York Region winters are hard on houses. A few jobs in September and October save expensive ones in February. Here is the list, in roughly the order to do it.
September
- Book the furnace service. Technicians fill up by November. A yearly tune-up catches the worn part before it fails on the coldest night.
- Change the furnace filter, and set a reminder to do it every one to three months.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Ontario requires CO alarms outside sleeping areas in homes with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage.
October
- Shut off and drain outdoor taps from the inside valve, and disconnect hoses. A frozen line can split inside the wall.
- Look at the roof from the ground: missing shingles, lifted flashing.
- Seal gaps around windows and doors. It is the cheapest heating upgrade there is.
Late October to November
- Clean the gutters once most leaves are down. Blocked gutters overflow at the foundation and form ice dams on the roof.
- Yard cleanup: leaves off the lawn before snow, which otherwise smothers the grass.
Before the first snow
Arrange snow clearing before you need it. Pros who clear driveways fill their routes early, and a regular spot is easier to get in November than on the morning of the first storm.
Book gutters and yard cleanupStart