As a homeowner, it can be challenging to remember all the routine maintenance a house requires — especially those tasks you only complete once or twice a year. But there’s a simple way to keep those seasonal to-dos top of mind: Schedule them to align with the end of daylight saving time. As you prepare to set the clocks back, check these other chores off your list, too.
While window screens are crucial to help keep debris and pests out of the house in the warmer months, they’re pretty useless in winter. By removing your screens, you can help prevent snow and ice buildup which could cause damage, and let in more natural light and warmth from the sun, keeping your home more comfortable.
The cooler months are your fireplace’s time to shine, but before you think about curling up next to the crackling flames with a book, make sure your chimney has been swept and inspected to prevent unintentional fires, inadequate circulation and poor indoor air quality. Smoke backup can release harmful particles and pollutants into your living space, compromising the air you breathe.
During winter activities like cooking for family gatherings, lighting candles, using your fireplace and decorating for the holidays, the risk of fires and smoke increases. To catch potential fires as early as possible, ensure your smoke detectors have new batteries. Also, take the opportunity to replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors for added safety.
Colorful foliage is one of the most beautiful parts of fall — but it doesn’t look so attractive when it’s clogging your gutters come early November. Around the end of daylight saving, once most leaves have fallen off the trees, clear your gutters of leaves, sticks and other debris to prevent mold accumulation and water buildup that can damage your roof.
Your ceiling fans can be used to keep your home’s temperature comfortable all year-round — yes, even in the winter — as long as the blades are moving in the right direction. In the cooler months, reverse the direction of your ceiling fans (most have a switch) to operate clockwise, which pushes warm air downward.
Swapping out lighter window coverings with thicker curtains in the cooler months can help regulate temperatures and lower energy bills. Before hanging, clean them following the manufacturer’s instructions to remove any dust that may have accumulated in storage.
Your home works hard to keep your spaces warm in the cooler months — don’t thwart its efforts by allowing air to escape through cracks and gaps. Sealing air leaks not only enhances comfort but also saves you money on energy bills. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends several methods: caulking and weatherstripping doors and windows; caulking where plumbing, ducting or electrical wiring comes through walls, floors and ceilings; installing foam gaskets behind outlet and switch plates; and using foam sealant on larger gaps around windows and baseboards.¹
Even if you change your sheets weekly, mattresses are still prone to collecting dust, meaning you might be sleeping in dead skin cells, and dust mite droppings and body fragments. The end of daylight savings is a perfect time to vacuum all your mattress’s crevices. When you’re done, flip or rotate your mattress — depending on the type you have — which experts recommend doing about twice a year to extend its lifespan.
Properly maintaining your clothes dryer is the best preventive measure you can take against dryer fires. At least once a year — or more if you’re noticing it’s taking longer for your clothes to dry — clean lint out of the vent pipe. Every six months you should also perform a deep cleaning of your lint trap with a nylon brush, detergent and water.
If you haven’t been keeping up with regular air filter changes at least every three months, let this serve as your reminder to swap it out to help maintain indoor air quality throughout the cooler months, when you’re likely spending more time at home. This is also an ideal time to have your HVAC system serviced to ensure it’s working properly; no one wants their HVAC system going out in the dead of winter.
1. “Air Sealing Your Home.” U.S. Department of Energy. 2024.