September Home Maintenance in northern New Jersey

September turns the house back toward heating season. The gas fireplace gets inspected, tested, and lit before the first cold night, not after.

The dryer vent gets its full-line cleaning this month, the deep version of July's exterior check, because fall and winter are peak dryer season.

On the September checklist

• Clean entire length of dryer vent line
• Inspect and tighten laundry hoses
• Inspect and test gas fireplaces. Light pilot.
• 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 September 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.

First frost in northern New Jersey typically lands in October. September is the month to find out the fireplace will not light, while it is still shorts weather.