As the seasons change, it’s time to think about what you can do to keep your home safe, cozy, and dry. Since fall really sets in in October, making sure that you keep ahead of the weather change and ready your home for winter can help prevent problems before they happen. Here are the home maintenance tasks you should do in October.
Stow yard furniture
While there might be a few more days of the season left for sitting outside, depending on where you live, if you have lawn furniture that will go unused in winter months, October is the month to store it. If you don’t have a shed or garage to keep yard furniture in, you can try using a cover for it instead. October is also a good time to fold up sun umbrellas and other pieces that could blow away in a storm. As the weather gets more stormy and rainy, you’ll need to defend against damage caused by flying lawn chairs.
Shut off outdoor spigots and sprinklers
If you live in an area that gets cold enough to freeze, you should turn off your outdoor spigots and store your hose. You should shut off the indoor valve to outdoor spigots if you have one and then open the tap to allow any water in the pipe to drain. Make sure to turn the tap to the off position when you’re done to avoid an accidental deluge in the spring when you turn your water back on. You should also drain any sprinkler system pipes you have, disconnect hoses, and store them to keep ice from damaging your watering equipment in cold weather.
Insulate pipes near outside walls
If you have any pipes that run near an outside wall, especially ones that are inside cabinets or crawlspaces, ensure that they’re insulated. Look behind sinks and showers that are positioned near the outer wall of your home and make sure that any uninsulated pipes get foam pipe tubing insulation or fiberglass tape insulation to help protect them from freezing. Pipes in or behind cabinets are especially vulnerable as cabinets can tend to block ambient heat from your HVAC system and make the area around your pipes even colder, especially in the event of a power outage.
Test your sump pump and install leak detectors
Rain and snow storms bring a lot of extra moisture with them and preparing for a flood before one occurs can help keep water damage to a minimum in case of a flood. Check out your sump pump and make sure it’s in good working order before a flood occurs. You can check your pump either by filling the sump pit with water until the float causes the system to turn on or by unplugging the power going to both the pump and the float switch, and then plugging just the power going to the pump back in. In both cases, if your pump doesn’t turn on, it’s time to call in a pro.
You should also consider adding some leak detection to your basement and attic in October. A smart leak detector kit comes with several sensors and will connect to your phone via an app to alert you to leaks. Place leak sensors in your basement and in the eves of your attic or any other areas that might be vulnerable to leaks to catch them early, before they have time to do extensive damage.
Check your porch and railings
Your porch might get a lot of use in October if you’re a fan of spooky season and welcome trick-or-treaters. Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween, it’s a good idea to inspect your porch in October before winter weather sets in. Check railings, your porch roof, and deck boards for any damage. If you need to replace a rail spindle or a floorboard it’s easier to do so in October, before freezing weather arrives. Also, repairing and sealing wooden porches before freezing temperatures can keep winter damage from ice to a minimum.
