Fall is the right time to prepare your home for winter. These 10 home maintenance tasks will get your home and property in tip-top shape to withstand the cold temperatures and bad weather ahead.

1. Check your roof for damage

Now is a good time to inspect the roof for damage, loose or missing shingles. Moisture that gets where it doesn’t belong and then freezes can cause serious damage to your roof deck, creating openings for rain and melting snow to enter. Inspect the roof from the ground up with a pair of binoculars to get a better look, or have a roofing contractor do the inspection.

2. Gutter repair

The fall and winter months can bring a lot of wet weather, and spring brings melting snow to many parts of the country. If your gutters are not in good condition, that water can run alongside your home’s foundation and into your basement.

3. Add weather stripping to doors and windows

Windows and doors are the main cause of heat loss in winter. Adding quality weather stripping will pay for itself in lower utility bills, and your home will be more comfortable, too.

4. Seal your entry

Both concrete and asphalt driveways should have a good coat of sealant before winter sets in. The same freeze-thaw cycles that create spring potholes can damage a poorly sealed driveway. Start by filling any cracks that are present, and then use a quality caulking to seal your driveway and protect your surface.

5. Stain and seal the terrace

Moisture getting into the wood deck and freezing can also do a lot of damage. Protect your investment by making sure your deck is sealed before winter hits.

6. Have your heating system cleaned

A dirty furnace or heat pump coils will detract from your heating system’s efficiency, making it more expensive to heat your home this winter. The heating system will also work harder if it is not.

7. prune trees

Tree limbs laden with heavy snow and ice can break off and fall on your home, garage, outbuildings, or your vehicles. Trim protruding tree branches and completely remove large, dead branches.

8. Wash your windows

Wash your windows before the cold weather sets in and you’ll have a clear view this winter. Also, dirty windows can reduce the amount of natural light coming in, and in winter, it’s important to get as much light into your home as possible.

9. Lawn equipment for winter

If you have a garden tractor, lawnmower, gas-powered leaf blower or chainsaw, winterize it by draining the gas tank or adding a stabilizer. This will ensure that they start more easily in the spring.

10. Clean carpet and upholstery

Carpets and upholstery can harbor allergens and cause you problems this winter, especially if a furnace or air handler is moving air. You likely spend more time indoors than in other seasons, so you want your home to be as free of dust, dirt, and other allergens as possible.

Eliminating these fall maintenance tasks will mean you won’t have to worry about them for months to come, and your home will be in tip-top shape for Old Man Winter.