Your home is likely one of your biggest investments. Taking care of it properly is essential. The chores and tasks necessary to maintain a home throughout the year can seem daunting, but they’re easier if broken down into seasonal duties.
Even if you don’t have the time or physical ability to tackle these must-dos yourself, refer to our home maintenance checklist below when you hire handymen.
Spring
At the start of spring, many homeowners are eager to do a little cleaning. This season is the perfect time to empty closets, wax floors, give carpets a deep shampoo and more.
Here are some good spring cleaning actions you can take to care for your home:
- Give the grounds an overhaul. Start cleaning by
- raking up leaves
- turning outside faucets on if you’ve turned them off for winter
- inspecting trees for illness or dead branches
- re-seeding your lawn
- planting perennials
- Tend to your home’s exterior by
- looking for and filling cracks in concrete
- fixing broken rain gutters
- giving your home a power wash
- touching up paint
- cleaning windows
- repairing patios and decks
- treating pool water
- Look after the inside of your home by
- inspecting HVAC systems
- draining your boiler
- giving plumbing a once-over
- checking your chimney
- replacing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
Summer
Summer is the time when you probably want to enjoy your home, not clean or repair it. Take a bit of time at the start of the season to tidy and patch up so you can spend the rest of the summer relaxing.
We recommend these summer home maintenance tips:
- Prepare your grounds by
- mowing your lawn (but not too short so you expose weeds)
- pulling weeds
- watering plants
- checking the functionality of sprinklers
- cleaning your pool
- Make exterior home repairs and touch-ups by
- painting or staining your porch
- cleaning windows
- hosing or sweeping your façade
- The inside of your home can be summertime-ready by
- wiping down ceiling fans
- cleaning air conditioning filters
- repairing weather stripping
- evaluating your family emergency plan
- deterring and treating for insects
Fall
When leaves start turning shades of red, orange and gold, it’s time to begin preparing your home for crisp weather.
There isn’t a huge to-do list for fall, just some simple steps to make sure your home is prepped for the upcoming colder months.
- Tend to your grounds in fall by
- planting perennials
- re-seeding the lawn
- inspecting trees for dead branches and illness
- watering plants
- raking leaves
- The inside of your home will be fall-ready after you
- get the central heating serviced
- check the furnace and ductwork for energy efficiency
- call a plumber for a radiator and boiler check-up
- sweep the chimney
- make sure all doors and windows are draft-free
- inspect smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Winter
Winter is usually the time to hunker down. Ensure your home is ideal for getting cozy by tackling to-dos you’ve put aside during summer and fall. Anticipate how harsh weather will impact your home.
Start with:
- Winterizing your grounds by
- making sure the snow blower is working
- stocking up on supplies like ice melt and shovels
- looking for signs of potential ice dams
- Batten up the inside of your home by
- putting a new filter on the heating system
- inspecting pipes
- having a backup generator
- stocking supplies
Throughout the year, check stocks of batteries and light bulbs. Give rugs and furniture a good vacuum and do periodic checks for mold and insects. Each year, refer to this home maintenance list.