Whether you’re a DIY expert or an enthusiast who cares about your home, housekeeping can be a satisfying and fulfilling task. We made this comprehensive guide to help you keep your home in excellent shape, providing a comprehensive homeowners maintenance checklist, crucial tips, and more.
Having a checklist is essential for the process, regardless of whether you're a seasoned homeowner or just at the beginning of this adventure as a new homeowner. You can keep track and stay organized with your tasks throughout the year, and we’ll step in to help you tick your boxes with this guide.
Why Is Home Maintenance Important?
Home maintenance is significant for homeowners as it keeps your property in good shape, which in turn saves you money and increases your home’s value. A homeowners maintenance checklist helps you notice minor problems before they become big ones.
Furthermore, it may keep you and your family healthy, as it prevents the spread of germs and decreases the amount of allergens. Home maintenance influences many points of owning a home, and we discuss crucial aspects below.
Increase Home Value
Potential buyers appreciate homes being properly maintained—from fresh paint on the walls to appliances functioning correctly. Proper maintenance could get you extra cash if you put your house up for sale.
On the other hand, if you haven’t been maintaining your appliances and systems, home inspection could indicate lots of issues in the house. Buyers often ask for lower prices or ask for you to repair or replace the systems that aren’t working properly.
It may be a good idea to keep track of work done. You can even present your homeowners' maintenance checklist to show how you’ve kept your home in good condition.
Lower Energy Consumption
Most household energy consumption comes from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). You should inspect your systems on a regular basis and fix any shortcomings timely. Contact utility companies for home energy analysis, and seek detailed information on your house’s usage and loss of energy.
Clean and maintain your HVAC systems regularly to save energy. Appliances accumulate dust, grime, and debris, influencing the efficacy of their functioning, so this is an important task on your homeowners' maintenance checklist.
For example, cleaning refrigerator coils prevents them from overworking to cool the food. Cleaning the dryer’s vent may reduce the possibility of fires and optimize energy consumption.
Enhanced Home Safety
With regular home maintenance and a homeowners' maintenance checklist specific to your home, you decrease the possibility of electric shocks, fires, and more. US fire departments have to react to almost 350,000 fires annually, which only emphasizes the importance of testing smoke alarms and fire extinguishers often [1].
Save on Costly Repairs
You may wonder: how does spending money on home maintenance actually save money? It is said that for every dollar you spend on maintenance, you save around $100 on potential repairs or replacements. Appliances require care and proper maintenance, which extends their lives and may prove crucial in the long run.
Additionally, investing in a home warranty can be a strategic move, covering the costs of repairs and replacements of major systems and appliances. The best home warranties can further protect against unexpected expenses.
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Fall Home Maintenance
Let’s move on to our homeowners maintenance checklist, starting with what you’d do in the fall. It is ideal to set up your house for winter, as the weather is typically dry and moderate in many places.
Outdoors
- Closing the swimming pool: You should close the swimming pool, lower the pool’s water level, and detach and empty the pipes. Ensure that a cover is securely positioned over the opening.
- Gutter inspection and maintenance: Gutters are important for redirecting rainwater away from your house. This is a crucial task on your homeowners' maintenance checklist, as gutters usually get filled with debris and leaves. This could result in blockages and water damage. Hiring a professional for this could be a good idea, as it can be safer and save you time.
- Sealing exterior cracks and gaps: When it gets colder, you may find cold air blowing through cracks in doors and windows. Apart from being unpleasant, this may increase heating costs, so seal any cracks or gaps around windows and doors before turning the heat on. Consider putting door sweeps to reduce cold air coming from under the doors.
- Roof Inspection: Examine your roof thoroughly. Rain and wind may damage the tiles. Look for missing tiles or loose ones and replace them. Doing this on time can prevent water damage, so a thorough roof checkup ensures your home’s safety, no matter the weather.
- Inspect and clean the fireplace and the chimney: It is advised to get your chimney and fireplace cleaned by a professional if you use them in fall and winter. Soot accumulation can result in dangerous situations, and the fireplace should be cleaned once a year. If you wish to bask in a cozy fire when it’s cold, be sure to add this to your list in the fall.
- Cleaning the dryer’s vent and ductwork: Advanced dryers have filters that catch lint from clothes. Still, if it accumulates, it can lead to fire. The National Fire Protection Association says that dryers provoked a vast majority of house fires between 2010 and 2014. Plus, more than a quarter of these were caused by the lint in the device [2].
Indoors
- Heating system maintenance: The heating system and furnace should undergo servicing before turning them up during winter or fall. Each furnace differs, so it is advised to review the instructions carefully or contact professionals. Change your filter often, as this will also reduce energy costs and keep you safe from potential defects.
- Sealing the gaps: While many do this as part of their outdoor maintenance, it’s important to note that you should look at whether there are gaps in and around doors and windows here. Seal, if you find any, to make the place easier to keep warm.
- Cleaning the ceiling fans: It may sound odd, but using ceiling fans in fall can make your home warm and reduce heating costs. The key is to make your fan turn in a clockwise direction. As warm air naturally rises, a slow ceiling fan can aid in redistributing warm air in your house. While you’re adjusting the setting, clean the dust from the fan blades.
Winter Home Maintenance
Winter weather conditions can cause damage to your home, from frozen pipes to roof damage. To avoid this, follow our steps and build on this homeowners’ maintenance checklist to protect your home.
Outdoors
- No icicles, no trouble: Icicles are eye candy, and we all love seeing idyllic winter sights. However, homeowners may pay a high price to see it, as icicles can cause serious damage. They create ice dams that weaken shingles or damage gutters. Remove icicles on sight to prevent insulation, wall, or even foundation damage.
- Pipe protection: By blowing out the water and closing valves, you should protect exterior pipes. Insulating pipes and preventing water from freezing is important if you wish to use them during winter. This can be a task on your homeowners' maintenance checklist to be done at the start of the winter. We also recommend wrapping outdoor pipes and those in cold areas inside your house to keep them from freezing.
- Window screens off: Removing window screens is important because it reduces energy costs and secures windows in winter storms. This way, you will let more heat in your home, which can lead to lower heating bills. Taking screens off will also prevent snow and ice accumulation.
- Snow and major home utilities: Snow gathering on utilities and external vent pipes may cause damage, and we sure want to avoid this. Keep an eye on snow accumulating around gas meters, as it may stress the pipes and result in gas leaks.
You don’t have to be a professional to ensure pressure relief vents remain unblocked and put removing snow from external vent pipes on your homeowners’ maintenance checklist.
Indoors
- HVAC maintenance: You should remember to regularly maintain your HVAC and try to do it twice a year. With windows closed most of the time, keeping track of air quality with HVAC is crucial. Replace the furnace filters every few months and check them monthly, particularly if you have pets.
- Bleeding your radiators: Want to keep rooms consistently warm? Regularly bleed your radiators during winter, which will enable consistent heat distribution in your home. We usually bleed ones that appear colder than others, with gurgling or pipe banging a typical sign of air trapping. Once done, check the boiler pressure and turn the heating back on. And voila!
- Winterizing entryway: North American winters can be tough and unpredictable. You can protect your entryway from dirt, salt, and debris by purchasing waterproof flooring or putting on a large welcome mat.
- Dryer vents: Dryers are known for causing many home fires in North America [2]. It is essential to clean them to keep your home safe. Regular dryer vent cleaning helps prevent fires and the buildup of poisonous gasses like carbon monoxide in your home.
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Spring Home Maintenance
As nature slowly awakens, it is time to prepare your home for the spring and follow a specific homeowner's maintenance checklist. Let’s go through some of the crucial steps.
Outdoors
- Inspecting foundation: With spring, snow melts, and torrential rains often come. Go through your homeowner's maintenance checklist, starting with a foundation checkup. Look for cracks that could result in water infiltration, and seal every crack or contact a professional to do this. Also, check for spots with uneven soil that can cause water accumulation and address them promptly to prevent potential damage to your property.
- Cleaning gutters and roof: We already noted how winter can damage gutters, filling them with leaves or damaging shingles. It is also crucial for gutters to be cleaned and set in the correct direction. Ensure they are turned away from your house so water goes into the garden. If you don’t want to climb up the roof, call professionals.
- Examine hardscape materials: Due to freezing and then melting of snow, concrete may crack. You should look for cracks in your driveway and hardscape materials. While small cracks can be repaired rather easily, you may need to redo larger parts with more extensive damage.
Indoors
- Inspecting air conditioning: If you live in a colder climate, you probably haven’t used your AC for a couple of months by spring. You need to test if it functions correctly, as you will soon want it working and generally want to prolong its life. Contact a trustworthy HVAC technician for any detailed work on your AC.
- Check the water heater: If it isn’t working correctly, it could leak and harm the floor, potentially resulting in expensive repairs. If you notice any water or rust close to the water heater, contact a professional to deal with it. Dealing with smaller leaks and rust as soon as possible could help avoid big issues.
- Look for leaks: Talking of leaks, basements and attics are typically vulnerable, and it is important to examine each and ensure there are no small holes. If you notice a musty smell when you come into the attic or basement, these are indicators of water infiltration. Inspect the ceiling, walls, and other materials, paying attention to discoloration or water strains.
>>Check top plans and prices at Choice Home Warranty
Summer Home Maintenance
As the sun comes and the weather is dry, it is the perfect time for outdoor and indoor improvements. The homeowners' maintenance checklist will aid you in planning ahead and keeping track of your summer work.
Outdoors
- Inspect your deck: Inspect your deck meticulously, look for rotting planks, and replace them promptly. Hammer in any loose nails and evaluate whether your deck requires resealing by pouring some water on it. If the water goes into the little puddles, all is fine. If it absorbs into the wood, your deck should be resealed.
- Prevent unwanted pests: Seal the gaps around your door frames and windows as well as any other places where bugs could come in. Further, inspect and close any big holes to prevent mice and rats from entering the house.
- Cleaning gutters and downspouts: This is usually the perfect time to clear gutters if you get rainy springs. Inspect whether there are any holes, cracks, or rust appearing. Repair or repaint if needed to prevent rainwater from escaping in places where it could result in water intrusion.
Indoors
- Inspect your hoses: Examine indoor hoses for wear, leaks, or cracks. You should do this for your dehumidifier, washer, dishwasher, ice maker, refrigerator, and toilet. Most of these appliances are supposed to be changed every three to five years, but they should be inspected regularly for signs of leakage.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Replace expired batteries and inspect to ensure smoke alarms, home timers, and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.
- Reversing ceiling fans: During the summer, it is advisable to adjust the direction of your ceiling fan, as it should spin counterclockwise. This makes the air go down, creating a pleasant breeze.
How to do it? Turn off the fan and wait for the blades to stop spinning. Find the direction switch—typically just above the blades on the side of the fan—and turn it to change direction. Turn the fan back on.
Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist
Monthly home maintenance can improve your comfort and raise the value of your home and appliances. Monthly maintenance ensures your home's optimal functionality and prolongs your appliances' life. This part of our homeowners’ maintenance checklist helps keep a continuous focus on maintenance to prevent minor issues from turning into big, costly ones.
Outdoors
- Make sure indoor and outdoor air vents are not blocked
- Clean the garbage disposal using ice cubes and washing with hot water
- Inspect the roof for any damages or leaf accumulation
- Clean the gutters regularly
- Remove ice dams
Indoors
- Cleanse the furnace filter
- Vacuum air vents and heat registers
- Inspect smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors
- Check electrical cords and test ground-fault circuit breakers
- Flush the water heater with hot water to get rid of sediment
- Remove mineral deposits from shower heads and faucets
- Refill salt in water softener
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Frequently Asked Questions
In this part of our guide, we answer some of the frequently asked questions about homeowners’ maintenance checklists and home maintenance in general.
What Annual Maintenance Should Be Done on a House?
Your annual maintenance should include inspecting the roof, cleaning gutters, maintaining HVAC systems, and inspecting for structural problems. The point here is to keep your home safe, comfortable, and efficient throughout the year while crossing things off your homeowners' maintenance checklist.
What Is the Most Important Item for Home Maintenance?
It is hard to separate one item as the most important. However, cleaning the gutters, inspecting AC systems, and clearing out clogs might all prove essential to your home’s condition year-round.
Investing in a home warranty is also a good idea, as it offers a protection plan with coverage for common home repairs. Choice Home Warranty plans provide a variety of coverage options from appliances to home systems and more.
What Is a Maintenance Plan for a House?
A maintenance plan is made from scheduled chores and inspections so your home remains in good condition. It usually includes seasonal homeowners’ maintenance checklists and reminders for regular work your home may need.
How Often Should I Do Home Maintenance?
Home maintenance should be done regularly. However, some tasks should be done per month, while others should be done per season or once a year. This will depend on factors such as climate and how old your home is, so creating a customized homeowner's maintenance checklist ensures you remember everything.
Conclusion
Home maintenance requires attention and devotion, and homeowners’ maintenance checklists may help track what you’ve done and when. Both are crucial for keeping your home’s value, comfort, and safety, especially if you’re doing most of the work yourself.
Remember, integrating home warranty management into your maintenance routine can further safeguard your investment. It provides peace of mind and financial protection against unexpected repairs.
Stay safe and call home maintenance professionals when unsure.
>>Check top plans and prices at Choice Home Warranty
References
- Hall, Shelby. “Home Structure Fires.” Nfpa.Org, 1 Apr. 2023, https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/home-structure-fires.
- Campbell, Richard. “Home Fires Involving Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines.” Nfpa.Org, 1 Mar. 2017, https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/home-fires-involving-clothes-dryers-and-washing-machines.
This is a sponsored article. The article should not be considered as advice.