Like a car, your home needs regular maintenance and occasional tune-ups to stay in tip-top shape. Fortunately, you can complete most of these tasks yourself by following this season-by-season schedule of indoor and outdoor maintenance.

Image by pch.vector on Freepik

Spring Home Maintenance

In spring, focus on freshening up your home and protecting your property against the season's strong wind and rains.

Outdoor Tasks:

  • Clean gutters and downspouts

  • Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage

  • Touch up peeling or damaged paint

  • Wash all windows, inside and out

  • Install screens on windows and doors

  • Clean outdoor furniture

  • Service your lawn mower

  • Fertilize your lawn

Indoor Tasks:

  • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks forward

  • If your basement has a sump pump, test it by dumping a large bucket of water into the basin of the sump pump. This should activate the sump pump. If it does not switch on or if it's not pumping water, it may need to be serviced by a professional. Also, check for and remove any debris and make sure there are no leaks

  • Wash and change seasonal bedding

  • Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house

  • Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine, and cosmetics


Summer Home Maintenance

In summer, complete the following projects to keep your yard lush and your home cool.

Outdoor Tasks:

  • Walk around your home's exterior and slide open crawl space vents at the foundation

  • Prune trees and shrubs

  • Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent with a long, flexible brush

  • Uncover central air conditioner and install window air conditioners

Indoor Tasks:

  • Change or clean heating, ventilating, and air conditioning filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine whether you need to change filters more frequently

  • Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils

  • Maintain clean drains by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water

  • Drain or flush water heater


Fall Home Maintenance

In fall, prepare your home and yard for cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and more hours spent indoors.

Outdoor Tasks:

  • Clean gutters and downspouts

  • Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage

  • Rake leaves and shred to use as mulch or dispose of them based on local guidelines

  • Close or install storm windows

  • Remove hoses from spigots and drain and store indoors, coiled and flat

  • Store outdoor furniture and cushions

  • Test snow blower and have it professionally serviced if necessary

Indoor Tasks:

  • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks back in the fall. See our carbon monoxide detector buying guide

  • Check windows and doors for weather-tightness and install weather stripping where it's needed

  • Have furnace professionally inspected

  • Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house

  • Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine, and cosmetics


Winter Home Maintenance

In winter, enjoy energy-efficient warmth and the fruits of your home-maintenance labors. Use this time of the year to thoroughly clean and care for your home's interior while taking a few precautionary measures on the outside.

Outdoor Tasks:

  • Walk around your home's exterior and check the crawl space vents located at the foundation. Close any that are open

  • Protect your central air conditioning unit with a cover, and remove and store window air conditioners

  • Clean and store garden tools

  • Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spots

Indoor Tasks:

  • Change or clean furnace filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine how frequently the filters should be replaced

  • Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils

  • Maintain clean drains by adding one-half-cup baking soda followed by one-half-cup white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water


Print this image to use as your own personal check list: