://blog.militarybyowner.com)

# [Tackle This Fall Home Maintenance Checklist Over a Couple of Weekends](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/tackle-this-easy-fall-home-maintenance-checklist-in-a-couple-of-weekends)

 Written by [Dawn M. Smith](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/author/dawn-m-smith) | Mon, Sep 09, 2024 @ 10:09 AM

The fall months are beloved by many for plenty of reasons: pleasant temperatures, festive food, football games, and comfy clothes. But for your home maintenance needs, [fall is a season of transition](https://www.militarybyowner.com/resources/fall-home-maintenance-checklist/). A lot goes into preparing the house and yard before cooler temperatures roll through.

But don't worry, it just takes a couple of lazy Sunday afternoons to tackle this home maintenance checklist—and when the blustery wind brings snow, you'll be glad you did.

## Fall Maintenance Tasks for Your Home’s Exterior

If you have a yard, give yourself extra time to take care of these necessary tasks; there’s plenty to do.

### Fall Home Maintenance Checklist for Landscaping: 

- **Prune. **Trim branches that could damage the exterior of the house. Long branches also provide a highway into your attic for animals looking for shelter and warmth. Vulnerable trees and bushes demand a layer of mulch to survive cold winters.
- **Treat the lawn.** Aerate, fertilize, and mulch with a light layer of fallen leaves to maintain the yard through winter.
- Plant. Plant bulbs to ensure vibrant flowers greet you [come springtime](https://www.militarybyowner.com/resources/spring-home-maintenance-checklist/). 
- **Clear debris.** Clean up dead leaves and weeds to create a blank slate for springtime—it's best to start with clean soil.
- **Pack up hoses and garden tools. **It’s also a great time to insulate hose bibs and drain the last bit of water. The same goes for sprinkler systems. Frozen water in the lines has the potential to burst.
- **Repair, clean, and cover [patio and deck furniture](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/create-your-ideal-outdoor-summer-space).** It’s even better to store these items inside a garage or basement. 

*Photo from Canva*

### Home Maintenance Checklist for the Home:  

- Program exterior lights. Lighting provides an extra layer of security during dark hours, and using a timer can help you [save on energy costs](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/which-home-renovations-are-worth-your-time-and-money).
- **Protect appliances. **Stand-alone and window unit air conditioners require protection from the elements.
- **Pest control. **Inspect the foundation and roof lines for access points to avoid rodents and insects entering the home.
- **Clear debris from gutters. **Empty gutters are the best defense from costly problems like ice dams, flooding, and foundation disintegration. Removing leaves twice during the fall is better than once.

## Fall Maintenance Tasks for Your Home’s Interior

A few adjustments inside the home will alleviate drafts, save on energy bills, and welcome guests.

- **Check the detectors. **Daylight savings time is a fantastic bi-annual reminder to change the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- **Prevent drafts.** Install weather-stripping products to improve window and door efficiency.
- **Inspect the heater.** The [heating system](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/10-easy-low-cost-ideas-to-keep-your-home-warm-this-winter) needs a yearly inspection to prevent outages and high heat bills.

*Photo from Canva*

- Sweep the fireplace. The fireplace isn’t the best way to heat the home, but a [roaring fire](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/10-essential-fireplace-safety-tips) is too hard to resist. Contact a professional chimney sweep to ensure it’s clean and in working order.
- Check the bathrooms. Fix running toilets and [leaky faucets](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/15-home-maintenance-tasks-and-repairs-everyone-should-know-how-to-do) to avoid embarrassing situations when you host the holidays.
- **Clean appliances.** The oven is probably going to get a workout this fall. A deep clean in the beginning assures spot cleaning gets you through to the spring.

With so much to look forward to during the [fall months](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/view-beautiful-fall-color-near-these-military-bases), it's best to get a head start and check off these maintenance tasks early. You’ll be so happy you did when you’re relaxing in front of the fireplace with a mug of coffee in hand!

Looking for home maintenance providers? Take a look at these tips: [3 Tips for Finding Home Maintenance Providers](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/3-tips-for-finding-home-maintenance-providers). 

Main image from iStock.com/[Halfpoint](https://www.istockphoto.com/search/photographer?photographer=Halfpoint&assettype=image&family=creative)

[View full post](https://blog.militarybyowner.com/tackle-this-easy-fall-home-maintenance-checklist-in-a-couple-of-weekends)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Dawn M. Smith"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-03-26T20:17:44.440Z",
  "datePublished" : "2024-09-09T10:00:00Z",
  "headline" : "Tackle This Fall Home Maintenance Checklist Over a Couple of Weekends",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 483,
    "url" : "https://131168.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/131168/iStock%20photos/iStock-1381115783.jpg",
    "width" : 724
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.militarybyowner.com/tackle-this-easy-fall-home-maintenance-checklist-in-a-couple-of-weekends",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "MilitaryByOwner Blog"
  }
}
```