Prevent costly property breakdowns and malfunctions throughout your home by knowing when to check and expect issues. Using a seasonal checklist can help you keep up with the many duties required of you as a homeowner.
homediggidy.com gathered crucial information about home maintenance and how it can be broken down into seasons.
Spring Home Maintenance Tasks
After enduring the winter months, your home may have suffered both hidden and apparent damages. The following are maintenance tasks that should be completed during the spring months:
- Check the wood trim around windows, doors, railings, and decks
- Wash windows inside and out
- Reseal your home’s doors and windows
- Replace any rotted siding or trim
- Check for loose or leaky gutters
- After the last frost has passed, it is essential to have your gutters and downspouts cleaned and repaired
- Look for roof damages
- Examine your chimney for cracks and have it cleaned
- Check the attic for stowaway wildlife, leaks, and water stains
- Check your basement for water damage
- Inspect your concrete stairs, walkways, and driveway
- Examine siding, trim, and decking
- Move your firewood stack to a dry location
- Be on the lookout for signs of termites and carpenter ants
- Check/test your sprinkler and irrigation systems
- Have your A/C or HVAC tested and serviced
- Replace your A/C or HVAC filter(s)
- Have your water heater flushed and serviced
- Replant or tend to your garden’s needs
- Have your home inspected for mold and schedule remediation services if needed
Tip: If you intend to repaint your home, this is the season to do it.
Summer Home Maintenance Tasks
Summer often challenges a home’s fortitude with sudden storms, grueling heat, and drought conditions. The following are maintenance tasks that should be completed during the summer months:
- Inspect your home’s exterior for loose components
- Repair and repaint any chipped, cracked, or faded exterior paint
- Check doors and windows for leaks
- Replace your A/C or HVAC filter(s)
- Prune your flowers, bushes, and trees
- Increase your watering schedule for grass, plants, shrubs, and trees
- Have your lawnmower serviced
Tip: Check the lightbulbs and lamps in your home. Swap out any incandescent bulbs for their equivalent EcoSmart or LED bulbs. This will reduce your energy consumption and lower your utility bills.
Fall Home Maintenance Tasks
After enduring the summer months, your home and its utilities should be inspected and prepared for cooler weather. The following are maintenance tasks that should be completed during the fall months:
- Have your home inspected and seal up any air/ventilation leaks
- Inspect, repair, or replace your roof (before the first freeze)
- Protect and/or insulate exterior pipes and faucets from approaching freezing temperatures
- Replace your A/C or HVAC filter(s)
- Give your heating system a test run and servicing
- Clean and ready your fireplace
- Service, clean, or replace any space heaters
- Clean and store your portable fans
- Replace seed and nuts in your bird feeders
Tip: Give your lawn a final (low) cut in late fall and have your trees and shrubs pruned once they have gone dormant. Late tree and shrub pruning helps prevent disease and infestation.
Winter Home Maintenance Tasks
After making it through rising and falling temperatures, severe weather, and other perils, it’s time to hunker down and prepare your home for the winter season. The following are maintenance tasks that should be completed during the winter months.
- Verify the location, access, and functioning of the home’s main water shutoff
- Clean out your gutters and downspouts
- Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (replace their batteries)
- Allow your faucets to drip during freezing weather
- Be on the lookout for potential pipe bursts
- Stock up on emergency supplies in case of severe snow or ice storms
- Keep your roof and trees cleared of snow and ice buildup
- Keep your home heated to a minimum of 65°F
Tip: During freezing weather, keep your kitchen and bathroom cabinets open (especially those mounted on external-facing walls). This allows warm air to circulate in them, preventing pipe bursts and flooding.
Necessary Maintenance After Severe Weather
Only after the severe weather threat has passed, check your property for internal and external damages. When walking through storm-damaged areas, wear protective clothing and avoid any standing or flowing floodwater.
Note: If your property has sustained damages, document the damage (photos and video) and call your insurance carrier for instructions. If anyone was injured, contact emergency services for assistance.
Tip: Contact local authorities if you see trees or power lines down.
Home Maintenance Checklist
In this article, you discovered a complete checklist of your home’s required maintenance broken down into seasonal tasks.
By performing home maintenance tasks by season, you can keep control over what needs to be done without feeling overburdened or overtasked.
Failure to keep a pulse of your property systems and home maintenance checklist can result in appliance failures, pipe bursts, and costly structural damages.
Sources:
hud.gov/sites/documents/DOC_12334.PDF
dhs.gov/employee-resources/blog/2021/03/16/home-maintenance
energy.gov/energysaver/spring-and-summer-energy-saving-tips