November Checklist for Your Home

A little lawn care can help protect your grass in winter for faster recovery in spring.

• Rake the last of the leaves. Excess leaf coverage can cause mold and other problems.
• Cut your grass one last time, leaving it a little longer than usual by raising the mower wheels.
• Apply a winterizing fertilizer to help grass survive winter and green up faster in spring.

Have your furnace or boiler inspected before cooler temperatures set in.

• Routine inspections can prevent costlier problems in the future.
• Ace Handyman Services offers seasonal service plans for your HVAC system.
• Replace your furnace air filter at least once a season to maintain indoor air quality.

Make sure your home is safe before the holidays.

• Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• If your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are more than 7-8 years old, replace the units entirely.
• Check or replace fire extinguishers or fire blankets in the kitchen.

Make sure your home is weather-tight to prevent drafts and leaks.

• Replace torn or broken weather stripping around doors and windows.
• Replace worn or leaking caulking around windows and thresholds.
• Seal gaps with expanding foam to prevent drafts and increase efficiency.
• As long as temperatures are above freezing for 6-8 hours, it will be warm enough for these products to stick and cure.

Spend a few minutes winterizing your AC Unit to protect it from harsh weather.

• Cover the outside AC Condensing Unit with a plastic cover to keep out leaves and debris.
• Keep the bottom 6” open so rodents do not move in for the winter.

Rodents can fit through a hole the size of a dime. Don’t let your home become their home for winter with insect and pest control!

• Fill any cracks with a gap filler.
• Repair loose siding or crawlspace entries with excessive cracks.
• Don’t pile things up against the house or garage exterior where it can become a shelter.
• Place rodent traps in garages, crawlspaces, attics, and other places rodents are likely to hide.

As winter days become shorter, you need to adjust your exterior lighting for safety and security with timers and lighting controls.

• Cut back perennial plants to prevent excessive rotting of plant material.
• Some delicate plants may need an insulated cover if it gets very cold where you live.
• Prune back trees or shrubs with branches that can scrape against the house and cause damage when it gets windy.

As long as the ground has not frozen, you can plant spring bulbs before Thanksgiving. You’ll get one of the first peeks of spring next year!

Removing leaf blockage in gutters is essential for good performance and the prevention of ice dams and overflowing. If you are not comfortable or do not have the correct ladders or equipment for this job, Ace Handyman Services is available to help.

Key Takeaways

1. Fall lawn prep leads to faster lawn recovery in spring
2. Prep HVAC equipment for the change of seasons
3. Make sure your home is sealed and insulated against drafts and leaks