Typically a lifetime investment, a home needs regular preventative maintenance to keep its systems operating securely and effectively. Your home will lose value if you don’t perform the necessary upkeep, which will also cost you a lot of money over time.
Making sure everything in your house runs appropriately is a difficult task. However, your home needs routine upkeep to stay in good shape inside and out. You may save the expense and stress of unforeseen repairs by performing tasks like HVAC maintenance, lawn care, and gutter cleaning.
Owning a home might make it challenging to keep up with upkeep, but our annual home maintenance checklist covers you. You can handle your house’s maintenance year-round with the help of a regular home inspection checklist and expert guidance.
Throw away the old
Give the storage spaces in your house some breathing room. Take the time to sell, donate, or recycle anything that no longer suits your needs, whether you’ve moved or lived there for a while.
Start by removing everything that seems cluttered, such as excess books and periodicals, trinkets, extra throw pillows, and so forth. After that, focus on more significant issues like functionality and adequate traffic flow.
Green it up
Freshness may be added to any space in your house with houseplants. They can be used in various applications, such as hanging globes, wall planters, and decorative pots. Besides being practical, fresh herbs in the kitchen can be aesthetically pleasing and aromatic. To reduce upkeep, pick the proper plant for the location.
Advance yourself
Spend the time and attention your house requires. Use a checklist for house maintenance, and remember to perform seasonal maintenance. Your home will become more comfortable, attractive, and functional with routine upkeep. In addition, maintaining a well-maintained home and keeping a home maintenance record will increase your property’s worth if you ever decide to sell.
Take care of minor repairs before they grow into larger ones. The sooner you address any issues—from creaks and squeaks to wetness and leaks—the better for your house and wallet. For covered breakdowns of home systems and appliances, use your house warranty.
Winterizing your home
- Check the hoses on the dishwasher and washing machine, use the self-cleaning feature on the stove, and clean the dryer vent.
- Ensure that your lawnmower and other yard equipment are correctly stowed and in working order for the spring when you need to use them again.
- Fitness equipment is too expensive to be left unused. For basic fixes and troubleshooting advice, consult your manual.
What to do in spring
- Spring is an excellent time to schedule a professional maintenance visit for your central air conditioner. You should clean the filters and brush off the coils on window models.
- Wash the grill’s exterior, drip trays, burners, and grates. Call in the experts if you are uncomfortable doing burner assembly maintenance.
- Wash the floors, scrub the bathrooms and kitchen, and thoroughly clean the windows and house.
Get summer ready
- Take a ground-level tour of the house while creating a list of home maintenance tasks. In both the summer and the winter, replacing old doors with more energy-efficient ones can significantly reduce your energy costs.
- Hurricanes, tornadoes, and intense thunderstorms can all occur in the summer.
- Remove all the accumulated creosote, which might catch fire, to get ready for chilly fall and winter evenings by the fire. Again, hire a specialist to complete this task.
All set for the fall
- Although you can perform minor tasks like filter replacement, you should have a professional inspect your HVAC system once a year.
- Keep up with your snow blower. Replace the plug, oil, and fuel filter. Check the blade and other components for damage.
- Having the right caulk gun and removing the old caulk before you start is helpful. Make sure to give the caulk 24 hours to set.
Home warranties may be helpful
A house warranty is a service agreement that aids you in paying for the essential maintenance and repairs to your home’s systems and appliances. A comprehensive plan incorporating an appliance repair plan and a system (heating, plumbing, etc.) repair plan is also an option.
But it is vital to understand what is covered under a home warranty. For example, a home warranty might only cover some systems or equipment in your house. Therefore, it’s crucial to thoroughly study the fine print because exclusions differ per organization and can astound you.
Newly constructed homes have different home warranties than older homes do. Depending on the firm providing the warranty, the coverage could also vary. A home warranty may be purchased separately or as part of the purchase price.
