September home maintenance checklist

By Pau Cozar Navas · Last reviewed October 2026 · Tasks from the HouseByMonth calendar

September is when fall work starts to spread south. In the cold zones, it is the main month to get the house ready for freezing weather. In zones 1 and 2, where summer heat lingers, there is still nothing beyond the monthly checks.

September tasks by climate zone

Climate zone	Tasks this month
Zone 1 (very hot) Miami, Honolulu, Key West	Only the monthly checks
Zone 2 (hot) Houston, Phoenix, Orlando, Dallas	Only the monthly checks
Zone 3 (warm) Atlanta, Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles	Get the chimney inspected and swept (if you have fireplace or wood stove) Check caulking and weatherstripping
Zone 4 (mixed) Washington DC, New York City, St. Louis, Seattle	Get the chimney inspected and swept (if you have fireplace or wood stove) Check caulking and weatherstripping Aerate and overseed the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 5 (cool) Chicago, Denver, Boston, Salt Lake City	Schedule a heating tune-up (if you have gas or oil furnace, boiler (radiators or radiant heat), heat pump) Check caulking and weatherstripping Aerate and overseed the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 6 (cold) Minneapolis, Fargo, Burlington (Vermont), Helena	Schedule a heating tune-up (if you have gas or oil furnace, boiler (radiators or radiant heat), heat pump) Disconnect hoses and protect outdoor faucets Check pipe insulation in unheated areas Winterize the sprinkler system (if you have sprinkler / irrigation system) Inspect the roof Close the pool for winter (if you have swimming pool) Aerate and overseed the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 7 (very cold) Duluth, Caribou (Maine), Anchorage	Disconnect hoses and protect outdoor faucets Check pipe insulation in unheated areas Winterize the sprinkler system (if you have sprinkler / irrigation system) Inspect the roof Set ceiling fans to winter mode Close the pool for winter (if you have swimming pool) Aerate and overseed the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 8 (subarctic) Fairbanks and interior Alaska	Clean the gutters (if you have gutters) Set ceiling fans to winter mode Get snow equipment ready

Not sure of your zone? Find it by ZIP code, or build your calendar to see only the tasks that fit your home.

What to focus on

Zone 6 has the longest list of the year this month. Disconnect hoses and protect outdoor faucets, check pipe insulation in garages and crawl spaces, winterize the sprinkler system, close the pool and do the fall roof inspection. Zone 7 does the same jobs and also switches ceiling fans to winter mode. The aim is to finish before the first hard freeze. See preventing frozen pipes, winterizing sprinklers and the winterizing checklist.

Zones 5 and 6 schedule a heating tune-up if the home has a furnace, boiler or heat pump, so the system is checked before you need it (tune-up guide). Zones 3 and 4 get the chimney inspected and swept if there is a fireplace (chimney guide).

Zones 3, 4 and 5 check caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors. In zones 4 through 7, aerate and overseed the lawn if you have one. Early fall is the best time for the cool-season grasses that dominate in colder climates.

Zone 8 cleans the gutters, sets ceiling fans to winter mode and gets snow equipment ready: start the snow blower, stock ice melt and check shovels before the first storm.

Every month

As in every month, test the smoke and CO alarms (alarm guide) and check the HVAC filter before heating season begins (filter guide).

Go back to August, on to October, or open the calendar for your zone.

Want every task on one schedule? Build your free maintenance calendar for your ZIP code and add it to your phone.