Before I became a REALTOR®, I spent years as a home inspector. One pattern stood out: the costly repairs usually started as small, cheap ones that nobody got to before winter. Cochrane's weather can swing from a mild chinook afternoon to a hard freeze overnight, and that is tough on a house.
The good news is that most of this list is a weekend job with basic tools. Here's what I check on my own home every fall, and how to do each step.
1. Change the furnace filter and book a service
Your furnace works hardest from October to April. A clogged filter makes it run longer and work harder.
Find the filter. It's usually in a slot between the return air duct and the furnace. Check the size printed on the frame before you buy a new one.
Install it the right way. The arrow on the frame points toward the furnace, in the direction the air flows.
Check it again. Look at it monthly through the winter and follow the manufacturer's replacement schedule. Homes with pets or renovation dust may need changes more often.
Book a service. If it's been more than a year since a qualified technician looked at your furnace, book one now, before the busy season.
While you're there, make sure nothing is stored against the furnace or the hot water tank. Both need clear space around them.
2. Clean the eavestroughs and check your downspouts
Leaves and grit in the eavestroughs make water spill over the edge and pool beside the foundation. In winter, the same blockage can lead to ice building up along the roof edge.
Clean them out. Once most of the leaves have fallen, scoop out the debris from a stable ladder, or have someone do it for you. Always have a second person nearby.
Flush them with a hose. Confirm the water runs freely to each downspout.
Extend the downspouts. Make sure each one discharges at least 1–2 m away from the foundation, using extensions or splash pads.
Check the grading. Look at the soil around the house. It should slope away from the walls, not toward them.
3. Shut off and drain outdoor taps
A hose left connected can trap water in the tap, and when that water freezes, the pipe can split inside the wall. You often won't know until spring.
Disconnect every hose. Drain them and store them.
Close the shut-off valves. If your outdoor taps have an indoor valve, usually in the basement near the exterior wall, close it. Then open the outside tap to let the remaining water drain out.
Know your tap type. Many newer homes have frost-free taps. Even so, they still need the hose removed to work as designed.
Check your irrigation system. If you have one, have it blown out before the first hard freeze.
4. Check the attic hatch and look for frost or damp spots
Warm, moist air escaping into a cold attic can condense or frost on the underside of the roof sheathing.
Check the hatch. Make sure the attic hatch has weatherstripping and closes snugly. Add a strip of foam weatherstripping if it doesn't.
Look around with a flashlight. On a cold day, peek into the attic, being careful to step only on framing. Look for frost, dark staining, or damp insulation.
Check the vents. Make sure the bathroom and kitchen fans vent to the outside, not into the attic, and that the insulation isn't blocking the soffit vents.
5. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Heating season is when CO alarms matter most.
Test every alarm. Press the test button on each one.
Replace the batteries. Do it in any battery-powered units.
Check the dates. Detectors have a manufacture date and an expiry date printed on them. Replace any that are past the manufacturer's recommended life.
Check your coverage. Make sure there's a working CO alarm near the sleeping areas and on any level with a fuel-burning appliance.
6. Re-caulk drafty windows and doors
Drafts make a home less comfortable and waste heat.
Find the drafts. On a windy day, run the back of your hand around window and door frames to feel for moving air.
Re-caulk the outside. Scrape out cracked or shrunken caulking and apply new exterior-grade caulk. Do this on a dry day, above the temperature listed on the tube.
Replace worn weatherstripping. Check exterior doors and the door from the garage into the house. Adjust the door sweep so it seals against the threshold.
When to call a pro
Some jobs are better left to a licensed professional:
Any furnace service, gas smell, or appliance that won't stay lit (if you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas provider)
Roof work, or eavestroughs you can't reach safely from a ladder
A water stain that keeps growing, or a musty smell in the attic or basement
Electrical issues such as warm outlets, flickering lights, or a breaker that keeps tripping
Cracks in the foundation that let in water
A little time now saves a lot later
None of this needs to happen in one day. Pick a dry weekend, work through the list, and make notes of anything you want a professional to look at. If you're planning to sell in the next year, this list also doubles as a head start on the things a buyer's inspector will look at.
If you notice something in your home and aren't sure whether it's a big deal, send us a message. I'm happy to share what I'd look for, no strings attached.
Wayne & Sean Burton, REMAX West Real Estate, 403-850-1058, info@burtonrealestate.ca
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