Homeownership brings with it many maintenance tasks. A home maintenance checklist is an effective way for new and experienced owners alike to stay on top of these important obligations.
Tasks tend to shift with the seasons, and deferring certain projects can prove costly in the future. Gutter overflow or an issue with your furnace could require costly service calls from technicians.
Spring
As warmer weather arrives, many homeowners are taking steps to prepare their home for summer by conducting spring cleaning and conducting an annual tune-up. Now is an excellent opportunity to complete any maintenance tasks that could prevent costly damages or breakdowns as snow melts away and spring rains begin.
One of the most essential spring maintenance tasks involves inspecting the exterior of your home for cracks and damage, testing ground-fault circuit interrupters in your electrical panel and reviewing extension cords and power strips for potential fire hazards. Also be sure to inspect air vents and ducts regularly so as not to allow winter debris back into your house through airflow.
As part of spring cleaning, it is wise to replace batteries in both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Spring is also an ideal time for gardening tasks like sweeping, weeding and mulching your garden area as well as inspecting and repairing wooden decks. Walk around your property inspecting trees for signs of storm- or pest-induced damage or disease caused by winter storms or pests.
Summer
Summer heat can wreak havoc on your home and its systems, providing an opportunity to complete tasks that could help prevent potential damages or failure in subsequent months.
Cleaning the kitchen exhaust system regularly can help decrease grease build-up that could result in fires or health problems, while replacing drafty windows with energy-efficient ones can improve home comfort while decreasing cooling costs. Now is also a good time to get forced air heating systems inspected and maintained before heating season starts!
Hanging summer window coverings is one way to reduce sunlight entering your home and keeping temperatures down in summertime, while installing awnings outside further reduce heat entering. Installing sprinkler timers also plays an important role; with proper planning many tasks can be completed on one weekend or day.
Fall
This season is an excellent opportunity to give your home a deep cleaning. Scrubbing grout and pulling your stove and refrigerator out from their mountings for cleaning behind them are great ways to start. Plus, now is an excellent time to switch out summer linens for winter ones as well as clean windows, flip mattresses in bedrooms, vacuum around corners of rooms and change air filters in living spaces – it all adds up!
Cleansing a crawl space can help protect against moisture damage, insect infestation and other issues. In addition, cleaning it provides an opportunity to inspect and update batteries in smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and ground-fault circuit interrupters as well as check for other issues such as ground fault circuit interrupters that might exist in there.
Drain, clean and cover outdoor water equipment and pipes in order to prevent them from freezing or bursting in cold weather. Be aware of where your main water shut-off valve is in case of emergency; insulate your water heater; consider radiant floor heating which provides consistent warmth without energy costs;
Winter
Winter is the time of year when homeowners should prepare their homes for colder temperatures by installing enough insulation to avoid pipe freezing and cut energy costs, repair any exposed or leaking pipes and ensure your sump pump is operating smoothly without anything blocking up exterior drains.
Pruning tree and shrub branches that could fall onto your roof or walkways. Cleaning gutters regularly to avoid ice damming and remove leaves that could cause water damage.
Change your furnace filter regularly, replace batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors regularly (and test them!), ventilate regularly to flush away stale air and moisture, and re-caulk doors and windows regularly in order to retain warm air inside your home. Bleed radiators if they’re not heating evenly to distribute warmth throughout your home, write up an evacuation plan, store any flammable materials in approved and clearly marked containers, as well as make a fire escape plan and store flammable materials securely in approved containers.
