Checklists for the Seasons

These are checklists that you can use and incorporate into your routine home maintenance plan for your house. They are broken up into seasons.

Annually: Hire a home inspector to perform a home maintenance inspection at part of your routine home maintenance plan.

In the Spring:

• Check for damage to your roof
• Check all the fascia and trim for deterioration
• Have a professional air conditioning contractor inspect and maintain your systemas recommended by the manufacturer
• Check your water heater
• Replace all extension cords that have become brittle, worn or damaged
• Check your fire extinguishers
• Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter
• Review your fire escape plan with your family
• Repair all cracked, broken or uneven driveways and walks to help provide a levelwalking surface
• Check the shutoff valve at each plumbing fixture to make sure they function
• Clean clothes dryer exhaust duct, damper, and space under the dryer

Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide

alarms

In the Summer:

• Check kids playing equipment
• Check your wood deck or concrete patio for deterioration
• Check the nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairs
• Check exterior siding
• Check all window and door locks
• Check your home for water leaks
• Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker anddishwasher for cracks and bubbles
  

In the Fall:

• Check your home for water leaks
• Have a heating professional check your heating system every year

• Protect your home from frozen pipes
• Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone
• Test your emergency generator
• Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check yourfireplace damper
• Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures
• Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxidealarms
• Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduceheat/cooling loss
• Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate toprevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring

   

In the Winter:

• Clean the gutters and downspouts
• Confirm firewood at least 20 feet away from your home
• Remove screens from windows and install storm windows
• Familiarize responsible family members with the gas main valve and otherappliance valves
• Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct, damper and space under the dryer
• Make sure all electrical holiday decorations have tight connections
• Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter
• Check the water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker anddishwasher for cracks and bubbles
• Check your water heater
• Test all AFCI and GFCI devices