It’s that time of year again. The mornings are brisk, the leaves turn color, and the sun sets early. Fall is in the air… and it’s chilly.

We have a handy seasonal checklist available online to make sure you don’t miss any steps in caring for your new home and to ensure you’ll qualify for warranty in case of unforeseen issues.

Here are a few things from our list that your home needs you to check in on before keeping you warm all winter.

Now’s the time to close up shop on your summer lawn care and gardening regime. Remove the exterior sump pump hose before winter sets in, as well as any hoses on exterior faucets and quick-connect fittings to prevent water line breaks.

Shut off and drain your garden water valve in the basement to avoid pipes freezing. Drain and turn off your sprinkler system.

Make sure to clean your gutters before the season turns (and all of the leaves have fallen), and check your downspouts to ensure they’re properly draining away from the house.

Clean and check your windows before the winter to ensure they can close properly (and tightly).

You may even want to remove the interior screens to allow better air movement and prevent condensation from building up over the winter months.

Caulk, adjust, or replace weather stripping on your exterior doors if needed.

The same goes for your overhead garage door – you may need to tighten the bolds or lubricate springs with approved oil before the cold set it ajar.

If you haven’t gone up recently, take a peek at your roof for any damaged shingles or loose fascia. You’ll be happy you checked before the snow piles up and that you got ahead of a possible leak.

To prevent damage, put away delicate exterior window screens for the season.

Always be sure to have a bag of sand to layout on your sidewalks and stairs for those spots that are tough to breakthrough.

Even though it may not be top-of-mind anymore since the summer heat left us, you’ll want to cover your air conditioner off before the snowfall to prevent ice buildup. Shut off its power if you haven’t already done so, and inspect your exhaust and intake vents for any buildup or debris.

Even though you may feel like you wrapped up on yard work for the year (maybe you sealed up your last bag of leaves), some of your younger trees or shrubs could use some TLC before the season change.

Consider covering these vulnerable plants and make sure to store outdoor furniture away to prolong its life.

Be sure to do a test of all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, clean them, and swap out batteries, if needed.

Vacuum and clean clothing dryer vents. A build-up of lint can cause fires and reduce efficiency of your dryer.

Operate fireplace to burn off dust. Open windows as required. Check expiry date on fire extinguishers and replace if necessary. Replace every 5 years.

Most importantly, review your escape fire plan with family in case of an unforeseen event.

Adjust registers and confirm that your cold air returns are clear of furniture and draperies before they go into overdrive.

Finally, clean your heat recovery ventilation system per the manufacturer’s guidelines.

That’s a snapshot of it! Be sure to print our checklist for a thorough clean-up. Your house is ready to face another cold snap. All that’s left is to hope for a mild winter. Stay warm!