Home Maintenance Schedule

Quarterly

Plumbing

Drains

Clean with baking soda. Check the basement floor drain to ensure the trap contains water. Refill with water if necessary.

Pipes

Inspect visible pipes for leaks.

Kitchen and bathroom cabinets

Check under and around for leaks.

Toilets

Check for stability and leaks.

Water heater

Check area around water heater for leaks. If you have hard water, drain 1-2 gallons water.

Interior

Wood cabinets and trim

Apply a wood protectant.

Interior doors

Lubricate hinges.

Garage door

Lubricate hardware. Inspect mechanism for free travel.

Window and door tracks

Check to see if weep holes are open. Clean out dirt and dust. Lubricate rollers and latches.

Basement or crawl space

Inspect the crawl space or basement walls after rains for water accumulation or excessive moisture. Look for signs of water damage on the sub floor and joists beneath bathrooms, the kitchen and laundry. Find and fix leaks now or pay the price later.

Ceramic tile

Check and clean grout.

Electrical and appliances

Heating and cooling systems

Clean and replace filters if necessary.

Kitchen exhaust fan

Remove and clean the filter. Clean accumulated grease deposits from the fan housing.

Refrigerator

Vacuum radiator grilles on back of refrigerators and freezers and clean dust from top. Clean refrigerator drain pan. Clean and defrost freezer if necessary.

Dishwasher

Check for leaks.

Wiring, electrical cords, and plugs

Check for wear or damage. Replace if necessary.

Smoke detector

Test for proper operation and replace batteries if necessary.

GFI outlets

Test for proper operation.

Exterior

Foundation

Inspect visible areas, vents, and ducts for cracks, leaks, or blockages.

Landscaping

Ensure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall, so that rain water does not drain towards your basement walls. Soil should slope four to six inches for a distance of three feet out from the foundation walls.

Concrete and asphalt

Clean oil and grease.

Fall

Plumbing

Plumbing shut-off valves

Inspect for proper operation.

Outside faucets

Drain and store outdoor hoses. Close the valve supplying the outdoor hose connection and drain the hose bib (exterior faucet), unless your house contains frost proof hose bibs.

Water heater

Flush out hot water to remove accumulated sediment.

Faucet aerators

Check for proper flow of water. If the flow is reduced, clean the aerator screens. During the first two months, the faucet aerators could require more frequent cleaning.

Interior

Attic

Examine for evidence of any leaks. Check insulation and remove or add if necessary. Check for evidence of birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc. Check for proper ventilation.

Countertops

Inspect for separations at sinks and backsplash. Recaulk where required.

Tiled areas

Inspect for loose or missing grout or caulking. Regrout or recaulk if necessary.

Bathroom

Vacuum bathroom fan grille.

Weather stripping

Check caulking around windows and doors. Check window and door screens. Adjust or replace if necessary.

Garage doors

Lubricate the automatic garage door opener motor, chain, etc. and ensure that the auto-reverse mechanism is properly adjusted. Make sure all bolts and screws are properly tightened and secured. I highly recommend that every homeowner install an auto-closer on the hinges of the fire rated door between the garage and the house.

Fireplace

Inspect flues. Clean if necessary. Inspect fireplace brick and mortar for cracks or damage.

Electrical and appliances

Heating system

Have all heating and cooling systems checked by a qualified serviceperson once a year or according to the manufacturer's warranty and service recommendations. Failure to do manufacturer-recommended servicing may void warranties.

Cooling system

Remove debris from around units and clean with garden hose. Remove window air conditioner or protect with weatherproof cover. Clean and replace filters if necessary.

Refrigerator coils

Clean.

Combustible appliances

Inspect and service if necessary.

Exterior

Roof

Check for leaks. Check for damaged, loose, or missing shingles. Check vents and louvers for birds, nests, squirrels, and insects. Check flashing around roof stacks, vents, and skylights for leaks.

Chimney

Clean and check for deteriorating bricks and mortar. Check for leaks. Check for birds, nests, squirrels, and insects.

Gutters and downspouts

Clean and check for leaks, misalignment, or damage.

Exterior walls

Check exterior wood siding and trim for signs of deterioration such as peeling or cracked paint. Clean, replace or refinish as needed. If you decide to repaint your house yourself, you can cut this job down to size by painting just one or two walls per year. Typically, the paint on the south and west-facing walls deteriorates faster and requires more frequent re-coating than paint on north or east-facing walls. Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding that could be an entry point for small pests such as bats, mice, squirrels and chipmunks.

Landscaping

Trim shrubbery around walls. Remove tree limbs, branches, or debris that can attract insects (no wood or shrubbery should be closer than 3 inches to your house). Maintain grading.

Concrete and asphalt

Check for cracks or deterioration. Reseal or repair if necessary.

Septic system

Examine septic system drain field for flooding and odor. Have tank pumped yearly.

Lawn and patio furniture

Clean and store or cover with weatherproof material.

Spring

Plumbing

Drains

If you have a plumbing fixture that is not used frequently, for example, a laundry tub or spare bathroom sink, tub or shower stall, run some water briefly to keep water in the trap. This prevents sewer gases from entering the living area.

Water heater

Flush out hot water to remove accumulated sediment.

Faucets and shower heads

Check interior and exterior faucets for leaks. Open valve to outside hose connection after all danger of frost has passed. Clean aerators. Replace washers if necessary.

Interior

Attic

Examine for evidence of any leaks. Check insulation and remove or add if necessary. Check for evidence of birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc. Check for proper ventilation.

Countertops

Inspect for separations at sinks and backsplash. Recaulk where required.

Laundry

Disconnect the duct connected to the dryer and vacuum lint from duct, the areas surrounding your clothes dryer and your dryers' vent hood outside.

Basement

Monitor basement humidity and avoid relative humidity levels above 60 per cent. Use a dehumidifier to maintain safe relative humidity.

Tiled areas

Inspect for loose or missing grout or caulking. Regrout or recaulk if necessary.

Shower doors/tub enclosures

Check caulking around sinks, bathtubs, and showers. Some types of caulking become brittle with age, and therefore useless as a water seal. Replace with a long-lasting resilient caulking material, such as silicone or latex.

Weather stripping

Check caulking around windows and doors. Check window and door screens. Adjust or replace if necessary.

Electrical and appliances

Heating and cooling system

Shut down and clean furnace humidifier (if applicable), and close the furnace humidifier damper, as this will not be needed until next heating season. Have central air-conditioning unit checked according to the recommendations of the unit's manufacturer or every two or three years. Replace the filter in the forced-air system. Clean debris from the exterior condenser or heat pump.

Circuit breakers

Exercise.

Refrigerator

Clean coils.

Sump Pump

Check to make sure your sump pump works properly by pouring water into the pump silo to raise the float and activate the motor. Ensure discharge pipe is connected and allows water to drain away from the foundation and inspect the hose line for obstructions or visible leaks.

Exterior

Decks

Clean and seal decks. Ideally, you'll need three consecutive warm, sunny days. On day one, dry out the deck. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck on the second day and let it dry 24 hours. On the third day, apply deck sealer.

Roof

Clean. Check for leaks. Check for damaged, loose or missing shingles. Check vents and louvers for birds, nests, squirrels, and insects. Check flashing around roof stacks, vents, and skylights for leaks. If you have access to attic spaces, check underneath the roof for stains that indicate leaks, especially from "flashed" areas. Tar these exterior flashing areas if necessary.

Chimney

Clean and check for deteriorating bricks and mortar. Check for leaks. Check for birds, nests, squirrels, and insects.

Gutters and downspouts

Clean and check for leaks, misalignment, or damage.

Windows

Inspect window putty on the outside of glass (single panes) and replace if needed.

Exterior walls

Check for deteriorating bricks and mortar. Check siding for damage or rot. Check painted surfaces for flaking.

Landscaping

Trim shrubbery around walls. Remove tree limbs, branches, or debris that can attract insects (no wood or shrubbery should be closer than 3 inches to your house). Maintain grading.

Concrete and asphalt

Clean and repair cracks in concrete driveways using epoxy patching material. Repair asphalt driveways using asphalt patching material. Seal asphalt driveways every other year.