Fall & winter home maintenance checklist for Hampton Roads

Published October 15, 2026 by Virginia State Home Inspections LLC · Sources checked October 15, 2026

A short list for homes in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and the rest of Hampton Roads, for mid-October through winter. Each item links to the agency or safety group it comes from, so you can read the original.

Key dates this season

Freeze dates are 1991–2020 climate normals (first night at 32°F or colder), not a forecast. Your yard can run colder or warmer than the weather station. Watch the National Weather Service in Wakefield forecast for freeze warnings.

Before the first freeze

• Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor pipes. Turn the supply valve off and cover exposed pipes and faucets with insulation.Source: City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities, Pipe Winterization
• Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space, attic and outside walls, and seal leaks that let cold air in near them. Heat tape and foam tubing are common options.Source: City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities
• Find your private water shut-off valve now, before you need it. Common spots: a garage wall, near the water heater, a bathroom vanity, under the kitchen sink, or a closet near the front door. Virginia Beach Public Utilities can help you locate it at 757-385-4171.Source: City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities
• When a freeze is forecast: let a steady drip of cold water run from the highest faucet in the house, keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night, and open cabinet doors so heat reaches pipes under sinks. If you travel, keep the thermostat no lower than 55°F.Source: City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities
• If a pipe freezes, shut the water off at the private shut-off valve. Never thaw pipes with an open flame or an electrical appliance, and expect possible leaks as they thaw.Source: City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities
• Weatherstrip doors and caulk around windows. ENERGY STAR says sealing air leaks and adding insulation can save up to 10% on annual energy bills.Source: ENERGY STAR, Seal and Insulate

Heating system

• Book a heating check-up in the fall. ENERGY STAR recommends an annual pre-season check-up, heating in the fall, because contractors get busy once winter arrives. It suggests timing it around the fall time change. For gas or oil systems, the check should cover connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and the heat exchanger.Source: ENERGY STAR, Maintenance Checklist
• Look at the air filter once a month and clean or change it as needed. A dirty filter can raise energy costs and damage equipment.Source: ENERGY STAR, Maintenance Checklist; DOE Energy Saver Guide (2022)
• Heat pump owners: go easy on setbacks. DOE says not to set a heat pump's thermostat back manually if that brings on the backup electric-resistance heat, which costs more to run. Use a smart or programmable thermostat made for heat pumps.Source: DOE Energy Saver Guide (2022), Heat Pump Tips
• Furnace or other systems: DOE estimates you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning the thermostat down 7–10°F for 8 hours a day in fall and winter.Source: DOE Energy Saver Guide (2022), Thermostats
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.Source: NFPA Heating Safety tip sheet
• Give heaters room. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or space heater. Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed. Never use the oven to heat the house. Let fireplace ashes cool, then put them in a metal container kept away from the house.Source: NFPA Heating Safety tip sheet

Why now: NFPA reports that 46% of home heating equipment fires in 2020–2024 happened in December, January and February (NFPA, Home Heating Safety).

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

• Test every smoke alarm at least once a month with the test button. Replace any smoke alarm 10 years after its manufacture date. Alarms belong in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level.Source: NFPA, Smoke Alarm Information
• Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Install them in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.Source: NFPA, Carbon Monoxide Safety

Dryer vent and water heater

• Clean the dryer's lint filter before or after every load. Once a year, or sooner if clothes take longer than normal to dry, clean the lint out of the vent pipe or hire a dryer-vent service. Make sure the outdoor flap opens when the dryer runs. NFPA says failure to clean dryers is the leading cause of home dryer fires.Source: NFPA Clothes Dryer Safety tip sheet
• Set the water heater to 120°F and drain a quart from the tank every 3 months to remove sediment, following the manufacturer's directions.Source: DOE Energy Saver Guide (2022), Water Heating

Leaves, gutters and moisture

• Clean and repair roof gutters, and make sure the ground slopes away from the foundation so water doesn't collect around it.Source: EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
• Keep leaves out of the street. Blowing yard waste into the gutter or street can clog storm drains and add to localized flooding. Mulch-mow leaves into the lawn, compost them, or bag them for collection.Source: City of Virginia Beach Stormwater, Good to Do
• In Virginia Beach, bagged leaves go in clear plastic lawn bags at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day, away from the water flow line and not on or near storm drains. The limit is 25 bags of up to 25 pounds each.Source: City of Virginia Beach Waste Management, Yard Debris
• Keep indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30–50%, to help prevent mold.Source: EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home

Storms and power outages

• Hurricane season runs through November 30. Ready.gov's hurricane page covers making a plan, supplies and what to do when a storm threatens.Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center; Ready.gov, Hurricanes
• Winter storms can cut off heat, power and communication services. Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power, with extra batteries for radios and flashlights.Source: Ready.gov, Winter Weather
• Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages. Never run one in the house, garage, basement, crawl space or shed.Source: Ready.gov, Generator Safety; CPSC, Generators and CO

Sources

1. NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology
2. NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, first-freeze probabilities for Norfolk Intl AP and Oceana NAS (about the normals)
3. National Weather Service, Wakefield VA
4. NIST, Daylight Saving Time Rules
5. City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities, Pipe Winterization
6. City of Virginia Beach Stormwater, Good to Do
7. City of Virginia Beach Waste Management, Yard Debris
8. ENERGY STAR, Maintenance Checklist
9. ENERGY STAR, Seal and Insulate
10. U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver Guide (2022, PDF)
11. NFPA, Smoke Alarm Information
12. NFPA, Carbon Monoxide Safety
13. NFPA, Home Heating Safety
14. NFPA, Heating Safety tip sheet (PDF)
15. NFPA, Clothes Dryer Safety tip sheet (PDF)
16. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
17. Ready.gov, Hurricanes
18. Ready.gov, Winter Weather
19. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Generators and Engine-Driven Tools