Fiery leaves, crisp air, tons of @&#$ to do.

Every homeowner should have a Fall maintenance checklist to follow.  If you have a larger property, that just means there will be more to do on yours.  I find that breaking your tasks into categories will help you prioritize your workload and eliminate potential problems before they come up.

Here’s mine:

• House
• Vehicles/Equipment
• Driveway
• Woodlot
• Lawn/Garden

I consider each of these groups equally important.  They are going to take about the same amount of my time overall, and they will each have tasks that take upwards of a day, or as little as 30 minutes.

Here’s how I get started:

House

• Check the integrity of your roof.  Even If there aren’t any visible leaks, something still might be up.
• Clean and repair any cracks in your chimney.
• Caulk around any doors and windows.  Install or replace damaged weather stripping to seal out drafts.
• Have your furnace serviced.
• Repair or patch any damaged masonry to avoid ice damage.

Vehicles/Equipment

• Change the engine oil in anything that is going to run in the cold.  Follow any manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Prep your snow moving equipment for any upcoming weather.
• Winterize anything you won’t be using and put it in storage.
• Make note of any projects to be built or repairs to be made inside over the winter months.
• Add stabilizer to fuel if necessary.

Driveway

• Identify the causes of and fixes for common driveway damage.
• Grade your gravel driveway to prevent damage in the winter and spring.
• Make sure your drainage ditches and culverts are in good working order.
• Install markers to make snow removal easier and safer.
• Get your mailbox ready for winter.

Woodlot

• Do a walkthrough to asses the condition of your woodlot.  Update or create a forest management plan.
• Check trail condition and drainage systems to ensure access in the spring.
• Cut and skid any timber that you intend to season for the following year.
• Prepare and stack your firewood for winter.
• Encourage any small or large game on your property.

Lawn/Garden:

• Prune any trees that are overgrown or need reshaping.
• Prep your vegetable garden for next year’s crop.
• Plant any perennials that need to go in the ground in the fall.
• Bring any herbs or warmer weather plants inside before the first frost.
• Turn your fall cleanup into summer vegetables.

I’ve completed a few of these tasks so far, but I still have a lot ahead of me.  I’ll update this page with links as I get more done.  Keep checking back every now and then for new and completed projects!