Home Maintenance Tips

Yeary Inspection & Services Suggests Home Maintenance Chores to Keep Your House in Good Working Order

Big remodeling jobs, like kitchen and bathroom makeovers, get a lot of attention because they add value to your home, the results are often dramatic and, once completed, the job won't have to be done again for a decade or two. Compare that to cleaning gutters and vacuuming refrigerator coils. No glamour, no glory, just dull maintenance work that must be done over and over and over. Here's a thought to make those routine tasks a bit more bearable: That beautiful new kitchen won't help you much at resale if prospective buyers see rotting windows, a wheezing furnace, and dings in the living room walls before they ever get to the kitchen.

If it's been a while (years?) since you tackled any of these projects, we suggest you make a priority list of any problems that could endanger the safety of your family or your house and take care of those first. Then, make a year-round schedule that suits your needs. Try to create a mix of big and small jobs and space the work evenly over the year so you don't get overwhelmed. Here's a list of maintenance projects to get you started.

MONTHLY

Test garage door opener, GFCI receptacles and breakers, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Check plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances for leaks
Grind a cut-up lemon and then a couple of cups of ice in the garbage disposer
Clean pop-up sink and tub strainers
Pour a mixture of baking soda, white vinegar, and boiling water down drains to keep them running freely
Check furnace filter, replace if necessary
Drain a few gallons of water from the water heater
Pour water down seldom-used drain

WINTER

Clean faucet aerators and showerheads
Clean refrigerator drain pan and vacuum condenser coil
Clean kitchen exhaust fan filters
Vacuum bathroom vent fan covers
Clean dishwasher food filters and check that openings in spray arms are clear
Examine caulk and grout in shower, repair as needed
Clean and seal grout
Exercise (turn off and on) plumbing shutoff valves
Exercise circuit breakers
Test relief valve on water heater (Note: If you haven't done this before, be prepared for the valve to stick in the open position)
Vacuum smoke detectors, heating registers, vents, ducts, and radiators
Clean out dryer vent duct

SPRING

Clean faucet aerators and showerheads
Clean refrigerator drain pan and vacuum condenser coil
Clean kitchen exhaust fan filters
Vacuum bathroom vent fan covers
Examine caulk and grout in shower, repair as needed
Clean dishwasher food filters and check that openings in spray arms are clear
Open hose bibs, check for leaks
Clean gutters and downspouts after trees have seeded, repair as needed
Hose off house exterior, scrub off any mildew
Clean gaps between deck boards, treat deck for fungus and mildew
Clean around air conditioner compressor
Inspect weatherstripping, replace as needed
Inspect screens, repair as needed
Clean out under decks and porches
Clean out basement window wells
Clean sliding door tracks and lubricate with white lithium compound
Inspect septic field and tank area for flooding or odor
Have septic tank inspected and pumped as needed
Tune up lawn mower
Rake debris off lawn after soil dries out
Aerate lawn
Inspect basement/crawl space, house, and attic for signs of pests such as termites, carpenter ants, wasps, and hornets

SUMMER

Clean faucet aerators and showerheads
Clean refrigerator drain pan and vacuum condenser coil
Clean kitchen exhaust fan filters
Vacuum bathroom vent fan covers
Examine caulk and grout in shower, repair as needed
Clean dishwasher food filters and check that openings in spray arms are clear
Examine windows, reglaze as needed
Look for cracks in foundation and brick or stucco siding, repair as needed
Clean and lubricate garage door tracks

FALL

Clean faucet aerators and showerheads
Clean refrigerator drain pan and vacuum condenser coil
Clean kitchen exhaust fan filters
Vacuum bathroom vent fan covers
Examine caulk and grout in shower, repair as needed
Clean dishwasher food filters and check that openings in spray arms are clear
Close and drain hose bibs, drain and store hoses
Trim foundation plantings to leave a foot of clear space between plantings and house
Rake debris away from side of house and other structures
Clean gutters and downspouts, repair as needed
Check roof and roof penetrations for leaks
Trim any tree branches near or touching roof or gutters
Check all exterior caulk, repair as needed
Examine weatherstripping, replace as needed
Clear storm window weep holes of debris
Clean out under decks and porches
Clean out basement window wells
Check septic field and tank area for flooding or odor
Fertilize lawn
Clean around air conditioner compressor, then cover
Fill any cracks in driveway and sidewalks
Winterize lawn mower and clean yard and garden tools
Have fireplace and flues inspected and cleaned, repair as needed
Schedule heating system tune-up and cleaning
In cold climates, mulch gardens with leaves or straw after the ground freezes