Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Like spring, fall is a season for renewing your home with deep cleaning and maintenance tasks. In honor of the fast-approaching season, we are sharing our favorite tips for keeping your kitchen and cabinetry throughout the home in great shape all year long.

1. Seal granite counter-tops. Granite material are porous, which means they need sealing occasionally to keep water and other substances from leaking in. WikiHow offers step by step instructions on how to properly seal counter-tops here.

2. Deep clean cabinets inside and out. Fall is a great time to clear out the clutter, clean up unseen spills and return cabinets to their former glory.

3. Deep clean range hood liners to get rid of leftover grease and residue. Over time, grime will accumulate on liners which defeats the purpose of keeping your kitchen and home free of contamination from cooking. Too much buildup will also decrease the efficiency and life expectancy of your hood range.

4. Deep clean your fridge. It's time to toss out leftovers, old summer produce and anything else junking up your fridge. Once you've tossed what doesn't belong anymore, scrub the inside of the fridge, including shelves and inside drawers to get rid of sticky, yucky messes our favorite foods leave behind. Plus, it's the perfect way to make room for all those delicious autumn veggies!

5. Clean the fireplace if you have one. Professional chimney sweeps recommend homeowners with traditional fireplaces have their chimney cleaned at least once a year.

6. Check interior window sills and other areas of your home where drafts could sneak in and add insulation if needed, especially if you live in an older home. A drafty house can cause energy bills to skyrocket during the winter months.

7. Get your HVAC inspected to insure it’s in proper working order for winter.

8. Test and replace batteries in fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Winter is the season for house-fires. Make sure your family is safe.