🍁 Fall Home Maintenance Checklist for Massachusetts Homeowners (2025 Edition) 🍁

A comprehensive guide to Fall home maintenance:

Fall has arrived in Massachusetts, and with it comes the perfect time to prepare your home for our notoriously cold New England winters. Whether you’re a new homeowner or a seasoned local, this comprehensive Fall Home Maintenance Checklist will help you protect your investment, lower energy bills, and prevent costly repairs.

As a licensed Massachusetts home inspector since 2009, I’ve inspected thousands of homes from Boston to the Berkshires. Here’s what I recommend every MA homeowner do before the first snow hits.

Water Systems: Prevent Frozen Pipes

• Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets, even frost-free ones can burst if hoses are left attached.

• Drain outdoor faucets and consider installing insulating covers.

• Shut down and drain irrigation systems (lawn sprinklers). Hire a local pro to blow them out with compressed air.

• Store pond or fountain pumps in a 5-gallon bucket of water indoors to prevent seal damage.

• If your garage has plumbing, drain those pipes and add RV antifreeze to the drain trap.

HVAC & Air Circulation

• Clean HVAC air intake vents (especially near the ground).

• If you have an HRV or ERV (heat recovery ventilator), clean the filters, intake, and core.

• Clean dryer vents from the inside out, clogged ducts are a fire hazard.

• Inspect bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, wasps love to build nests in exterior dampers.

  

Roofing & Gutters

• Inspect soffit vents under roof overhangs, clear away any dust, paint, or insulation that could block airflow.

• Look for bird nests in roof vents (you can often spot these from the ground).

• Clean your gutters and downspouts once leaves are down. Even homes with gutter guards need inspection.

• Redirect sump pump or downspout drains away from underground systems and toward the ground to prevent freeze-ups.

Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps

• Do not cover your A/C completely. If needed, use a top cover to prevent debris, full covers can trap moisture.

• If your furnace exhaust vents near your A/C unit, consider a plastic shield to protect it from corrosive gases.

• Do not cover heat pumps - they’re made to handle winter.

Exterior Seal & Caulking

• Check for and seal gaps around pipes, ducts, and electrical penetrations.

• Replace weather-stripping on drafty windows or doors.

• Walk your home’s exterior and look for signs of wear before winter makes repairs harder.

Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms

• Every bedroom and hallway should have working smoke alarms - photoelectric is best.

• CO detectors must be placed within 10 feet of sleeping areas (not in garages or kitchens).

• Test alarms and replace batteries now.

• Replace any smoke alarm over 10 years old and CO alarm over 5 to 7 years.

Furnace or Boiler

• Schedule your annual furnace or boiler tune-up with a licensed MA technician.

• Replace the thermostat batteries, failure while you’re away could mean frozen pipes.

• Swap in a clean furnace filter, every 1 to 3 months depending on your system.

Fireplace Maintenance

• Use your wood-burning fireplace often? Hire a chimney sweep every 30 to 50 fires.

• Clean dust from gas fireplaces and check pilot lights.

• Install a damper stop for gas logs in wood-burning fireplaces to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

Final Thoughts

Taking these steps before winter helps you avoid emergency repairs, save energy, and protect your home value. If you're unsure about anything on this list, or want a professional fall home maintenance inspection in Massachusetts, reach out - I’ve helped homeowners across Boston, Cape Cod, and Central MA protect their properties for over a decade.

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Fall Home Maintenance 2025.

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