Fall is on its way: 6 ways to get your North Jersey home ready

For many people, fall is all about vibrant foliage, cooler temperatures and seasonal activities. But for homeowners, heading into fall also means there's an entire new checklist of property maintenance that's necessary to prepare for the new season.

And while we don't mean to be cynical and rush summer away, it's never too early to start planning what needs to be done. From caring for your home's exterior and storing season furniture to making sure your home's heating resources are clean and functioning, there's a lot to do.

Here are six ways to get your North Jersey home ready for fall:

Prepare HVAC systems for colder weather

With the fall season comes more brisk temperatures, so you'll want to make sure your home's HVAC system is prepared to heat your space rather than cool it.

To do this, you'll want to start by making sure your boiler system is prepared after being idle all summer. According to South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas, this involves inspecting and cleaning the system — including changing any filters and cleaning the system's coils and condensers — as well as checking for any leaks or cracks and making any necessary repairs. You can either do this yourself, or you can schedule a maintenance appointment with a certified HVAC technician, but getting it out of the way in the early fall will ensure that you won't put it off until the last minute.

You'll also want to make sure to bleed your home's radiators so that they're ready to go when needed. This is done by opening the radiator's bleed valve — a small metal plug that is usually situated at the top of the radiator — and allowing any air trapped inside to exit. After the air is released, water will circulate through the radiator and the radiator will better heat the room when it needs to be used.

South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas also recommend replacing the batteries in your thermostat, reprogramming your thermostat if needed and inspecting your thermostat's electrical configuration to make sure it's properly connected. And when the time comes, be sure to gradually increase the temperature on your thermostat to save energy and maintain the system's efficiency.

Also remember to cover outdoor air conditioning units and removing any surrounding debris, and remove and store window air conditioners if you have them.

Clean wood-burning stoves

Wood-burning stoves are a popular and efficient method of heating homes during the chillier months because it is capable of heating your entire home while keep energy bills low. But it's important to make sure they're properly cleaned before using them .

You can do this by removing any excess ashes and debris from the base of the stove, and then using a gentle scrub brush to break down any built-up residue from previous burning. You can then use a vacuum cleaner that's designed for ash or a shop vac to remove any remaining ashes from the firebox. Then you can simple wipe down any residue that is on the glass door of the wood-burning stove, as well as on the exterior of the stove.

Once you start using your wood-burning stove, it is recommended to clean it out regularly throughout the season to minimize any buildup of ashes and debris.

Prepare your lawn and add lights to walkways

Our yards take a beating during the fall and winter seasons. But if you take some time in the late summer and early fall to prepare your landscaping for the changing weather conditions, your lawn will come back stronger and brighter once the temperatures heat back up again.

Homes in North Jersey have what is known as cool-season grasses: types of grass that grow best in areas with cold winters and hot summers. Because late summer and early fall is when these types of grasses are in their peak growing period, it is recommended to aerate your lawn this time of year . Aerating your lawn involves piercing the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to reach the grass' roots, and doing it will encourage deeper roots and promote your lawn's growth.

Many lawn care professionals also recommend fertilizing your yard this time of year to strength grass roots damaged by the summer heat and prepare it to withstand winter conditions. You should also consider overseeding your lawn to thicken the grass and improve its health ahead of the colder months.

To prepare your lawn for fall, you can also do things like plant flower bulbs so they're ready to bloom in the spring, add lights to walkways as the sun sets earlier and trim questionable tree branches to protect your home during storms.

Clean and store outdoor furniture

You've likely dragged out all of your outdoor furniture for the summer season, creating an inviting atmosphere where you could enjoy the outdoors as you dined, read a book or just relaxed with family. But as the season comes to end, it's time to thorough clean your furniture and store it away until next summer.

How you clean your outdoor furniture, though, depends on the type of outdoor furniture you have. Wicker, wood, metal and plastic furniture can all generally be cleaned using non-abrasive and gentle treatments, like a mild soap and water solution, according to MarthaStewart.com . These materials can also be vacuumed with a dust-brush attachment to remove any loose debris, and scrubbed using a soft-bristle brush to get off any tough dirt.

For fabric furniture, which typically means seat cushions and pillows, you'll have to check if they have removable covers. If they do, you can either machine-wash these covers in cold water with a mild, bleach-free laundry soap — if the tag says that the material allows it — or you can hand wash these covers by putting them in a mixture of gentle liquid soap and lukewarm water, then rinsing them clean and air drying.

If these seat cushions and pillows don't have removable covers, can clean them by vacuuming off any loose debris, spot cleaning stains with dish soap and warm water, rinsing them thoroughly and letting them air dry.

As for storing all of this furniture, it is recommended that you cover these items of store them indoors, if possible.

Clean gutters and inspect the roof

While you can clean your home's gutters every three months to ensure they're operating as best as possible, it is recommended that homeowners clean their gutters at least twice a year — in early spring and in early fall, according to All Season Gutters . So if you've been neglecting your gutters for quite some time, now is the perfect time to get back on track.

Cleaning your gutters ahead of the fall season will allow you to remove any crisp and dry leaves before the weather becomes more damp. This will prevent your gutters from getting clogged and therefore minimize the risk of water damage or roof damage from gutters not draining properly.

Doing this ahead of the new season will also give you the opportunity to discover any possible damage to your gutters. If they're in need of repairs, this will give you time to get them fixed or replaced before any major fall or winter weather.

Improve insulation throughout your home

Despite the occasional warm days throughout the fall, the season sparks a drop in temperatures. This means that the temperature inside of your home is also likely to drop, especially if your home doesn't have great insulation.

To ensure you're able to escape the fall chill, you can aim to keep it out by using weather stripping or caulk to seal gaps or leaks around windows, doors and other openings. You can also add insulation to areas of your home that are prone to drafts, such as your attic or basement, to minimize air from flowing in and out of your home.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay , on X @maddiemcgayy , and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett .

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Fall is on its way: 6 ways to get your North Jersey home ready