{"id":7995,"date":"2021-08-24T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/?p=7995"},"modified":"2024-01-29T17:13:55","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T00:13:55","slug":"fall-home-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/fall-home-maintenance\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Home Maintenance"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p>That first hint of chill is in the breeze. The green leaves of summer are starting to get yellow, orange, and red-tinged edges. Homeowners know what this means. The seasons are changing, and they have fall home maintenance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/ultimate-guide-how-to-winterize-a-house\/\">get their homes ready for winter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Fall is the perfect time to do all the home maintenance jobs to get ready for winter. Whether you&rsquo;re a longtime homeowner or this is your first fall with a mortgage, this guide will help you know just what to do during the fall months.<\/p>\n<p>Read on to learn all about fall home maintenance: Why it&rsquo;s so important, and our ultimate checklist that will help you make sure you&rsquo;ve done every chore you need to get your home ready to weather the winter.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jump to&hellip;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#importance\">The Importance of Fall Home Maintenance<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#checklist\">The Ultimate Fall Home Maintenance Checklist<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#outside\">Fall maintenance outside your home<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#inside\">Fall maintenance inside your home<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#cleaning\">Fall home cleaning and organization<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#rent\">Need Storage Before Winter? Rent it from a Neighbor<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"importance\"><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"the-importance-of-fall-home-maintenance\">The Importance of Fall Home Maintenance<\/h2>\n<p>Fall is a great time to tackle all kinds of home improvement and home maintenance tasks for a few important reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Winter can be hard on homes, and fall is your last chance to get your home in top shape to withstand any harsh winter weather that may be coming your way.<\/li>\n<li>When winter comes, the days will be shorter and the weather will be colder, making many of these tasks more difficult to do. During fall, when it&rsquo;s still light and warm outside, is the perfect time to do many of them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"checklist\"><\/div>\n<html><body><div id=\"in_post\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/host\" onclick=\"rudderanalytics.track('press editorial cta button', {location: 'first in post', version: '2.0'}, () =&gt; { console.log('track call'); });\">\r\n  <div class=\"first-in-post-cta\">\r\n    <header>\r\n      <h2 id=\"can-we-pay-you-to-store-vehicles\">Can we pay you to store vehicles?<\/h2>\r\n    <\/header>\r\n    <section>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path d=\"M26.7552 20.0573C26.2911 20.9853 26.2499 22.3578 26.2499 24.375H33.7499C33.7499 22.3577 33.7088 20.9853 33.2448 20.0573C33.0557 19.6792 32.8 19.3973 32.3888 19.1841C31.9442 18.9535 31.2108 18.75 30 18.75C28.7892 18.75 28.0558 18.9535 27.6112 19.1841C27.2 19.3973 26.9442 19.6792 26.7552 20.0573Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M28.0777 4.32887C29.3195 3.87732 30.6805 3.87732 31.9223 4.32887L48.7973 10.4652C51.0173 11.2725 52.5 13.3777 52.5 15.7462V33.1425C52.5 33.7407 52.4058 34.3605 52.1888 34.9629C47.861 46.9738 35.9939 53.5676 32.1164 55.464C30.7986 56.1086 29.2843 56.1505 27.9278 55.5549C23.9729 53.8185 12.0728 47.6941 7.77513 34.8948C7.58399 34.3255 7.5 33.7394 7.5 33.1762V15.7481C7.5 13.3807 8.98165 11.2729 11.2027 10.4652L28.0777 4.32887ZM22.4998 24.1662L22.4999 24.375C20.4289 24.375 18.75 26.054 18.75 28.125V35.625C18.75 37.6961 20.4289 39.375 22.5 39.375H37.5C39.5711 39.375 41.25 37.6961 41.25 35.625V28.125C41.25 26.0539 39.5711 24.375 37.5 24.375L37.5 24.166C37.5016 22.4546 37.5037 20.19 36.5989 18.3802C36.0848 17.352 35.2859 16.4621 34.115 15.855C32.9776 15.2652 31.6017 15 30 15C28.3983 15 27.0224 15.2652 25.885 15.855C24.7141 16.4621 23.9152 17.352 23.4011 18.3802C22.4961 20.1901 22.4982 22.4547 22.4998 24.1662Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg><\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"list-your-unused-space\">List your unused space<\/h3>\r\n        <p>People are earning $1,000s per year from their garages and outdoor space.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M13.125 9.375C11.0539 9.375 9.375 11.0539 9.375 13.125V46.875C9.375 48.9461 11.0539 50.625 13.125 50.625H46.875C48.9461 50.625 50.625 48.9461 50.625 46.875V13.125C50.625 11.0539 48.9461 9.375 46.875 9.375H13.125ZM28.125 16.875C28.125 15.8395 28.9645 15 30 15C31.0355 15 31.875 15.8395 31.875 16.875V20.625H35.625C36.6605 20.625 37.5 21.4645 37.5 22.5C37.5 23.5355 36.6605 24.375 35.625 24.375H26.25C25.2145 24.375 24.375 25.2145 24.375 26.25C24.375 27.2855 25.2145 28.125 26.25 28.125H33.75C36.8566 28.125 39.375 30.6434 39.375 33.75C39.375 36.8566 36.8566 39.375 33.75 39.375H31.875V43.125C31.875 44.1605 31.0355 45 30 45C28.9645 45 28.125 44.1605 28.125 43.125V39.375H22.5C21.4645 39.375 20.625 38.5355 20.625 37.5C20.625 36.4645 21.4645 35.625 22.5 35.625H33.75C34.7855 35.625 35.625 34.7855 35.625 33.75C35.625 32.7145 34.7855 31.875 33.75 31.875H26.25C23.1434 31.875 20.625 29.3566 20.625 26.25C20.625 23.1434 23.1434 20.625 26.25 20.625H28.125V16.875Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"approve-your-renters\">Approve your renters<\/h3>\r\n        <p>You're in control. Approve who rents and the hours of access.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <div class=\"service-option-icon\">\r\n          <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" fill=\"none\">\r\n            <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M31.2776 51.9974L31.7666 51.5417C32.0789 51.2503 32.527 50.8317 33.0706 50.3224C34.1576 49.3041 35.6276 47.9224 37.158 46.4698C40.1682 43.6127 43.5576 40.3461 44.596 39.1282C46.7163 36.6414 48.1719 33.6468 48.8127 30.4251C49.5529 26.704 49.173 22.847 47.7211 19.3418C46.2692 15.8366 43.8105 12.8407 40.6559 10.7329C37.5015 8.62514 33.7942 7.5 30.0001 7.5C26.2061 7.5 22.4973 8.62504 19.3428 10.7329C16.1882 12.8407 13.7295 15.8366 12.2776 19.3418C10.8257 22.847 10.4458 26.704 11.186 30.4251C11.8268 33.6468 13.2824 36.6414 15.4027 39.1282C16.4411 40.3462 19.831 43.6128 22.8415 46.4698C24.3721 47.9224 25.8422 49.3042 26.9294 50.3225C27.4731 50.8318 27.9212 51.2504 28.2336 51.5418L28.723 51.9979C29.4428 52.6672 30.5579 52.6668 31.2776 51.9974ZM28.723 51.9979C28.723 51.9979 28.7232 51.998 30.0001 50.625L28.723 51.9979ZM30.0001 50.625L31.2776 51.9974C31.2776 51.9974 31.2771 51.9979 30.0001 50.625ZM30 32.8125C33.6243 32.8125 36.5625 29.8744 36.5625 26.25C36.5625 22.6256 33.6243 19.6875 30 19.6875C26.3756 19.6875 23.4375 22.6256 23.4375 26.25C23.4375 29.8744 26.3756 32.8125 30 32.8125Z\" fill=\"#005EB8\"><\/path>\r\n          <\/svg>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <h3 id=\"get-paid-monthly\">Get paid monthly<\/h3>\r\n        <p>Sit back and collect automatic payments each month.<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n    <footer>\r\n      <button>Learn more about hosting <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\">\r\n          <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M18.8304 5.17619L4.55227 11.6663H11.1779C11.8199 11.6663 12.3404 12.1867 12.3404 12.8288V19.4543L18.8304 5.17619ZM19.029 3.43822C20.0069 2.99374 21.0129 3.9997 20.5684 4.97757L13.0612 21.4935C12.5438 22.6316 10.8404 22.2627 10.8404 21.0124V13.1663H2.99417C1.74398 13.1663 1.37497 11.4628 2.51312 10.9455L19.029 3.43822Z\" fill=\"#EFF5F8\"><\/path>\r\n        <\/svg><\/button>\r\n    <\/footer>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\n  <\/div><\/body><\/html><h2 id=\"the-ultimate-fall-home-maintenance-checklist\">The Ultimate Fall Home Maintenance Checklist<\/h2>\n<p>Ready to get started getting your home prepared for the winter months ahead?<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Neighbor-Printable-Fall-Home-Maintenance.pdf\">Download our Ultimate Fall Home Maintenance Checklist<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"outside\"><\/div>\n<html><body><div id=\"2_in_post\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/host\" onclick=\"rudderanalytics.track('press editorial cta button', {location: 'second in post', version: '2.0'}, () =&gt; { console.log('track call'); });\">\r\n  <div class=\"second-in-post-cta\">\r\n    <section>\r\n      <div class=\"service-option\">\r\n        <h2 id=\"earn-1000s-per-year-with-your-unused-space\">Earn $1,000s per year with your unused space<\/h2>\r\n        <button>Become a Neighbor host<\/button>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\n  <\/div><\/body><\/html><h3 id=\"fall-maintenance-outside-your-home\">Fall maintenance outside your home<\/h3>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7996 size-full pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Fall maintenance outside your home\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"1088\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1024x623.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-768x467.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1536x934.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-380x231.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-550x334.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-800x487.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/02-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1160x705.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<p>Most fall maintenance tasks will take place outside of your home to help get it ready for winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean and store your mower<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the first tasks you should tackle in the fall is cutting your grass short and then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-winterize-lawn-mowers\/\">winterizing and storing your lawnmower<\/a>. Drain all fuel, give the mower a good cleaning, and then keep it somewhere protected from the elements during the winter months when it isn&rsquo;t being used.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Service your snowblower<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you have a snowblower, now is the time to make sure it&rsquo;s ready for the winter season ahead. Pull it out of storage and have it cleaned and serviced so you know it&rsquo;s well-maintained and outfitted for snow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Put away outdoor furniture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Any lawn, patio, or deck furniture should be cleaned and stored at this time. Take the extra time now to clean it, so it&rsquo;s ready to pull out and use when the weather warms up again in the spring.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Put away your grill<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you use a charcoal grill, clean it out and store it somewhere out of the elements. If you use a gas grill, clean and winterize it before storing it for the winter season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Remove garden hoses from faucets<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you leave your garden hoses attached during winter, water pools inside them can freeze and expand, causing cracks and leaks in the hose. Now is the time to remove and drain all your hoses, put them away, and turn off water to exterior faucets so the pipes don&rsquo;t freeze.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Drain your sprinkler system<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Schedule time for a sprinkler blowout, which will use air to force all remaining water out of your sprinkler lines so they can&rsquo;t freeze during the winter. This is an important part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/winterize-sprinkler-system-essential-guide\/\">winterizing your sprinklers<\/a>, so they&rsquo;re ready for cold weather.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your foundation for cracks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Any cracks in your foundation could get moisture in them and freeze during the winter, causing existing cracks to widen. That&rsquo;s why fall is the best time to check your foundation carefully and repair any foundation cracks you can see with caulking. This will also help prevent moisture from leaking into your home during bad weather and keep critters from finding ways to get inside.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Seal air leaks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Check your exterior walls, especially around window and door frames, for leaks that allow drafts of cold air to pass through. Use caulk to patch them so your home will stay warm during the winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean gutters and downspouts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your gutters and downspouts will have a lot of work to do in the coming months when falling leaves and rainy weather begin. Take the time now to clean them out and make sure they&rsquo;re ready to do their job.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean window wells<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you let leaves pile up in your window wells, they can trap water, causing the wells to flood. Clean them out whenever needed in the fall, so water can drain properly during winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Remove screens and install storm windows<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you live somewhere where you need storm windows for the winter, now is the time to switch them out for your window screens.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your roof<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>From the ground, inspect your roofing for any damaged shingles or debris. If it&rsquo;s been a while since your last roof inspection, you may want to schedule one before winter comes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your home&rsquo;s drainage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Walk around your home and ensure that soil around the house slopes away from your walls and foundation, so water won&rsquo;t pool up against your home during bad weather.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your driveway, walkways, sidewalks, and stairs<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Carefully inspect your driveway, sidewalk, and any walkways. If there are cracks, repair them now since they will likely get worse over the winter.<\/p>\n<p>Now is also the time to inspect walkways and stairs for winter safety. Make sure railing are sturdy enough to support someone&rsquo;s weight if they slip on snow or ice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check outdoor lighting<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the days get shorter, outdoor lighting will be more necessary. Now is an excellent time to check your outdoor lights, replace any burnt-out bulbs, and make sure they&rsquo;re all working properly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prune plants and trees<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before winter comes, get your plants in good shape to survive harsh weather by pruning them back and removing any dead branches or buds. Add mulch to garden beds so they&rsquo;ll be ready for new growth in the spring. If you have cold-sensitive plants, you may want to winterize them by covering them with sheets of burlap or canvas.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rake your yard<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To protect your lawn, make sure to rake leaves as they fall. Check with your city to see if any leaf pickups are scheduled.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aerate and fertilize your lawn<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you want gren grass in the spring, prep work starts now. Aerate and fertilize your lawn in the fall to make sure it&rsquo;s ready to grow again when warm weather returns.<\/p>\n<div id=\"inside\"><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"fall-maintenance-inside-your-home\">Fall maintenance inside your home<\/h3>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7997 size-full pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Fall maintenance inside your home\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"795\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-300x133.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1024x455.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-768x341.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1536x683.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-380x169.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-550x244.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-800x356.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/03-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1160x515.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<p>Once the outside of your home has been maintained and winterized, it&rsquo;s time to move to an indoor checklist.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Remove air conditioners<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you use any temporary air conditioning, like window units, remove and store them. Make sure to keep them somewhere dry and protected from moisture, so they&rsquo;ll be ready to use again when the weather heats up next summer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your furnace<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Give your furnace a quick once-over, and change the furnace filter. If you haven&rsquo;t had your heating system serviced in a few years, you may want to schedule that before winter comes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Drain your water heater and radiators<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can improve your water heater&rsquo;s efficiency by periodically flushing it to remove built-up sediment. Do that now, so it&rsquo;s ready for the winter ahead. If your home uses radiators for heat, you may also want to flush them out, so they&rsquo;re working their best when the weather turns cold.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspect your fireplace and chimney<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before you start using it during the winter months, inspect and clean out your fireplace. Also, carefully inspect your chimney, looking for cracks and soot buildup. Schedule a chimney sweep or cleaning if needed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Winterize your windows<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If your windows are old or drafty, now is the time to winterize them. Add weather stripping around the edges, or seal windows with plastic insulation to help keep your home warm and energy-efficient.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Change ceiling fan directions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Reverse your ceiling fans, so they create an upward draft. This will draw warm air down from the ceiling and help keep your home comfortable during colder months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Test safety devices<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Test all your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Change their batteries to ensure they keep working all winter long.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check your fire extinguishers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Make sure your fire extinguishers are clean, accessible, and haven&rsquo;t expired. Replace them if needed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean dryer vents<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When dirt builds up in dryer vents, it reduces the efficiency of your dryer &mdash;&nbsp;but even worse, it can be a fire hazard in the winter. Unhook your dryer from the vent and carefully clean it out.<\/p>\n<div id=\"cleaning\"><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"fall-home-cleaning-and-organization\">Fall home cleaning and organization<\/h3>\n<p><img  decoding=\"async\"  class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7998 size-full pk-lazyload\"  src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\"  alt=\"Fall home cleaning and organization\"  width=\"1789\"  height=\"749\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"(max-width: 1789px) 100vw, 1789px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide.png 1789w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-300x126.png 300w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1024x429.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-768x322.png 768w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1536x643.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-380x159.png 380w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-550x230.png 550w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-800x335.png 800w, https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/04-Fall-Home-Maintenance-Ultimate-Guide-1160x486.png 1160w\" ><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/spring-cleaning-list\/\">Spring isn&rsquo;t the only time to clean<\/a>. Fall is another great time to tackle some cleaning and DIY projects that will make sure your whole home is ready for winter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Deep clean and declutter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the seasons change is a great time to deep clean and declutter your home &mdash;&nbsp;because any time is a good time for those tasks. If you&rsquo;re not sure where to start, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/storage-blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-things\/\">ultimate decluttering guide<\/a>&nbsp;can help.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Clean out the garage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fall is a great time to focus on cleaning out the garage, in particular. You should remove things like paint that might freeze during the winter. You can also make space to organize and store things like lawn and garden tools.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Air out the house<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Cold weather is coming, which means any day could be your last chance to open all the windows and air out your home. Take advantage of the opportunity while you still can.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rotate your wardrobe<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Take your winter clothes and outerwear out of storage and give them some time to air out. Carefully check over winter gear to make sure it still fits and is in good condition to keep you warm for another winter season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Consider an energy audit<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With winter coming, your home appliances are going to be working hard to keep your home safe, warm, and comfortable. If you haven&rsquo;t had one recently, consider scheduling an energy audit to see if your home is running efficiently or if updating any appliances could help you save energy and money during this and future winters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stock up on winter supplies<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now is the time to start gathering whatever you need for the winter: Snow shovels, ice melt, fuel, and supplies for emergency kits for your home and car.<\/p>\n<div id=\"rent\"><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"need-storage-before-winter-rent-it-from-a-neighbor\">Need Storage Before Winter? Rent it from a Neighbor<\/h2>\n<p>Whether it&rsquo;s your lawnmower, patio furniture, or a summer recreation vehicle &mdash;&nbsp;you may find yourself with belongings you need to store for the winter. Why not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_campaign=contentlinks\">store things with a neighbor<\/a>? Neighbor connects community members so they can share their extra space &mdash; building community ties along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Neighbor is a safe and affordable, new kind of self storage. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.neighbor.com\/search\">See storage available near you<\/a>&nbsp;today.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s a chill in the air and the leaves are beginning to turn. Fall is here, and that means it\u2019s time for fall home maintenance that will get your home ready for winter.\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":8003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_appearance_grid":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-home-maintenance","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Fall Home Maintenance - Neighbor Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There\u2019s a chill in the air and the leaves are beginning to turn. 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