Fall in the Midwest: 8 Things Every Homeowner Should Do Before the First Freeze
There’s just something about fall in the Midwest.
Cool mornings, Friday night football, leaves changing colors, pumpkin patches, bonfires—and that first day when you finally give in and turn the furnace on.
Here in Quincy and throughout West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri, fall is one of my favorite times of year. But if you own a home around here, you also know what comes next.
Winter.
And Midwest winters have a way of finding every little problem your house has!
The good news? A little preventative maintenance this fall can potentially save you from a much bigger headache when the temperatures really start to drop.
Here are 8 things I recommend homeowners put on their fall checklist.
1. Clean Those Gutters
Once the leaves start falling, gutters can fill up quickly.
Clogged gutters and downspouts can cause water to back up or drain where you don't want it, potentially leading to problems around your roof, siding, or foundation.
Make sure your gutters are clear and that your downspouts are carrying water away from your foundation.
It's not the most glamorous Saturday afternoon project—but your house will thank you later!
2. Give Your Furnace a Test Run
Don't wait until it's 25 degrees outside to discover your furnace isn't working properly.
Turn the heat on early in the season and make sure everything is operating like it should. Fall is also a great time to replace your furnace filter and consider having your HVAC system serviced.
It's much better to find a problem on a mild October afternoon than during the first really cold night of the year.
3. Check Your Windows & Doors for Drafts
Walk around your house and pay attention to the areas around windows and exterior doors.
Feel a draft?
Weatherstripping and caulk are relatively inexpensive fixes that can help keep cold air outside and warm air inside.
Your furnace-and potentially your utility bill-will appreciate it.
4. Take a Walk Around Your Roof & Exterior
You don't necessarily need to climb onto your roof.
From the ground, look for anything that doesn't seem right: missing or damaged shingles, loose siding, deteriorating trim, damaged gutters, or tree limbs hanging over the house.
Also take a walk around the foundation and look for changes or cracks that may need attention.
Small problems have a funny way of becoming bigger problems after a Midwest winter.
5. Disconnect the Garden Hoses
This one is easy to forget.
Before freezing temperatures arrive, disconnect your garden hoses and drain or winterize outdoor faucets where appropriate.
Water left where it shouldn't be during freezing temperatures can cause damage-and that's an avoidable repair nobody wants in January.
6. Don't Forget About the Yard
Fall isn't necessarily the end of lawn season.
Many of the lawns around our area are cool-season grasses, which means late summer and early fall can be an important time for lawn care.
Keep leaves from piling up for extended periods, take care of any final lawn treatments you have planned, and inspect trees for dead or damaged limbs that could become a problem during winter storms.
And yes-eventually you'll get to make that glorious final mow of the year.
Every Midwestern homeowner knows how good that feels & sometimes how sad that can be if you're a lawn lover!
7. Check Your Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
As we close up our homes and begin using furnaces, fireplaces, and other heating equipment more frequently, fall is a great reminder to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Check that they're working properly and replace batteries as needed.
It takes a couple of minutes and is well worth doing.
8. Take Care of the Little Stuff NOW
This may be the biggest piece of advice on the entire list.
That little crack.
That slow drip.
That loose piece of siding.
That door that doesn't quite seal.
That gutter you've been meaning to fix.
Fall is your opportunity to take care of those things before winter makes them worse—or makes them much harder to repair.
There Really Is No Place Like Home in the Fall
It's where your kids come inside after jumping in a pile of leaves. It's where friends gather around the fire pit. It's where Thanksgiving dinner happens. It's where you watch football on Sunday afternoon and eventually watch that first snow fall outside the window.
And here in the Midwest, every season reminds us of that in a different way.
So enjoy the cooler weather, soak in those beautiful fall colors around Quincy and the surrounding communities-and spend a little time getting your home ready for what's coming next.
And, of course, if your plans this fall include buying a home, selling your current home, or simply wondering what your home might be worth in today's market, I'd love the opportunity to help.
Luke Tappe, REALTOR®
KW Hometown REALTORS®
Licensed in Illinois & Missouri📱 217-430-8076
Your Hometown. Your Home. Your REALTOR®.
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