Owning a home comes with year-round responsibilities; skipping seasonal chores could be costly. A home maintenance checklist can help you avoid expensive repairs and ensure your home’s most important systems and features are in tip-top shape.
Here’s a primer on the essential tasks to be completed during each season of the year.
— Fall.
— Winter.
— Spring.
— Summer.
[READ: 6 Boring but Important Home Improvements You Can Make]
Fall
Temperatures are dropping and the leaves are falling. Fall is the time of the year when you should prepare your home for winter.
Put these items on your house maintenance schedule for the fall:
— Seal gaps and cracks.
— Test and maintain your fireplace.
— Prepare your yard for winter.
— Close the pool.
— Schedule a furnace cleaning.
— Check windows and doors for drafts.
Seal gaps and cracks. Julie Brittain, an Atlanta-based real estate advisor and associate broker at Real Brokerage, recommends taking a walk around your home’s foundation to check for cracks. If you notice anything, Brittain says to address it immediately, as it could indicate a serious structural problem.
Chris Hock, general contractor and president of Earth Savings Solutions in Denver, also recommends inspecting your home’s exterior and checking for gaps or cracks. Sealing gaps and cracks can help prevent drafts and energy loss, he says.
Test and maintain your fireplace. One of the best parts about winter is cozying up to a warm fireplace. Before you can enjoy a warm, crackling fire, you need to make sure your fireplace and chimney are in good working condition.
“Clean the chimney, check the damper and ensure the proper functioning of the fireplace for safe and efficient operation,” Hock says. “Gas fireplaces sometimes need to be relit; make sure all are operational.”
Prepare your yard for winter. Lawn care stops at the end of fall, but a crucial task is to prepare your yard for winter. Put outdoor furniture away, blow out your sprinkler system and spray weed preventer and winter fertilizer. Hock recommends a rich lawn fertilizer, but it can damage concrete by leaving iron rust spots. “I use it three times a year. Make sure to blow it off the concrete,” he adds.
Schedule a furnace cleaning. When temperatures start to drop, get your heating system checked out before putting it to use. “Conduct regular checks on your furnace, change the air filters monthly and consider getting a professional HVAC contractor to inspect and maintain your heating system,” says Derrick Hemmelgarn, director of marketing at Storm Guard Roofing and Construction in Fort Worth, Texas.
Check windows and doors for drafts. “Windows and doors can be significant sources of heat loss during the winter months,” Hemmelgarn says. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat loss through windows is responsible for 25% to 30% of residential heating energy use.
“Inspect them for any leaks that could compromise your heating efficiency. If you identify any drafts, consider recaulking your windows and doors or using weather stripping to seal them,” he adds.
[READ: 10 Ways to Save Energy and Lower Utility Bills]
Winter
Winter can be a harsh time of the year in many parts of the country. Snow, ice and heavy winds can wreak havoc on property. Winter storms caused nearly $6 billion in insured losses in 2022, the second-highest year in the last decade for winter storm-related insured losses.
Your house maintenance checklist for the winter should include these items:
— Prevent frozen pipes.
— Keep vents clear.
— Check weather stripping and insulation.
— Regularly check your roof and gutters.
— Clear snow and ice.
— Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Prevent frozen pipes. When water freezes, it can expand and cause your home’s pipes to break. When the water thaws, pipes can burst and flood your home, causing major damage. Courtney Klosterman, home insights expert at Hippo, says fixing a burst pipe costs about $500 on average, not including the cost of repairing water damage or structural issues.
Hock recommends insulating exposed pipes, allowing faucets to drip during freezing temperatures and keeping the thermostat at a consistent temperature. “If it gets way below freezing and you have an older house, you may need to open cabinets and place extra heaters in areas,” Hock says. “We had a customer whose water line to the fridge broke in the crawl space and caused significant damage to a 100-year-old home.”
Keep vents clear. In a recent newsletter sent out to her clients, Brittain recommended not closing off more than 20% of the furnace registers in your house. “This can cause unnecessary heat buildup and impact efficiency,” she wrote. “Keep vents free of lint, dust and pet hair by vacuuming them at least once a month.”
Check weatherstripping and insulation. Check weatherstripping around your doors and windows to prevent drafts and heat loss. “Check your attic for proper insulation; many homes do not meet today’s building codes,” Hock says.
Regularly check your roof and gutters. After each snowstorm, Hemmelgarn says to inspect your roof and gutters for any damage or debris. “Buildup of snow and ice can lead to roof damage or cause your gutters to pull away from your house,” he adds.
Clear snow and ice. Keep your home safe by removing snow from driveways, walkways and your roof to prevent ice dams and potential damage, says Hock.
“Contact a reputable mitigation contractor if you have water coming in or a roofer if you see the ice dam forming. If your house doesn’t have ice and water on the eaves, it will come into your soffits and get your insulation wet, and may cause mold,” he says.
Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. “With the increased use of heating systems and fireplaces in the winter, the risk of house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning also increases,” Hemmelgarn says. “Regularly test your detectors to ensure they are working correctly.”
Klosterman also recommends getting a fire extinguisher if you don’t have one and inspecting your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors once a month to ensure they’re operating properly and aren’t damaged.
[Related:Fire Safety Tips for Your Home]
Spring
Winter weather can do a number on your property, especially in colder climates. As the ground thaws and flowers begin to bloom, it’s time to fix any weather-related damages and prepare your home for spring.
Here are important home maintenance services to complete in spring:
— Inspect your roof.
— Clean gutters and downspouts.
— Service your air conditioning system.
— Prepare the yard.
— Trim trees.
— Check exterior faucets and irrigation systems.
Inspect your roof. Ice and snow can do a lot of damage to your roof. It’s always a good idea to visually inspect your roof after a big storm, but it’s recommended to get a regular roof inspection at least every three years, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
“Winter weather can be tough on your roof. As the weather warms up, take the time to inspect your roof for any damage, such as missing or cracked shingles,” Hemmelgarn says. “If necessary, call in a professional roofer to make any needed repairs.”
According to Klosterman, 38% of homeowners dealt with unexpected roof damage in 2022. If there’s damage, water and moisture can enter your home, leading to mold and structural damage.
Clean gutters and downspouts. Between snowmelt and spring showers, there’s a lot of water running through your downspouts. If there’s debris in the way, it could potentially lead to water damage.
Hock says removing debris ensures proper drainage and prevents water damage to your home. “Make sure your downspouts are extended out and not up so water drains away for those spring showers,” he says. If underground drainage is clogged with debris, Hock recommends grabbing a Cobra drain cleaning bladder from the hardware store to help clear your drains.
Service your air conditioning system. Get your AC system checked out before turning it on in the summer. Manufacturers recommend yearly, but Hock says you can get away with doing this every other year. He recommends doing a visible inspection of the exterior coils of the condenser to make sure they don’t have debris clogging the system and a visual inspection of the actual furnace.
“Look for indications of water, any corrosion or blockages,” Hock says. “Make sure, when the furnace is on, it does not sound like an unbalanced fan. At a minimum, change the filter every season.”
Prepare the yard. Clean up the yard before spreading new mulch and rake leaves that came down over the winter. Hock recommends turning on your sprinkler system to check for proper coverage.
“Get an intelligent water control to save water and focus on the dry spots when necessary. Aerate the lawn, fertilize and do weed prevention,” Hock advises. “Spring is an excellent time to seed. If you have some bare spots in the yard, remember to keep the seeds wet so they will sprout.”
Trim trees. A broken tree branch can cause significant damage, including property damage, power outages and injury. Properly pruning your trees can also encourage tree growth and help maintain the tree’s structure.
“It’s recommended to prune your trees while they are still dormant,” Hock says. “Pruning will keep your tree from having heavy snow breaking limbs from the first snow. If your tree has gotten too big, call the professionals and get on a yearly maintenance schedule.”
Check exterior faucets and irrigation systems. Freezing temperatures can destroy your home’s plumbing system. “After the freezing winter, it’s important to check your exterior faucets and irrigation systems for any damage,” Hemmelgarn says. “Turn the water on and make sure everything is working as it should.”
[READ: How Much Does It Cost to Cut Down a Tree?]
Summer
Summer is great for bigger outdoor projects. The warm weather also makes this season the perfect time to take care of tasks that can minimize the chances of property damage later in the year.
Here is a home maintenance checklist for the summer:
— Maintain your lawn and garden.
— Inspect and maintain the deck or patio.
— Clean and repair windows and doors.
— Check and clean outdoor vents and exhausts.
— Inspect and repair your home’s siding.
Maintain your lawn and garden. “Summer is the time to enjoy your outdoor space,” Hemmelgarn says. “Regularly mow your lawn, water your plants and remove any weeds to keep your yard looking its best.”
Inspect and maintain the deck or patio. If you have a deck or patio, Hock says to check for loose boards and clean and seal the surface if needed. Hock also recommends using a water seal on the underside of your deck every few years to prevent rotting joists.
Clean and repair windows and doors. Energy Star estimates that homeowners can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs by sealing their homes and adding insulation, Klosterman says. Sealing can also prevent bugs, moisture and bad weather from entering the home.
“Remove dirt and grime and inspect for any cracks; cracking causes more leaks than most would realize and is easily stopped with just a little caulking,” Hock says.
Check and clean outdoor vents and exhausts. Inspect your home’s outdoor vents, such as dryer vents and bathroom exhausts, and remove anything that could be blocking them. “Birds can make nests, and dryer vents get clogged easily,” says Hock. “This should be yearly maintenance.”
Inspect and repair your home’s siding. “Your home’s siding can take a beating from the elements,” Hemmelgarn says. “Check for any damage and make any necessary repairs to prevent further deterioration.” If left alone, damage can cause all sorts of problems. Leaks can damage the structural integrity of your home and cause mold growth and insect infestations.
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A Home Maintenance Checklist for Every Season originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/13/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
