Each season can cause different impacts to your home and staying on top of maintenance will help prevent serious issues in the future. As a homeowner, doing tasks like this may seem tedious and unnecessary but they will help ensure your home is in proper condition year-round. This annual home maintenance checklist is broken up into seasons to help spread out your time and investments because doing it all at once can be time-consuming and costly. Along with this seasonal home maintenance checklist, you will find tasks that should be done monthly for health, safety, and efficiency purposes.
Monthly
Simple tasks, like the ones listed below, should be done monthly to maintain or improve the health and safety of your home.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Keep a close eye on your utility bills. If something seems out of the ordinary there could be an issue with one of your systems.
- Deep clean trash cans and refrigerators to prevent bugs and odors. Baking soda is often used to neutralize odors in fridges.
- To ensure your heating and cooling systems are running efficiently, check your filters and replace them when necessary.
- Avoid major plumbing issues by snaking and cleaning the drains in your bathtubs, sinks, and showers.
Spring
This spring checklist will help transition your home from winter and help you take on the summer.
- Have your roof inspected for any damage from the winter months and do the same after intense storms in the spring.
- Examine your driveway for any safety hazards including cracks and unevenness. Repair if needed.
- To prevent a dryer fire, deep clean any lint buildup from the vent, exhaust duct, and underneath the dryer.
- To avoid electrical fires, examine your extension cords and replace any that have wear and tear.
- Once the temperature is consistently spring-like, restart your outdoor water sources. Uncover all exterior spigots and check for damage or leaks and get your sprinkler system blown out.
- Make sure your central air or any other air conditioners are in working condition before summer comes. An HVAC specialist should inspect them and provide maintenance where necessary.
- Check your plumbing for leaks and make sure the main shutoff valve is working.
- Ensure your home is equipped with a fire extinguisher that is operable and readily available in case it is ever needed.
Summer
If your current home maintenance routine in the summer is just keeping up with yard work, here are some more items to add to your list:
- Play structures and other outdoor equipment can easily get damaged in the winter. Inspect the safety of these structures and make repairs where necessary.
- Similarly, decks and patios are at risk for winter damage as well. Check for deterioration and reseal during the summer months to prevent water damage and to lengthen its lifespan.
- Remove dead or damaged trees that are in close enough proximity to fall on or near your home. You should hire a professional for this, look for tree trimmers or arborists in your area.
- Make sure your door and window screens and locks are secure and functioning properly.
- Check the exterior of your home for damages or chips in your siding and repair them.
Fall
There are plenty of things that need to be done around your house to transition you from summer and prepare your home for the winter.
- Purchase a waterproof cover to protect your air-conditioning unit
- Around windows and doors, check the seal. They may need to be resealed to adequately keep cold air out.
- To prevent your pipes from freezing, drain your sprinkler system and any other outdoor water sources.
- Drain, clean, and cover your pool to prevent damage in the winter.
- Hire a professional chimney sweep to have your chimney cleaned and inspected.
- Before the first snowfall, be sure to have your gutters cleaned.
- Clean out lint buildup from the dryer vent, exhaust duct, and space under the dryer to prevent fires.
Winter
If your home is not properly taken care of in the winter months, it can lead to water damage, frozen pipes, ice dams, and more. Here are some tips:
- As snow and ice begin to thaw, be sure to consistently check your basement for leaks and flooding.
- Check your water heater for pressure issues or potential leaks.
- If flooding is a concern for your home, consider getting a leak detector to prevent severe damage.
- Thoroughly inspect your gutters, roof, and downspouts for damage or unwanted debris after heavy snow.
- Holiday decorations and lights are huge culprits of house fires. For your safety, be sure your electrical wires have a proper connection and outdoor decor is labeled as such.
- Kitchens are often used much more during the holiday season. Clean your refrigerator vacuum coils and drip pans as well as the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter.
As a homeowner, it is important to keep your home well maintained and this seasonal home maintenance checklist will help get your home in tip-top shape.