Before the first hard freeze, re-caulk windows and exterior doors, replace worn weatherstripping, disconnect hoses, drain and shut off exterior taps, insulate exposed pipes, clear gutters and check downspouts, and fix sticking doors and wobbly railings. Most of the expensive January emergencies in GTA homes, burst pipes above all, trace back to skipping these fall jobs.
Canadian winters are hard on houses. The good news is that most of the expensive winter emergencies we get called for are preventable with an afternoon of maintenance in the fall. Here’s the checklist we give our own clients.
Seal the gaps before the cold finds them
Re-caulk around windows and exterior doors, replace worn weatherstripping, and check that sill plates and hose bibs are sealed. Air leaks aren’t just uncomfortable — they drive up heating bills all season and let moisture into places you don’t want it.
Protect anything that holds water
Disconnect and drain garden hoses, shut off and drain exterior taps, and make sure any exposed pipes in the garage or crawlspace are insulated. A single burst pipe is the most expensive — and most common — winter failure we see, and it’s almost always preventable.
- Re-caulk windows and exterior doors
- Replace worn weatherstripping
- Drain and shut off exterior taps
- Insulate exposed pipes
- Clear gutters and check downspout drainage
- Test that storm doors and locks work in the cold
Do the small fixes now
Doors that stick, latches that don’t catch, and railings that wobble only get worse in the cold. If you’ve got a running list of small jobs, fall is the ideal time to hand it over — one visit now saves a scramble in January.
Frequently asked questions
In the fall, before sustained freezing temperatures arrive. Exterior caulking and sealants need above-freezing conditions to cure properly, and most list a minimum application temperature on the tube; caulking applied in the cold often fails by spring. Drain exterior taps and hoses before the first hard frost, and clear the gutters once most of the leaves have come down rather than before.
Open the tap it feeds so water can flow once it thaws, then warm the frozen section gently with a hair dryer or warm towels, working from the tap end. Never use an open flame. If the pipe has split or you see water, shut off the main water valve immediately and call a licensed plumber. Knowing where your main shut-off is before winter turns a potential flood into a minor event.
Yes — windows stay closed and furnaces run constantly from now on. Ontario’s Fire Code requires working smoke alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas, and carbon monoxide alarms near sleeping areas in homes with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage. Test each one, replace batteries, and replace any alarm past the expiry date printed on it. Have the furnace serviced by a licensed technician.
Ice dams form when heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the roof and the meltwater refreezes at the colder eaves, backing water up under the shingles. Clear gutters help, but the real fix is attic insulation, air sealing and ventilation. Never chip ice off a roof with tools. If you see ice dams or attic frost every winter, have a roofer or insulation contractor assess the attic.
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Alan
Project Manager, FixitPlus Inc.
Alan has spent more than 20 years building in the Greater Toronto Area — custom homes from foundation to final trim, second-storey additions, and full-house renovations. He runs every FixitPlus job as the single point of contact, from the first quote through the final walkthrough, and writes the advice on this site from what actually happens on site.
- 20+ years of custom-home building across the GTA
- Project manager on new builds, additions and whole-home renovations
- Single point of contact on every FixitPlus job
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