How to Prepare Your Home for Fall in the Pacific Northwest

Summer isn’t over yet so make sure you take advantage of the heat we have left, but let’s not lose track of the fact that fall is just around the corner. The signs are starting to show: the days are getting a bit shorter, the leaves are starting to drop from the trees, and just this morning Lake Louise was shrouded in thick fog. Soon enough we’ll be moving on from the warm summer days and enjoying the moody, rain storms that the Pacific Northwest is famous for. 

It’s important to make sure we’re prepared for those changes. The best thing we can do is to make sure our homes are ready for the cooler, wetter days and the potential wind that comes with them. We’ve compiled a list of tips and boxes to check off to make sure you’re heading into fall on the right foot. Here’s where we would start: 

Leaves and Debris

No one likes clogged drains, down spouts, and gutters. If you haven’t cleaned out last year’s leaves and tree droppings, now’s a great time to do it! If your gutters are clear, make sure to check them again once the leaves stop falling in November. 

In the fall, excess build up in gutters can cause them to overflow during large storms, which could lead to water creeping underneath your shingles. In the winter, that water can turn to heavy icicles which may pull on your gutters or cause risk of injury. 

Don’t want to do this yourself? No worries! Reach out to Nick at Nick’s Nice and Neat Windows and your gutters will thank you.

Heat Sources

With the changing seasons comes a change in our heat sources. No longer can we rely on the sun or air temperature to warm our houses through the day and it’s time to break out the space heaters, kick on the furnaces, or get a fire going. But before we can do that, we need to make sure they’re working properly. Turn on your heat source early to avoid that emergency call to your preferred HVAC contractor. While you’re at it, check the tread on your car tires and your windshield wipers to see if they can handle the impending rain. 

Need someone to service your furnace? We’d recommend the crew at Marr’s Heating. Their technicians have helped us out of several jams and kept my old, pre-1990’s air conditioning unit running through the peak of summer. 

Keep Out Critters

We’re not the only ones that like a warm home when it’s cold outside. Rats, mice, and spiders will use unsealed entry points to find a cozy spot to take shelter in your walls, attic, crawlspace, garage, or sometimes your kitchen cabinets. There’s nothing worse than finding an infestation in your insulation or watching that spider on the ceiling slowly creep closer to where you’re sitting. Rats and mice can be cute, but that doesn’t mean we want to share space with them (unless they’re loving members of your family). 

Finding every access point into your home can be difficult, and sealing them in a rodent proof way is a “fun” challenge that often involves a lot of caulk and steel wool. If you’re not up for an art project, reach out to our friends at Good Monsters Pest Control. They’ll have you taken care of and sleeping soundly knowing you won’t be joined by any unwanted guests.

Be Ready For Power Outages 

Here in Bellingham we’re fairly well sheltered from major wind storms thanks to the Olympics, the San Juan Islands, and the hills scattered around town, but sometimes the wind can be strong enough to knock out our power for a couple hours. Thankfully the crews at Puget Sound Energy work around the clock to keep the grid functioning properly, but in the event of a power outage it’s always nice to have options. 

Now is a great time to check the batteries and bulbs in your favorite flashlights or head lamps. Are they still turning on and powerful enough to see what’s in front of you? How are the batteries looking? Is there any corrosion on the connection points? How about those battery powered candles you keep on the shelves? Does the connection between them and their remote still work?

For those of you with a generator, does it fire up when you need it? Is the electrical on your unit still sound? Has the gasoline sat for too long and gone stale? Or if you rely on an electrical power bank, are they fully charged? Do they still have the same power output as they used to? Do you have the right cords for your favorite electronics? 

Chimneys and Shingles

For this recommendation, safety is paramount. Always wear a harness that is attached to the D-rings on your roof while you’re walking around up there, secure your ladder, and make sure you’re on the roof while the weather is dry and calm. 

Now that you’re safely on your roof (please don’t go up there while reading this) check for soft spots and loose shingles. If you find any, give our friends at Axiom Roofing a call.

Have a chimney? Don’t forget to inspect it while you’re up there. Check to make sure the connections are snug and that the cap hasn’t corroded. Look down the pipe and if you see an excess build up of creosote and reach out to a local chimney sweep if it needs cleaning. 

Since we’re talking about chimneys, don’t forget to remove last year’s ash from your wood stove or fireplace, but be sure to leave about an inch of material.

Weather Sealing

Check around your doors and windows for issues with your weather sealing. Can you feel a breeze coming through? Do you see a gap underneath your door where the adjustable threshold should be making contact with your door? Weather sealing should be changed out every two to five years, so check the quality of your weather strips and head to your local home improvement store if you need new materials. Here in Bellingham we highly recommend Hardware Sales. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, talk to one of their associates and describe the problem you’re trying to solve and they’ll help you out. 

Adjust Your Landscape Drainage

There’s no better time to tell if your landscape drainage is functioning properly than during the rainy season and it’s never too late to adjust it. Do you have puddling right where your drainage runs through your yard? Looks like you just found a low spot that could be raised a bit to help the water flow better. Now, while we’re big fans of getting our hands dirty, we know that’s not always possible or not always the case for everyone. We personally work with landscapers by the names of Abraham & Olga for around our office and they can be reached at 360-540-9638. 

Protecting your home through the wet season is a must and we hope this list has helped, but if we missed anything feel free to let us know! We’d love to hear how you prep your home for the rain of fall or the winter snow. We’re always here to chat and be reached via our website on our Connect Page. 

About the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team

For more than 50 years, the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team has helped buyers and sellers navigate the Sudden Valley and greater Whatcom County real estate market. Our passion for this community extends beyond real estate. We believe in supporting the people, events, and organizations that make this such a special place to call home.

Whether you're buying, selling, or simply exploring your options, we're here to be your trusted local resource.