Love it or hate it, winter is around the corner and that means it’s time to tackle your fall maintenance checklist.

Home maintenance helps keep the spaces you love operating smoothly and safely while controlling repair costs by catching problems before they escalate.

Here’s our list of must-dos before the snow and cold settle in. (Bonus: one of them lessens your workload!)

1. Roof inspection: Increasingly extreme weather makes this a must. Use binoculars to spot cracked or missing shingles, damaged flashing and defective vents and caulking. More info.

2. Fire safety: Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. Find out where you need detectors and how often they need to be replaced.

3. Exterior faucets: Now is the time to drain your outside faucets to prevent freezing and potential damage from burst pipes. Here's what to do.

4. Yard cleanup: Sure, you want to rake leaves and garden debris, but leave some for birds, insects and other critters that need something to eat and somewhere to shelter over the winter. (In case you were wondering, this is the chore that lessens your workload 😉)

5. Tree safety: Strong winds this spring and summer took a toll on some trees, but damage may not be immediately visible. As leaves drop, check your trees for cracked limbs, branches too close to your home or whether pruning is needed.

6. Gutter cleaning: You'd be surprised how quickly and how often they can get clogged, particularly as leaves fall. Cleaning gutters usually means ladder work, so if you're not comfortable, call a pro.

7. Window wells: Leaves and other material can prevent window wells from draining, with a flooded basement the messy result. Clear debris and make sure the gravel in the well is about six inches below the window sill.

8. Furnace & HRVs: Have you had your annual furnace cleaning and inspection yet? Doing so will help ensure your heating equipment is safe, efficient and won’t break down on a frigid winter night. You also need to maintain your heat recovery ventilator (HRV), including a new filter every two months or so.

9. Caulking and sealing: Well-caulked windows and doors help prevent damaging moisture from seeping into your home while keeping drafts at bay. Caulking is a fairly easy DIY task when you know how to do it.

10. Gas barbecue: To discourage mice and mould from invading your barbecue, clean it thoroughly by burning and scraping off food residue, wiping down the outside and emptying the grease pan. A thin coating of cooking oil protects grills and other metal parts against rust while wrapping burners in a plastic bag stops spider invasions.