As the summer heat fades and cooler weather settles in, you may be thinking about projects you’d like to complete around the house. Early fall can be a great time to tackle home maintenance and improvements while preparing your home for the months ahead.
If you’re like most homeowners, your project list is likely already long—and always growing. This fall, prioritizing projects that protect your home, prevent costly repairs, or improve efficiency before the winter can help you decide where to focus your time and budget. Here are five tips that may help you decide what should take precedence around your home this fall.
1. Take care of small exterior repairs
Before colder weather arrives, take a walk around your property and look for areas that may need attention. Check the roof, siding, foundation, windows, doors, decks, and other exterior features for signs of wear or damage.
Small issues such as damaged caulking, loose shingles, cracks, or gaps around windows and doors may be relatively simple to address now. However, if left unattended, some of these problems can allow water or cold air into your home and can potentially lead to more expensive repairs. If you spot something that may require professional attention, this is the perfect time of year to get an estimate and schedule the work before the season gives way to frigid temperatures.
2. Prepare your heating system
You may not be ready to turn on the heat yet but now is a good time to make sure that your system will be ready when temperatures drop. Consider scheduling routine HVAC or furnace maintenance and replacing filters as needed. Regular maintenance can help your system operate efficiently and may identify potential problems before you need to rely on it daily.
If your heating system is approaching the end of its expected life, now is the time to begin planning ahead. Researching replacement options and setting aside money now may be easier on your budget than dealing with an unexpected replacement in the middle of winter.
3. Look for ways to improve energy efficiency
Some home improvements can make your space more comfortable while helping to reduce energy use. However, before you invest in a major upgrade, there may be smaller opportunities throughout your home that will still make a difference. Weatherstripping around doors, sealing gaps around windows, adding insulation, or installing a programmable or smart thermostat can be relatively manageable projects that protect your home from cold weather.
Depending on the project, federal, state, local, or utility incentives may also be available for certain energy-efficient improvements. If you’re considering a larger-scale project, you should check current eligibility requirements before factoring an incentive into your budget.
4. Get ahead on yard work
Your home itself isn’t the only area that may need attention. This time of year is also great for looking at your lawn, trees, landscaping, gutters, and drainage.
Check for branches that could pose a risk during a storm, make sure water drains away from your foundation, and plan for cleaning gutters as leaves begin to fall. Depending on your landscaping, you may also want to tackle pruning, lawn care, or other seasonal maintenance. While some of these tasks can improve your property’s appearance, they can also serve a practical purpose by helping protect your home from water or storm damage.
5. Put maintenance ahead of non-timely upgrades
A new kitchen backsplash or updated living room may be more exciting than repairing a gutter or servicing your HVAC system, but when time is of the essence, it helps to prioritize. Consider separating projects into three categories: necessary repairs, preventative maintenance, and wants.
As you make your fall project list, start with outdoor work that may be more difficult to tackle once winter arrives. Address issues that could affect the safety or condition of your home, followed by preventative projects that can help protect it from colder weather and avoid more costly problems down the road.
Once winter sets in and there’s less to do outside, you can shift your attention indoors. This can be a good time to tackle cosmetic updates and other projects you’ve been looking forward to, as your time and budget allows. Prioritizing this way doesn’t mean giving up the projects you’re excited about. Instead, it can help you take advantage of the seasons while making sure necessary expenses don’t turn into emergencies.
Final thoughts
Before you begin a major home project, large renovation, or improvement, ask yourself:
- Is this project a necessary repair, a preventative investment, or primarily a want?
- How much can I comfortably spend?
- Have I received multiple estimates for the work?
- Have I budgeted for unexpected expenses?
- Could the improvement affect my homeowners’ insurance or property taxes?
- Are any current rebates, tax credits, or other incentives available?
You don’t have to finish every project on your list before the seasons change. Taking care of the right projects now—and planning ahead for the rest—can help protect your home, keep unexpected costs in check, and put you in a better position to enjoy your home throughout the fall and winter.
