Home Maintenance Checklist for November

November Focus

For this month, like October, the focus remains on preparing for safety during inclement weather. Also, we suggest ways to prepare for entertaining visitors indoors. This is our breakdown for how to concentrate your home maintenance efforts.

November Home Maintenance: Outside Tasks

We never know when the weather will turn from fall to winter, so it’s important to make the best use of your time to prepare your home exterior and your property on the days when the weather is clear. The warmest time of day is around 3:00 PM in November in NY, so you’ll want to concentrate your efforts on the afternoon if you’re concerned about cold weather slowing you down.

Here are some areas on which to concentrate your outdoor home maintenance efforts.

Outside Tasks: Safety

With the daylight savings time ending in November, many of us are leaving home in the dark and coming home from work in the dark as well. Icy conditions can potentially make your property treacherous, even to those who know it well, and November traditionally brings more visitors to our door – whether its family, friends, or package delivery people. 

• Are there damaged fence posts, decking boards, railings or broken pavers? This is the time to fix any of these things for safety purposes – or make them with reflectors so they’re clearly visible as hazard points.
• Are all exterior hand railings and stairs clearly marked and stable? Think about the visitor who has never been to your front door – can they safely approach with ease?
• As we suggested in October, this is also the time to replace light bulbs, add motion lights, and adjust exterior lighting timers to go on at your convenience. You may need to adjust any solar lighting to take best advantage of charging in the remaining sunlight as the earth axis shifts slightly.  

Outside Tasks: Preparation

The weather in November is so unpredictable that it’s best to handle the following tasks now:

• Is your garage, shed, or other outdoor storage weather-sealed for a cold and wet winter? Are these storage areas also protected from pests and rodents? Do a full evaluation to ensure you protect your belongings.
• Once you’ve done so, you can then pack away the rest of your outdoor furniture, your grill, yard games, mosquito torches, and any other outdoor summer supplies.

Outside Tasks: Landscape

While much of the fall landscape preparation should be done in October, there is still time in early November to prepare your lawn and shrubbery for winter.

• Plant new trees now so they have the chance to get established. (Make sure trees you plant now are 1-3 years old, and not younger, or they likely won’t make it through the winter.)
• Reseed the lawn. You may want to rake the leaves, but most plant care experts recommend not doing so, because the leaves act as a blanket and protect your grass from icy, wet weather. If you reseed the lawn, it is best to leave the leaves where they are for this purpose.
• Prune back dead or decaying branches after the leaves have fallen but before the first frost.
• Schedule repairs as needed for your snowblower. Gather up snow shovels, salt, and cold-weather automobile gear so that they’re easily accessible. Add flags or curb markers for snowplows as needed.

November Home Maintenance: Inside Tasks

For the indoors, November is a great time to prepare the home for holiday visitors and more time spent indoors. There are also a few safety measures to take along with the clock change worth noting.

Inside Tasks: Safety

• October is Fire Prevention Month, but now that its November, make sure that you’ve changed the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and tested if they’re functioning properly.
• You should have a fire extinguisher minimally on each floor of your house, including near the kitchen, in the garage, and in the basement. These have expiration dates and should be checked annually for charge. If you’re not sure how to use a fire extinguisher, ask for a tutorial at your local fire department. They’ll be happy to help. There are also other methods of extinguishing fires, like fire blankets, which are less messy and easier to use in an emergency. This is a great time to research these supplies and see what is best for your home.

Inside Tasks: Preparedness

• Change the clock batteries when the clocks fall back and daylight savings time ends. Adjust all indoor light timers to make sure you’re not greeted with dark places. Check that the thermometer is functioning and set that on a timer as well, especially if you have pets in the home that would benefit from heat when you’re out.

• Prepare for spending more time at home with family, potentially being snowed in for a day or two. Do your first aid kits need restocking? Do you have a supply of OTC cough and cold medication and vitamin supplements as needed? Is your food pantry stocked with dry and canned goods?
• Switch out seasonal attire and gather cold weather gear – boots, scarves, gloves and heavy coats take the place of sunhats and sandals.

• Schedule routine plumbing maintenance before the first frost. Protect exposed pipes and shut off outside water valves.

Inside Tasks: Cleaning

• When was the last time the carpets were shampooed and the hardwood flooring was cleaned and polished? It’s best to handle this now ahead of holiday visitors and added foot traffic.

• Repair or replace any chair covers, cushions or scuff protectors.

November Home Maintenance: Call a Professional

• If you’re hanging festive holiday lights, hire a professional to assist with hard-to-reach areas – like the eaves of the roof.
• Consider hiring a professional to perform a deep cleaning ahead of hosting festivities, rather than spending the time and effort yourself. The cost is minimal when you consider the time you would have to dedicate toward cleaning everything.

November Home Maintenance: Final Thought

Before the holiday rush, evaluate your home security and monitoring system. Are you happy with the protection you have? Many of us receive more packages during this time of year, so the entryway of the house may need to be better monitored. We also tend to spend more time visiting others or taking vacations between now and New Years Day, so your home may be empty for more of the time and potentially invite break-ins. Home security tech evolves every year to be more economical and an annual evaluation ensures your needs are being met.

Make sure to check back each month as we review recommended home maintenance tasks to be accomplished. Some of these tasks overlap from October’s suggestions and will overlap November, because we understand it’s difficult to do it all. By keeping to an annual routine and checking off tasks as you go, however, you’ll ensure you don’t miss something important and keep your home looking and functioning its best.

Related Article: Home Remodeling Projects Best Left to the Professionals