November Home Maintenance in northern New Jersey

November flips the air systems to winter mode: the heat exchanger and furnace humidifier come on, set for the dry months ahead.

It is also the second gutter cleaning of the year, after the oaks and maples finish, and the month we check every exterior door's weather stripping before real cold arrives.

On the November checklist

• Inspect and turn on heat exchanger (HRV)
• Turn on furnace humidifier & adjust manual seasonal damper if present
• Inspect & clean gutters (Includes 100 feet of gutter under 'normal' conditions not exceeding 22' above ground)
• Inspect weather stripping around exterior doors
• Monitor softener salt and furnace filter. Fill/replace as needed.
• Visual inspection of home exterior addressing minor issues like caulk repairs, vent obstructions, insects, accessible wasp nests, etc.
• As time allows, address items on homeowner's to-do list. See list of common services below.

Covered by your maintenance plan

Every membership visit in November works through this checklist, then puts the remaining time toward your own to-do list. Two hours on Basic, four on Premium, booked on a live calendar with no double-booking.

Northern New Jersey's tree canopy is glorious in October and lethal to gutters in November. The post-leaf-drop cleaning is the one that protects the house all winter.