Your Fall 2026 Homeowner Checklist for Mid-Michigan

Every fall I get the same few calls. A furnace that won't start on the first cold night. A basement that took on water after a heavy rain. A lake owner wondering if it's too late to pull the dock. A few hours of work now can save a lot of stress, and money, once the snow flies.

This is the checklist I share with homeowners all over Genesee County and the surrounding area, from Fenton, Linden, and Holly to Grand Blanc, Goodrich, Davison, Flushing, Hartland, and our area lakes. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and check things off as you go.

Furnace, Filters, and CO Alarms

• Book a heating check-up now. ENERGY STAR recommends a yearly pre-season check-up by a contractor, with the heating system checked in the fall, because contractors get busy once winter arrives (ENERGY STAR). The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends a yearly professional inspection of all fuel-burning heating equipment, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues, and vents (CPSC).
• Check your furnace filter every month. ENERGY STAR says to inspect, clean, or change it monthly, since a dirty filter can raise energy costs and damage your equipment (ENERGY STAR).
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. Test them every month, and replace batteries at least once a year unless your alarms have sealed 10-year batteries (CPSC). The clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 1, which makes a handy reminder.
• Make sure you have enough CO alarms. Put one on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Interconnected alarms are best, because when one sounds, they all sound (CPSC). Choose an alarm with the label of a recognized testing lab, and if it ever goes off, get everyone to fresh air right away and call for help from outside (NFPA).
• Check the date on your smoke alarms. They need to be replaced 10 years from the manufacture date (U.S. Fire Administration).
• Keep vents and the gas meter clear. The National Weather Service says to make sure your CO detector works and the outside vent is clear of leaves and debris, then cleared of snow during and after storms (NWS). Consumers Energy notes that excess snow and ice on meters, pipes, and vents can damage them and cause leaks, so be careful when clearing them (Consumers Energy).
• Know what to do if you smell gas. That "rotten egg" smell means leave right away, don't flip switches or use your phone inside, and call 9-1-1 once you're safely away. Consumers Energy customers should then call 800-477-5050, which is answered 24/7 (Consumers Energy).
• Set your thermostat back. The U.S. Department of Energy says you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat down 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day in fall and winter. If you have a heat pump, only do this with a thermostat designed for heat pumps (DOE Energy Saver Guide).

Gutters and Downspouts

• Clean gutters once the leaves are down. The EPA's moisture guide says to clean and repair roof gutters regularly and make sure the ground slopes away from your foundation so water doesn't collect around it (EPA).
• Point downspouts away from the house. Make sure each one empties well away from the foundation, not into a flower bed against the basement wall.
• Think about ice dams before they start. ENERGY STAR lists ice dams as one sign a home could use attic air sealing, and says air sealing combined with attic insulation can help prevent them (ENERGY STAR).

Outdoor Faucets, Hoses, and Sprinklers

Outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler lines are among the pipes that freeze most often (American Red Cross). Before the first hard freeze, the Red Cross recommends you:

• Remove, drain, and store garden hoses.
• Close the inside shut-off valve for each outdoor faucet, then open the outside faucet to let it drain, and leave it open so any leftover water has room to expand.
• Drain your sprinkler supply lines following the manufacturer's or installer's directions, and don't put antifreeze in them unless you're told to. If you have an in-ground system, I'd call your irrigation company now to get on their blowout schedule.
• Insulate pipes in unheated spaces like the garage, crawl space, and under sinks on outside walls, and keep the garage door closed if water lines run through it.
• Leave the heat on when you travel, set no lower than 55 degrees.

Sump Pump and Backup

Our fall rains and spring snowmelt both put sump pumps to work. Here's how North Dakota State University Extension suggests checking yours (NDSU Extension):

• Check the outside discharge pipe to make sure it isn't plugged and that it sends water away from the house.
• Make sure the pump is plugged in, and use a flashlight to look for anything in the pit that could clog it.
• Pour water into the pit until the float turns the pump on. Make sure it turns on and off at least twice. If it sounds like it's pumping gravel or the float is sluggish, you may need a new pump or float.
• Test your battery backup the same way. A backup pump sits in the same pit and only runs if the main pump fails or the power goes out, so keeping its battery in good shape matters.
• Know where the water goes. Michigan's environmental agency, EGLE, says sending sump water onto the ground where it can soak in is the preferred method, as long as it doesn't cause erosion or ponding for neighbors. Connecting to a storm sewer needs permission from its owner, such as your city, county road commission, or county drain commissioner. Piping it straight into a lake, stream, or wetland is not recommended (EGLE).
• Using a generator during an outage? Run it outside only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away, and never in a garage or basement (CPSC).

Lake Homes, Docks, and Cottages

• Get docks and lifts out before ice forms. Shifting ice is hard on posts and frames. Dock services get busy in the fall, so book your removal early.
• Seasonal docks usually don't need a state permit. Under Michigan's inland lakes and streams law, a seasonal structure placed for private, noncommercial recreation doesn't need a permit, as long as it doesn't unreasonably interfere with others' use of the water or with water flow (MCL 324.30103). Check with your township or lake association too, since local rules can apply.
• Permanent shoreline work is different. EGLE says a permit is required to install or replace shoreline protection on inland lakes, including new seawalls, seawall replacements, and riprap (EGLE shoreline handout).
• Planning a seawall or new dock project for next summer? Start the paperwork this winter. EGLE says a permit decision generally takes 30 to 90 days after a complete application, and spring and summer are its busiest seasons (EGLE permitting FAQ).
• Running a bubbler or de-icer? The Michigan DNR warns that ice near dock bubblers and de-icers will be unsafe, and that there's no reliable "inch-thickness" that makes ice safe (Michigan DNR). Let family and neighbors know.
• Closing up a cottage or seasonal place? Shut off and drain outdoor showers, hose bibs, and sprinkler lines using the steps above. If the house will stay heated while you're gone, keep it at 55 degrees or higher (American Red Cross). If you plan to turn the heat off, have a licensed plumber winterize the plumbing.

Planning to Sell in Spring? Start This Winter

Spring listings are won in the winter. Here's what I suggest to sellers who want to go on the market next spring:

• Start a home records folder. Save your furnace service receipt from this fall, plus roof and repair invoices, septic pumping receipts, well water tests, and radon results. These are exactly the things Michigan's Seller's Disclosure Statement asks about (my disclosure guide).
• Test for radon. EGLE says about one in four Michigan homes is expected to have radon above the federal action level, and the only way to know is to test. Kits are sold by local health departments and some hardware stores, and most short-term kits cost $10 to $20 (EGLE Radon FAQ). If your level is high, EGLE notes that a mitigation system can actually be a selling point.
• Make a fix-it list and get quotes now. Contractors are often easier to schedule in the off-season than in April.
• Declutter one room at a time. Winter is the perfect time to sort closets, the basement, and the garage.
• Find your best summer photos. Spring listings can go live before the grass turns green, so photos of your yard, garden, or lake view in full summer can help buyers picture it.
• Planning a fence or landscaping project for spring? Contact MISS DIG 8-1-1 first. It takes at least 3 business days to get utilities marked (Consumers Energy).
• Talk to me about pricing and timing early. I'm happy to walk through your home this winter, share what similar homes nearby have sold for, and help you decide which projects are worth doing and which aren't.

Let's Get Your Home Ready

Whether you're staying put this winter or getting ready to list in the spring, I'm here to help, anywhere in Genesee County and the surrounding area. Call or text me at (810) 962-4908.

This checklist is general information. For gas, electrical, plumbing, or heating work, use a licensed professional and follow your equipment manufacturer's instructions.