After a busy summer of hosting and attending parties, relaxing vacations, and poolside and dockside fun, there's something comforting about fall. The air turns crisp, football fills the weekends, and neighborhoods take on the vibrant colors of changing leaves.
Fall is also the season when many homeowners start shifting their attention indoors: lighting fireplaces, adjusting thermostats, and settling in for the colder months ahead. Leaves may collect in gutters. Branches might creep closer to the roofline. Overnight freezes threaten to turn small plumbing issues into expensive repairs. And the first winter storm may arrive before you’re ready.
Fortunately, some of the most important maintenance tasks are also simple. A little attention now may reduce your home's exposure to common seasonal hazards and keep small maintenance issues from becoming much larger ones.
Your roof works hard year-round and may have taken more of a beating than expected, enduring heavy rain, hail, high winds, or the intense heat of summer.
As the seasons change, fall is a wise time to schedule a professional roof inspection or perform a visual check from the ground. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) notes that regular roof inspections and maintenance are an effective, low-cost way to extend a roof's life and catch storm-related wear before it becomes a larger repair. During your roof checkup, look for missing shingles, clogged valleys, or other signs of wear.
Just as important: clear leaves, pine needles, and other debris from both the roof and gutters. When gutters become clogged, melting snow and heavy rain have nowhere to go, which can increase the risk of water backing up beneath roofing materials or overflowing near the foundation. Homes with flat roofs may need extra attention, since leaves and standing water can settle on top more easily.
The trees that provide welcome shade during summer can become winter hazards when branches grow too close to a home. Be sure to trim limbs that hang over the roof or touch siding so they’re 5 to 10 feet away from your home and roofline. This may help prevent ice- and snow-laden branches from falling during windstorms and damaging your roof, windows, and gutters, allowing moisture to enter the home.
Landscaping and maintenance around the exterior of your home are particularly important to consider if your home is located in a wildfire-prone area. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), maintaining defensible space and keeping combustible materials away from the home are among the most effective ways for homeowners to reduce wildfire risk. A fall checklist might include:
If you have an interior fire sprinkler system, schedule an inspection. In colder climates, parts of the system may need to be winterized to reduce the risk of cold-weather surprises. A small check now could avoid a big headache later.
Once you’ve checked inside, don’t forget to check outside. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program notes that irrigation components can be damaged by ice, snow, or falling temperatures and recommends inspecting systems for leaks and having them drained or blown out before hard freezes set in. This may help prevent cracked pipes, damaged sprinkler heads, and costly spring repairs.
Before winter arrives, check on the systems you rely on every day to keep you safe. Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if needed. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends testing smoke alarms monthly and replacing them according to manufacturer guidance. Carbon monoxide detectors deserve particular attention in winter, when homes stay closed up and heating systems run more often.
Frozen pipes are a common source of winter water-damage claims, and keeping water moving through faucets during severe cold may reduce the risk of freezing. Homeowners policies often cover this type of damage, but coverage may depend on whether the home's heat was properly maintained.
Before temperatures drop, consider:
You may also want to install automatic water shutoff and leak detection devices. These systems continuously monitor water flow and, when they detect irregular water use—a pipe rupture or a toilet supply line running for hours—they shut the water off automatically.
The first cold evening when you need to turn on the heat in your home is not when you want to discover your furnace needs repairs. Scheduling annual maintenance for a furnace, boiler, or heat pump before temperatures cool down can help avoid midwinter surprises. Replacing HVAC filters, inspecting vents, and having fireplaces and chimneys cleaned and inspected may help if they'll be used throughout the winter. If you have a home alarm or smart home system, consider adding low-temperature monitoring to receive an alert if indoor temperatures drop unexpectedly. It may be an early warning sign that your heating system needs repairs.
Like raking leaves before they pile too high, small tasks completed today may help prevent larger problems tomorrow. We work with clients to help identify potential risks before they become larger problems. Whether preparing a primary residence, vacation home, or legacy property for the colder months, our advisors help evaluate your home's unique exposures and discuss insurance solutions suited to your lifestyle.
Request an insurance review with an experienced Personal Risk Advisor to ensure you're adequately insured for whatever life may bring.
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