Christy Walker's Annual Home Maintenance Checklist

Given the choice, the majority of homeowners wouldn't be spending their weekends pruning trees or touching up exterior paint, but it is absolutely necessary to keep up maintenance tasks on your largest investment is absolutely necessary. Home maintenance can feel like a huge chore, but you don't need to have technical training to keep your home looking wonderful and operating as it should. Home maintenance tends to follow a cyclical pattern, and if you plan your tasks by season, you'll be surprised just how easy it is to keep your home in excellent condition. 

Home Maintenance Tasks For Spring

After a long (or short, depending on your location) winter, spring arrives with blooming flowers, windy days, ample rain...and often mud. Dust off that old lawnmower and break out the latter, here's your spring maintenance checklist:

• Have your A/C serviced
• Check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries
• Have your roof inspected
• Clean your home's vents and ducts
• Check your sump pump for proper flow
• Check your plumbing and inspect for leaks
• Check your fireplace if you have one, dirty or clogged chimneys can harbor dangerous gases. 
• Inspect the entire exterior of your home. Check for new cracks in sidewalks, foundations, and any other concrete on your property. Is there any suspicious water pooling in certain areas? Loose shingles? Falling gutters?
• Clean your gutters
• Open up your pool if you have one. It's time to change filters, ensure everything is working properly, and inspect your equipment.
• Clean up your deck. Power washing, repairing structural damage, and generally making it look nice after winter will allow you to take full advantage of the beautiful coming weather. 
• Spring cleaning outside: 
  • Tidy up any dead leaves that have accumulated over winter.
  • Check on any trees that surround your home, are there dead branches that need lopping off?
  • Consider re-seeding your lawn or addressing bald patches. Fertilize a bit later in the spring.
  • Plant your perennials!
  • Touch up faded paint and finishes
  • Give your house a bath, the splash of snow, salt, and mud all winter long demands your attention. 

Home Maintenance Tasks For Summer

Summer is finally here! Now that you've adjusted to the warmer temperatures, rest easy knowing you got your spring maintenance over with, and move on to summertime tasks.

• Clean and replace all filters. Replace furnace filters, return air grills, kitchen hood vents, etc. Also, be sure to change your air filters. 
• Adjust your doors and tighten any loose handles. 
• Check your landscaping
• Check the grade around your home. Make sure the ground is sloped away from your house and downspouts flow away from your foundation to prevent water from seeping into your home.
• Do a safety inspection. Clean out your dryer vent, check your washing machine hoses, check fire extinguishers, and your toilet supply line.
• Inspect your attic. Make sure your insulation is adequate and proper ventilation is present. 
• Clean your garage.
• Check your siding and replace the broken or cracked pieces.

Home Maintenance Tasks For Fall

It's time to prepare your home for upcoming cool weather, these tasks will keep you warm and dry all fall and winter long. 

• Clean your gutters again
• Seal up any and all air leaks around windows, doors, and vents. Be sure to clean your window and door screens.
• Protect outdoor faucets and irrigation systems from freezing. Flush and store water hoses.
• Give your furnace a check-up.
• Repair walkways to prevent worsening cracks or crumbling.
• Prep your lawn for winter.
• Clean your carpets.
• Drain the hot water heater.
• Winterize your a/c.
• Look for signs of pests.

Home Maintenance Tasks For Winter

Since you've performed your fall home maintenance, this winter should be a breeze! Here are just a few tasks to keep up on each winter.

• Break icicles and clear snow and ice from your roof and trees.
• Stock up on emergency supplies such as water bottles, batteries, flashlights, blankets, and non-perishable food items. 
• Double-check for drafts around light fixtures, windows, and doors.
• Remove your showerheads and clean them thoroughly. 
• Check your basements for any leaks or cracks. 

Monthly & Biannual Tasks:

Monthly:

• Check water softener

• Look for leaks around toilets and sinks

• Inspect sink drains and remove any clogs

• Clean garbage disposal

Biannually:

• Deep clean your home

•  Vacuum refrigerator coils (depending on the age of your fridge)

• Test the pressure relief valve on the water heater