Fall in St. Louis is a great time to tackle home maintenance. The temperatures are comfortable, winter hasn’t arrived yet, and many of the projects that are easy to ignore during the year become much more important once freezing weather sets in.
Whether you own a century-old brick home in South City or a newer home in St. Louis County, a little preventive maintenance now can help protect your home, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the chance of unpleasant surprises this winter.
Here’s my Fall Home Maintenance Checklist for St. Louis homeowners, with nine projects worth tackling this season.
1. Pull Out Your Stove and Oven & Clean Underneath
When was the last time you actually looked underneath your stove?
Food, grease, dust, pet hair, and all kinds of mystery debris can accumulate behind and underneath a range. Fall is a good excuse to finally deal with it.
Carefully pull the stove away from the wall, taking care not to put stress on the electrical cord or gas connection. Vacuum up loose debris and clean the floor, wall, sides of the stove, and surrounding cabinetry.
While the stove is out, visually inspect the electrical cord and outlet or gas connection. If you notice damage, corrosion, or anything unusual—or smell gas—stop and have it checked by a qualified professional.
Fall maintenance tip: If your oven has a vent or hood with a removable grease filter, this is also a good time to clean or replace it.
2. Clean and Store Patio Furniture & Your Grill
Outdoor furniture takes a beating during a St. Louis winter. Before freezing temperatures, snow, and ice arrive, clean everything and either cover it or move it somewhere protected.
Wash patio furniture and allow it to dry completely before storage. Clean cushions according to the manufacturer’s directions and make sure they’re completely dry to help prevent mildew.
For your grill, clean the grates and remove grease and food residue. Empty and clean the grease tray before putting the grill away or covering it for the season.
If you have a propane grill, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for storing the propane tank safely.
Taking an hour or two to properly put everything away can make a big difference when you’re ready to bring it all back out next spring.
3. Dust and Deep Clean Throughout Your Home
Fall cleaning doesn’t get nearly as much attention as spring cleaning, but it’s arguably just as useful.
Once your furnace starts running regularly, air will be circulating throughout the house for months. This is a good opportunity to tackle some of the places that don’t make it into the normal cleaning routine.
Pay particular attention to:
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures
- Baseboards
- Window sills and blinds
- HVAC registers and return-air grilles
- Tops of cabinets and door frames
- Areas underneath and behind furniture
- Bathroom exhaust fans
While you’re working your way through the house, test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors as well.
4. Inspect Windows and Doors for Cracks and Gaps
This is an especially important fall maintenance project for older St. Louis homes.
Our city has an incredible stock of historic homes, but original windows, old trim, settling, and decades of expansion and contraction can create plenty of places for cold air and moisture to find their way inside.
Inspect the interior and exterior of windows and doors for cracked or deteriorating caulk, damaged weatherstripping, gaps around frames, loose trim, and signs of water intrusion.
You can also check exterior doors from inside the house. If you can see daylight around a closed door, there’s a good chance you’ve found an area that could benefit from new weatherstripping or adjustment.
Sealing smaller gaps can help reduce drafts and make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient during the winter.
Just don’t automatically caulk over evidence of a larger moisture problem. If you’re seeing staining, deterioration, or repeated water intrusion, it’s important to figure out where the water is coming from.
5. Inspect Trees and Vegetation
St. Louis has no shortage of mature trees, and they’re one of the things I love about many of our older neighborhoods. They also deserve some attention before winter weather arrives.
Walk around your property and look for dead or damaged branches, limbs hanging over the roof, vegetation touching the house, and branches near electrical lines or other structures.
Smaller shrubs and vegetation can usually be trimmed fairly easily. Large branches, tall trees, or anything near utility lines should be handled by an appropriate professional.
It’s also a good idea to keep vegetation from growing tightly against your home. Plants can hold moisture against siding, masonry, and foundations while making it more difficult to spot drainage, pest, and structural issues.
6. Replace Your HVAC Air Filter
Your HVAC filter is one of the easiest home-maintenance items to forget.
As you transition from air conditioning to heat, check the filter and replace it if necessary. Make sure you’re using the proper size and install it with the airflow arrow facing the correct direction for your system.
How often should you change your furnace filter? There’s no universal answer. It depends on the type of filter, your HVAC equipment, pets, household conditions, and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Rather than relying on an arbitrary schedule, make a habit of checking it regularly.
St. Louis homeowner tip: Don’t wait for the first freezing night to find out whether your furnace works. Turn on the heat while the weather is still mild and make sure the system starts and produces heat normally. If there’s a problem, you’ll have time to address it before you really need it.
7. Clean Your Refrigerator Coils
Your refrigerator works around the clock, but its condenser coils probably don’t get much attention.
Dust, hair, and debris can accumulate around the coils and make it more difficult for the refrigerator to release heat efficiently.
Depending on the refrigerator, the coils may be underneath the unit or on the back. Check the owner’s manual for the proper procedure before beginning.
If instructed, unplug the refrigerator, remove the appropriate grille or access panel, and gently remove accumulated debris with a vacuum and refrigerator coil brush.
Since you’ve already moved the refrigerator, you might as well clean the floor and wall behind it too. You may be surprised by what you find back there.
8. Inspect Your Outdoor Lighting
The days get noticeably shorter during fall, which makes exterior lighting increasingly important.
Once it’s dark, walk around your property and check your porch lights, garage lights, walkway lighting, landscape lighting, motion lights, and fixtures around exterior doors.
Look for burned-out bulbs, dirty or damaged fixtures, malfunctioning motion sensors, and areas around stairs or walkways that aren’t adequately illuminated.
Good exterior lighting improves both the appearance and functionality of your home, and it can make steps, sidewalks, and entrances safer for you and your guests.
If you find damaged wiring, water inside a fixture, or another electrical issue, leave the repair to a qualified professional.
9. Check Whether Your Stone Countertops Need Resealing
If you have granite, marble, or another natural stone countertop, fall is a convenient time to check its condition.
Not every stone needs to be sealed, and countertops that do require sealing don’t necessarily need it every year. The type of stone, existing treatment, and manufacturer’s recommendations all matter.
For appropriate stone surfaces, a basic water test can sometimes help you determine whether the surface is readily absorbing moisture. If water quickly absorbs and temporarily darkens the stone rather than remaining on the surface, it may be worth investigating whether resealing is appropriate.
If you do reseal your countertops, thoroughly clean them first and allow them to dry. Always use a product designed for your particular stone and follow the manufacturer’s directions.
Leave a Reply