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Homeowner's Maintenance Checklist
Like a car, your home needs regular maintenance and occasional tune-ups to stay in tip-top shape. Fortunately, you can complete most of the following tasks by yourself by following this season-by-season schedule of indoor and outdoor maintenance. Regular home maintenance is essential to ensure a safe and efficient home. It’s a good idea to set aside some money in your budget each month for home maintenance and repair. As a rule of thumb, homeowners spend between 1% and 3% of their home’s value on maintenance and repair each year. Following this maintenance checklist on a regular basis can help your home look its best, keep utility bills down and prevent more costly repairs in the future.
Spring Home Maintenance
In Spring, focus on freshening up your home and protecting your property against the season’s winds and rains.
Outdoor Tasks:
- Clean gutters and downspouts. Learn how to maintain your gutters.
- Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage.
- Touch up peeling or damaged paint. Watch our video for ideas on troubleshooting exterior paint problems.
- Wash all windows, inside and out.
- Install screens on windows and doors.
- Clean outdoor furniture and air out cushions.
- Service your lawn mower.
- Fertilize your lawn.
Indoor Tasks:
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks forward.
- If your basement has a sump pump, test it by dumping a large bucket of water into the basin of the sump pump. This should activate the sump pump. If it does not switch on or if it’s not pumping water, it may need to be serviced by a professional. Also, check for and remove debris and make sure there are no leaks.
- Wash and change seasonal bedding.
- Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
- Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away any outdated food, medicine and cosmetics.
- Inspect attic fan to make sure there are no animal nests and test properly.
- Have air conditioner outside professionally inspected.
- Test whole home generator for the proper function.
- Test panel circuit breakers.
Summer Home Maintenance
In Summer, complete the following projects to keep your yard lush and your home cool.
Outdoor Tasks:
- Walk around your home’s exterior and slide open crawl space vents at the foundation.
- Prune trees and shrubs. Check out our tips on pruning trees and shrubs.
- Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent with a long, flexible brush.
- Uncover central air conditioner and install window air conditioners.
Indoor Tasks:
- Change or clean heating, ventilating and air conditioning filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine whether you need to change filters more frequently. Learn more about choosing a filter. Get information on cleaning or replacing your HVAC filters.
- Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
- Maintain clean drains by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.
- Test all home GFCI receptacles.
- Change any water filters for water quality.
- Drain or flush water heater.
Fall Home Maintenance
In Fall, prepare your home and yard for cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and more hours spent indoors.
Outdoor Tasks:
- Clean gutters and downspouts. Make sure all drainage areas are unblocked by leaves and debris. Consider installing gutter guards to make the job a lot easier.
- Inspect your roof, or hire a licensed professional to examine your roof for wear and tear. If the shingles are curling, buckling, or cracking, replace them. If you have a lot of damage, it’s time to replace the entire roof. Also, check the flashing around skylights, pipes, and chimneys. If you have any leaks or gaps, heavy snow and ice will find its way in.
- Rake leaves and shred to use as mulch or dispose of them based on local guidelines.
- Close or install storm windows.
- Remove hoses from spigots and drain and store indoors, coiled and flat.
- Store outdoor furniture and cushions.
- Test snow blower and have it professionally serviced if necessary.
- Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks. Use caulk to fill the holes or completely replace the wood.
- To prevent exterior water pipes from bursting when the weather gets below freezing, turn off the valves to the exterior hose bibs. Run the water until the pipes are empty. Make sure all the water is drained from the pipes, if not; the water can freeze up and damage the pipes.
- Lower humidity and cooler (not yet cold) temperatures make fall a good time to paint the exterior of your home.
Indoor Tasks:
- Check windows and doors for weather-tightness and install weather stripping where it’s needed. Check out our tips on weather stripping windows and doors.
- Have furnace professionally inspected.
- If needed, set traps for rodents.
- Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
- Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine, and cosmetics.
- Check indicator lights on all home surge protectors.
- Test all home GFCI receptacles.
- Change any water filters for water quality.
- Test whole home generator for proper function.
- Test panel circuit breakers.
- Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors- test batteries and replace if necessary.
- Clothes Dryer- Vacuum the lint from ducts and surrounding areas.
- Refrigerator- Vacuum condenser coils to increase energy efficiency.
Winter Home Maintenance
In Winter, enjoy energy-efficient warmth and the fruits of your home-maintenace labors. Use this time of year to thoroughly clean and care for your home’s interior while taking a few precautionary measures on the outside.
Outdoor Tasks:
- Walk around your home’s exterior and check crawl space vents located at the foundation. Close any that are open.
- Protect your central air conditioning unit with a cover, and remove and store window air conditioners.
- Clean and store garden tools.
- Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spot. Stock your ice melting compound to melt ice on walkways.
Indoor Tasks:
- Change or clean furnace filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine how frequently the filters should be replaced.
- Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
- Maintain clean drains by adding Endure product.
- Foundation – Check for moisture and cracks that are expanding inside and outside.
- Roof – Inspect for loose tiles or shingles and sign of leaks around vents, skylights, and chimneys.
- Paint – Touch up any interior or exterior paint that is cracking or peeling.
- Gutters – Clean out gutters and downspouts to remove leaves and other blockages.
- Chimney – Clean out the chimney to remove buildup of flammable substances. Have a professional look at your chimney every year or every other year to prevent a fire hazard during winter months.
- Water heater – Drain the water until it is clear of sediment and refill with clean water. (This will extend the life of your water heater.)
- Heating and Cooling System – Change all filters. (Depending on the type of filters you use, this may need to be done as often as once a month.)
- Get your furnace tuned up. If a heating and cooling specialist hasn’t taken a look at your furnace in the last year, it’s time to give them a call.
- Exhaust Fans – Clean grill and fan blades.
- Garbage Disposal – flush with hot water and baking soda.
- Doors and Windows – Lubricate hinges and moving parts; polish metal hardware.
- Garage Door – Clean and lubricate hinges, rollers, and tracks.
- Flooring – Shampoo carpets and wax floors.
- Caulking and Grout – Inspect caulking and grout around tubs, showers, and sinks and reapply if necessary.
- Fire Extinguishers – Check to see if they are fully charged and recharge or replace if necessary.