Before the Rains: A Fall Home Checklist for Sonoma + Marin Homeowners

There's a moment every fall when the first real storm rolls in and we all remember the things we meant to do in September. A little prep now saves a lot of stress (and soggy weekends) later.

Whether you've been in your home for twenty years or just got the keys, here's the checklist we walk our own families and clients through each year.

Outside: keep water moving away from the house

• Clean gutters and downspouts. After a long dry season, they're usually full of leaves, oak debris, and pine needles.
• Check where downspouts drain. Water should empty several feet from the foundation, not right next to it. Inexpensive extensions make a big difference.
• Walk the yard after the first rain. Look for pooling near the house, soggy spots, or water heading toward a crawlspace or garage.
• Look at the roof. Missing shingles, cracked tiles, and worn flashing around chimneys and vents are easier to fix before winter than during it.
• Trim trees near the house and power lines. Heavy, wet limbs are a common cause of damage and outages in winter storms.

Inside: comfort and safety

• Schedule a chimney sweep before the first fire of the season.
• Service your heater and change the filter. Fall is when HVAC companies start booking up.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Heater season is exactly when CO detectors matter most.
• Check windows and doors for drafts. Fresh weatherstripping is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make.

Be ready for outages

Winter storms here can knock out power for hours or days. Make sure flashlights and batteries are easy to find, phones and power banks are charged, and any generator has been tested and has fuel. Know how to manually open your garage door, too.

If you're on a well, septic, or acreage

Rural properties have their own winter list. If your well pump goes down when the power does, think about backup power or stored water. Keep heavy vehicles off the septic area when the ground is saturated, and know where your tank and leach field are. Check culverts, ditches, and driveway drainage so they're clear before the heavy rain arrives.

Review your insurance

It's a good time to pull out your homeowners policy and confirm what's covered. Standard homeowners policies generally don't cover flood damage, which requires a separate policy. If you're not sure where you stand, a quick call to your insurance agent is worth it.

Thinking about selling in the new year?

This same checklist does double duty. Clean gutters, a dry crawlspace, and a well-maintained roof are exactly what buyers and inspectors look at closely. Getting ahead of it now means fewer surprises later. And if a few bigger projects make sense before listing, Compass Concierge can help cover the upfront cost of select improvements.

Need a recommendation for a roofer, gutter cleaner, chimney sweep, or handyman? We've built a trusted list of local pros over the years and we're always happy to share it.

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