Fall Home Inspection Checklist: 20 Things to Check Before the First Freeze

A professional home inspector looks at a house the same way every time: from the outside in, from the top down. You can borrow that habit for a fall walk-around of your own house. An afternoon now can save you a frozen pipe, a wet basement or a roof leak in February.

This isn't a replacement for a licensed inspector or a contractor. It's a list of things a homeowner can safely look at, so you know what needs attention before winter. If anything on the list involves a roof, gas, or electrical panel work you're not comfortable with, call a pro.

01Outside: the roof and gutters

1. Look at the roof from the ground. Use binoculars. Look for missing, curled or cracked shingles, and anything lifted around vents, chimneys and skylights.
2. Check the flashing. The metal around the chimney and where roofs meet walls should be tight and sealed, not bent or pulled away.
3. Clean the gutters after most of the leaves fall. Clogged gutters overflow, and overflow in winter becomes ice. See our guide to gutter overshoot.
4. Make sure downspouts carry water away. The water should land at least 4 to 6 feet from the foundation. An extension costs a few dollars.

02Outside: walls, windows and ground

5. Walk the siding. Look for cracked, loose or missing pieces, and gaps where pipes and wires go into the house. Mice are looking for a winter home right now.
6. Check the caulk around windows and doors. Cracked or missing caulk lets in water and cold air.
7. Look at the grading. The ground should slope away from the house. Low spots next to the foundation hold water against the wall.
8. Shut off and drain outdoor faucets. Disconnect the hoses. If you have shutoff valves inside, close them and open the outside spigot to drain it.
9. Blow out the sprinkler system if you have one, before the first hard freeze.
10. Trim branches back from the roof and wires. Ice and snow load turn overhanging branches into broken gutters and damaged shingles. Leave anything near power lines to the utility or a licensed tree service.

03Inside: heat and air

11. Test the furnace before you need it. Turn the heat on now, while it's still mild, so you find a problem before the first cold snap and the service rush.
12. Replace the furnace filter. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and can shorten its life.
13. Schedule a professional furnace tune-up if it hasn't had one in a year, especially for gas or oil systems.
14. Check the chimney before the first fire. Look for nests and debris, and have a wood-burning fireplace swept and inspected if it's been a year or more.

04Inside: safety

15. Test every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm. Replace batteries, and check the date on the back. Smoke alarms are generally replaced every 10 years. Make sure you have a CO alarm on every level with sleeping areas.
16. Check the dryer vent. Pull lint out of the duct and make sure the outside flap opens and closes. Lint buildup is a fire risk.

05Inside: water and plumbing

17. Look under sinks and around the water heater for leaks. Small drips become big problems in winter.
18. Find your main water shutoff. Make sure everyone in the house knows where it is and that it turns. If a pipe bursts, that valve is the most important thing in the house.
19. Insulate pipes in cold spots. Crawl spaces, exterior walls and unheated garages are where pipes freeze. Foam pipe sleeves are cheap.
20. Test the sump pump. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it kicks on and pumps out. If your area loses power in storms, think about a battery backup.

06Write it down

Make a quick list of what you found: fix now, fix before spring, and call a pro. Take photos. It's a good habit, and if you sell the house someday, you'll have a record of how you kept it up. For a deeper walk-through of the whole house, see our DIY home inspection guide.