The transition from summer to fall is the perfect time to get your home ready for colder, wetter weather.

Admittedly, it may take a few Saturdays to complete, but doing the following essential tasks now on the exterior of your home could save you from having to deal with much larger problems later.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist – Exterior

Roof

Inspect the roof for signs of wear that could be a leak in the making.  Check for loose, curling, cracked, or missing shingles. Look for dips or sags in the roof line itself as well as bad or missing flashing along walls or around chimneys and vent pipes. Hire a licensed, certified, roofing professional, if needed. Get rid of any moss. Moss is the roof’s enemy.

Gutters & Downspouts

Clean out and check gutters and downspouts. Make sure all the gutters and downspouts are properly fitted to the house, free of debris and still in good condition.  Look for any signs of wood rot on soffit and fascia boards. Check that downspouts angle away from the home.

Vents

Make sure all vents are tightly covered with the proper screening material (or flap valve as in the case of some dryer vents) to keep pests out of basement, attics, etc.

Windows & Doors (Including Garage Door)

Examine windows and doors for drafts and leaks. Look for any signs of wood rot and repair. Calk and weather strip where necessary.

Trees, Shrubs & Wood-to-Soil

Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from the house to reduce leaves in the gutters, possible damage to the roof from falling branches, and hiding places for rodents who may try to enter the home. Make sure there is no wood-to-soil contact with the siding.

Foundation, Basement and Crawlspace

Walk around the entire home and check the foundation, basement and/or crawlspace for problems such as cracks, mildew, unpleasant smells that may indicate a drainage or leakage problem.  Make sure drainage is going away from the house and not toward it. If you have a sump pump, test that it is functioning properly.  Hire a professional, if necessary, to correctly evaluate and/or repaired any problems.

Pavement

Repair any cracks in sidewalks or driveways that might get worse during the winter due to water seeping into the cracks and freezing. If damage is too extensive, then consider hiring a licensed, bonded and insured professional to do the work.

Paint

Touch-up the paint on any exterior doors or siding, where needed, to improve the look of the home and to help protect it against water, mold and wood rot.

Pipes & Hoses

At the right time, depending on local weather, prepare all water pipes, hoses and lawn irrigation systems for winter. Always remove all hoses from the hose spigots.

Want a professional home inspector to create your home’s maintenance checklist instead?  We can help! Call The Sterling Home Inspection Group at (253) 841-1128 to schedule an Exterior Maintenance Inspection today!