Maintaining your home might seem like an overwhelming idea. By breaking maintenance tasks down into a monthly plan, you can stay on top of what needs to be done. Creating a monthly home maintenance checklist can also help to ensure that you do not forget anything important.
This list includes monthly and seasonal tasks as well as preventive tasks to help prevent any damage to the inside or outside of your house. Performing monthly home maintenance tasks helps to keep your house clean, safe and aesthetically appealing. It also helps to maintain or even increase your home’s real estate value.
Safety is the top priority when doing home maintenance, and you should always take precautionary measures such as wearing gloves and a face mask when doing certain tasks. These tasks are basic activities and help to prevent future damage or accidents. They also help to ensure that the home’s plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems are operating properly.
Following this list can also help you save money. You can use a digital or printed checklist. If you create a list in a spreadsheet, you can print it and cross items off as you do them. An app or your Google calendar are also helpful for staying organized.
In addition to monthly tasks, seasonal tasks are done only once each year during a specific season. Preventive maintenance tasks include fire prevention, water damage prevention, pest control and keeping electrical systems safe, while monthly and seasonal tasks are oriented to cleaning and preparing for weather changes.
Regular Monthly Home Maintenance Tasks
- Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Dust ceiling fans and heat ducts.
- Test fire extinguishers.
- Clean the dryer vent.
- Vacuum refrigerator coils to remove dust for proper air circulation.
- Clean kitchen and bathroom drains with equal parts of vinegar and baking soda.
- Check and clean range hood filters.
- Check and clean HVAC filters.
- Test all GFCI outlets.
- Make sure all indoor and outdoor air vents and outlets are not blocked by debris, furniture or items.
Spring Maintenance
- Check your roof and siding for damage from winter storms. Call a professional to do any repairs.
- Check drainage so that your basement doesn’t flood during a heavy rain storm.
- Schedule a checkup of your central air conditioner. Doing this in mid-spring ensures that the system will work when the first heat wave comes into your area.
- Replace smoke detector batteries.
Summer Maintenance
- Clean and repair window screens. Torn screens are a safety hazard and could let bugs inside your home.
- Caulk around windows and doors to prevent air leakage.
- Seal coat your asphalt driveway. This helps to avoid cracks that could occur from an early frost.
- Clean and inspect your deck for loose boards and pest damage.
Fall Maintenance
- Clean outdoor power equipment. Drain any leftover fuel so that the items can be stored over the winter.
- Clean the gutters of leaf and other debris. Check to make sure that they are hung properly and are draining water away from your house.
- Schedule a checkup for your furnace. If there is a problem, this allows time to get it fixed.
- Trim tree branches that could fall on your house due to heavy snow or ice.
- Install weather stripping around doors and insulation around exposed pipes.
- Replace smoke detector batteries.
- Check for pests and remove any food or water sources that could attract them to your home during the winter.
Winter Maintenance
- Disconnect hoses from outdoor faucets.
- Hang heavy window treatments. Drapes or window insulation kits help to prevent heat loss to the outdoors.
- Stock up on supplies in case of a snow emergency or power outage.
- Clear snow and ice buildup from your roof, sidewalk and driveway or call a professional to do this for you.
Preventive Home Maintenance Tasks
- Check your insulation. Inadequate insulation can cause year-round problems such as unwanted air exchange. Ice dams, frozen pipes and air drafts also occur due to inadequate insulation.
- Seal cracks. Sealing the cracks in your home’s foundation stops pests and water from intruding.
- Check washing machine and dishwasher hoses. A ruptured hose could cause a flood in your home.
- Fix cracks in your driveway or sidewalk. Cracks are a safety hazard and will worsen over time.
- Check all outlets, receptacles and appliance cords for wear and tear. Damaged or worn electrical wiring may cause a fire.
- Repair leaky faucets. Leaks may cause mold growth and they attract pests.
Check that all hand rails and banisters are securely attached to your home’s walls
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Author Bio:
Jeff E. Brown is a freelance writer, self-taught lifehacking teacher, DIY home improvement specialist, owner of two happy dogs and a barbeque master. He loves learning through experience and writing about all the cool things he has learned since he moved out of a compact apartment into a comfortable house. You can reach Jeff via his landing page.
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