Scheduling home maintenance tasks with the change of seasons can prevent structural damage, save money, and keep your home’s systems running properly. Here are some key maintenance tasks that should be on your “to do” list for fall.

Make sure your furnace is ready for the cold weather. Schedule a HVAC maintenance appointment with your heating and air professional to check all fuel connections, burner combustion, and the heat exchanger. Change the furnace filters and clean out the return air grates with a vacuum cleaner brush.

Check drainage systems to make sure they are carrying as much moisture away from the house as possible. Clean gutters of leaves and other debris that may block water flow when the rains come. Test to make sure downspouts are doing their job carrying water a minimum of three feet away from the foundation, and add gutter extensions if necessary.

If you have a surface drain installed in your lawn or patio get out the garden hose and run water through the system to make sure there are no blockages. Water is enemy #1 of both raised and slab foundations.

Clear and inspect the roof.

Remove any debris and inspect for deteriorated roof shingles and flashings before the rains arrive. Roof shingles bake in the hot summer sun, particularly on the southern and western sides of the house.

Roof flashings by chimneys, attic and plumbing vents should be checked for gaps, cracks and holes. If you can’t get up on the roof yourself call a roof professional for an inspection and tune up.

Prune trees and shrubs that can damage roofs and stucco siding by dropping limbs or trapping moisture near the house. As temperatures cool, take measures to prevent rats and other critters from moving in.

Do a walk around the house to make sure all attic and under house vents are properly sealed. Add a layer of mulch and plant SoCal natives now to fill any bare spots in your landscape. The fall plant sale at the Grow Native Nursery in Claremont’s Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden opens next weekend.

Fall for fresh paint. Brush on any exterior wood trim on your property. Paint provides a protective coating that keeps wood dry and free from rot. Moisture from winter rains can cause exposed wood areas to swell, leading to cracked, blistered or peeling paint that will be more expensive to repair or replace.

Adriana Donofrio deasypennerpodley Glendora (626) 926-9700 adonofrio@dppre.com