Fall Back & Get Your Home Winter-Ready: Your 2026 Fall Maintenance Checklist

Fall in Michigan brings colorful leaves, crisp mornings, and a reminder that winter is right around the corner. Before the temperatures settle below freezing, a little home maintenance can help prevent expensive surprises and keep your home comfortable.

Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1, 2026. Set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, October 31. While you’re making the rounds, use this checklist to give your home a seasonal checkup.

Clean Downspouts and Gutters

Autumn is a season renowned for its beautiful foliage, but as those leaves fall from the trees, they can create a significant headache for homeowners. One of the first tasks on your fall maintenance checklist should be cleaning your gutters and downspouts. Leaves and debris can quickly accumulate, leading to clogs and potentially causing water damage to your home.

To get started, gather the necessary tools – a ladder, gloves, a garden trowel, and a bucket for debris. Begin by removing leaves and debris by hand or with the trowel, placing them in the bucket. Be sure to check for any loose gutters or downspouts that may need repair. After clearing out the blockages, rinse the gutters and downspouts with a hose to ensure they flow freely. Properly maintaining your gutters will help prevent water damage, ice dams, and roof leaks during the winter. 

Change Furnace Filter

As temperatures drop, your furnace becomes a crucial component of your home. To ensure that it operates efficiently and maintains good air quality, it's essential to change the furnace filter regularly. A dirty or clogged filter can make your furnace work harder, leading to reduced energy efficiency and potentially costly repairs.

Check your furnace's filter, and if it's dirty, replace it with a new one. Most filters need to be replaced every 1-3 months, but this can vary depending on the type and brand. Regular filter replacement will help keep your home warm and your air clean, making for a more comfortable and healthy living environment.

Turn Off Outdoor Hose Bibs

As winter approaches, it's crucial to protect your plumbing from freezing temperatures. One of the simplest ways to do this is by turning off your outdoor water spigots and draining any water from hoses and pipes. Failing to do so can result in frozen pipes and costly repairs come spring.

Locate the shut-off valve for your outdoor spigots and close it. Next, disconnect hoses and drain any remaining water from them. If your spigots have a bleeder valve, open it to ensure any trapped water escapes. This straightforward task can save you the headache of dealing with burst pipes when the mercury plummets.

Replace Batteries on Smoke Detectors

Safety should always be a top priority, and your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms play a critical role in protecting your home and loved ones. Fall is an excellent time to replace the batteries in these devices to ensure they are in working order.

Take a few minutes to test each smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm. If the batteries are more than six months old, replace them with fresh ones. In addition to this fall check, it's also a good idea to replace the batteries twice a year when the time changes, ensuring that your safety devices are always powered and ready to respond to emergencies.

Check Dates on Fire Extinguishers

While checking your safety devices, don't forget about your fire extinguishers. These are essential tools for preventing small fires from becoming big disasters. Inspect the expiration dates on your fire extinguishers and replace any that have expired. Additionally, ensure that they are easily accessible and that everyone in your household knows their location and how to use them.

Check Dates on Fire Extinguishers

You don’t have to tackle everything in one afternoon. Start with the most urgent items, especially outdoor plumbing before a freeze, and work through the rest as weather allows.

Need a recommendation for a local service professional? Reach out to DMA Real Estate—we’re happy to help connect you.

And if buying or selling is part of your plans for the coming year, let’s talk. Whether you’re preparing your current home or thinking about your next one, we’re here to help you plan ahead.

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