If you’ve fallen behind on your home maintenance projects this autumn, you may be the scariest home on the block—without even realizing it. After a summer filled with travel, rest and hot temperatures, your home may need a little TLC to keep it in excellent condition for the change of seasons ahead. Read on for the essential autumn home maintenance tasks to avoid having a spooky home during the autumn and winter months ahead.

A Not Eerie Interior:

Deep clean carpets, rugs and upholstery

Autumn is ideal for deep cleaning the textiles in the house. The summer usually means more traffic in the home and sunscreen, dirt and other debris that may be brought inside and embedded in the upholstery. Removing all the summer grime will ensure you have a fresh slate for the upcoming cozy season.

Inspect the furnace

Fall is the best time to schedule an annual furnace inspection. Ensuring it’s in working order before the temperatures dip will be a relief when it’s time to turn on the heat. Additionally, the wait times may be longer if you wait until too late in the season to schedule an inspection.

Assess the humidifier

When the heat is on indoors and the air is cold outdoors, it can be a recipe for dry, itchy skin if the humidifier isn’t working correctly. Also, a dirty humidifier means the mold accumulated on the filter will recirculate in your home. Autumn is an ideal time to inspect the humidifier, clean the humidifier pads and make any necessary repairs.

Test smoke and carbon dioxide detectors

As you spend more time inside, testing the smoke and carbon dioxide detectors and replacing the batteries is essential. These should be inspected twice a year, so fall and spring are the best times. Be sure to keep extra batteries easily accessible if they start beeping in the middle of the night.

A Less Sinister Exterior:

Drain and seal the outdoor spigots

Once you’ve watered your mums for the final time this season, it’s time to drain the outdoor water fixtures, disconnect the hoses and attach the outdoor spigot covers. If you don’t drain the outdoor spigots and disconnect the hoses, there is a risk of the pipes bursting when the water freezes over the winter.

Repair exterior cracks

While you may plan on scheduling exterior maintenance projects, such as driveway cracks, in the spring, making these repairs in the fall, before the freezing winter temps set in, can be beneficial. If you notice any cracks in the driveway, repairing them before the temperatures drop can help protect the cracks from expanding. When a crack freezes, it can then expand and damage the driveway.

Clean the gutters

During the summer and fall, leaves, seeds and other debris accumulate in the gutters. Have the gutters cleaned so the autumn leaves don’t start to overflow. Before the first snowfall, clean out this debris to help the water drain efficiently.

Assess air leaks

Checking your house for leaky windows and doors will reduce energy consumption this winter. Damage or gaps to the weatherstripping or caulk can cause the hot air to escape, resulting in a colder house and higher heating bills.