Once November arrives in London, the window for outdoor jobs closes fast. A few hours of work now can save you from frozen pipes, a wet basement and cracked concrete come spring. Here's a simple checklist, outside first, then inside.

Outside

1. Clean the gutters and downspouts. Make sure downspouts carry water at least 1 to 2 metres away from the house.
2. Check the grading. The soil beside your foundation should slope away from the house, not toward it. Fill any low spots where water collects.
3. Seal cracks in concrete. Steps, walkways and foundation parging all crack over time. Water gets in, freezes and makes the crack bigger every winter.
4. Caulk windows and doors. Look for gaps or cracked caulking around exterior trim, and check that weatherstripping still seals.
5. Shut off outdoor taps. Disconnect garden hoses, turn off the indoor shut-off valve for outdoor taps if you have one, and let the line drain.
6. Look over your fence and deck. Loose boards, wobbly railings and leaning posts get worse over winter. Posts that weren't set deep enough get pushed up by frost.
7. Trim branches touching the roof. They scrape shingles in winter winds and drop debris into gutters.
8. Put away patio furniture and hoses before the first snow.
9. Plan your holiday lights early. Lawn stakes and pathway lights are much easier to install before the ground freezes.

Inside

10. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Ontario requires working smoke alarms on every storey. Homes with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage also need CO alarms near sleeping areas.
11. Change the furnace filter and book your furnace's yearly service.
12. Test the sump pump, if you have one, by slowly pouring a bucket of water into the pit. It should turn on and pump the water out.
13. Check the attic on a sunny day for daylight showing through, water stains or damp insulation.
14. Fix the small stuff. Sticking doors, drafty trim, loose railings and that shelf you've been meaning to hang all bother you more once you're indoors all winter.

What to do yourself and what to hand off

Most of this list is very doable for a handy homeowner. Hand it off when it means working on a ladder in cold weather, when concrete or drainage problems keep coming back, or when you simply don't have the time before the snow.

Get it done before winter

The Classic Home Services handyman team takes care of the fall jobs London homeowners don't have the time, tools or patience for. That includes drainage fixes, concrete and parging repairs, doors and trim, small renos and more. Request a free quote to get on the list before winter.