As the cooler weather begins to advance, it’s wise to double-check your fall home maintenance to-do list. If you’re a first-time homeowner and you’ve never had to maintain your home throughout the colder seasons, here are a few tips for helping you keep everything in good shape.

Caulk Around the Windows

With autumn, the temperatures dip and the winds tend to pick up. To stay warm even during the coldest weather, be sure to do an inspection of the area around the windows. If there are any gaps or you can clearly feel a draft coming through, a quick calking job should be adequate to stop the intrusion of cold air. This simple procedure can also be effective in lower your heating bill, and it only takes a few minutes.

Inspect the Fireplace and Chimney

If you live in a home with a fireplace and chimney, you’ll need to call a professional to perform an inspection and cleaning. Chimneys that receive heavy use during the cooler months can be a fire hazard, so it’s best to be proactive and stay on top of maintenance.

Clean the Furnace

The crisp fall weather is lovely, but it also means that your furnace is working overtime to provide warmth. If you’ve already begun to crank up the heat as fall heads into full swing, it’s time to place a call to your HVAC company. Your fall home checklist might seem like it’s a mile long, but it’s important to have your heater checked out before the temperatures drop even lower. With a cleaning and inspection, your furnace should be able to stand up to the demands of autumn and winter.

Reseed the Lawn

Even though plants won’t be growing during the coldest months of the year, it’s actually a great time to reseed the lawn. While you won’t notice plant growth, there’s hidden activity that’s going on underground. As the weather continues to cool down, the roots of the grass extend and burrow deep into the ground. When spring arrives, a lawn that’s been tended to will thrive. In addition to reseeding and fertilizing the lawn, use this time to prune plants and snip away parts of the trees that are looking a little sparse.

Properly Store Tools and Gadgets

If you work out in the yard on a regular basis, you may leave your lawn mower and other important tools out for convenience. During the fall and winter months, leaving expensive gadgets like the lawn mower can cause serious damage. To keep your lawn tools safe throughout the seasons, make sure to store them in a safe, warm place, like the garage or shed.

Turn Off the Sprinkler System

To prevent issues with the sprinkler, you’ll need to take the necessary steps to winterize the system. Many sprinkler systems consist of multiple components and are a bit tricky to work with, so if you’re unsure about how to proceed, get in contact with a landscaper or home maintenance company. When you let an expert handle the winterizing process, you won’t need to spend time outdoors in the cold messing with the various parts of the system.

Preparing your home for fall might seem like an unnecessary task, but making the effort to plan ahead and prevent a host of frustrating problems. For best results, get started as early as possible and work your way through the checklist found here. Even though it might take a few days to complete, it’ll be worth it in the end when your home is warm, dry, and in good condition. Plus, you’ll keep your family comfortable and you might even notice a decrease in energy bills when a professional inspects the furnace and chimney.