Free Guide

The Home Maintenance Checklist

A little upkeep keeps your home’s big systems out of the repair shop. Here’s exactly what to do, season by season. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and check the boxes as you go.

🖨 Tip: press Ctrl/Cmd + P to print or save this as a PDF.

Spring

  • Have your AC serviced before the first hot day — a $100 tune-up beats a July breakdown
  • Replace HVAC air filters (do this every 1–3 months all year)
  • Clear leaves and debris from the outdoor condenser unit
  • Test your sump pump by pouring in a bucket of water
  • Check outdoor faucets and hoses for freeze damage
  • Clean refrigerator coils so it runs cooler and lasts longer
  • Flush the water heater to clear sediment (add up to years of life)

Summer

  • Keep AC vents clear of furniture and rugs so air flows
  • Watch for water pooling around the AC — a clogged drain line is an easy early catch
  • Clean the dryer vent (a clogged vent is a fire risk and kills the dryer)
  • Check for slow drains and running toilets before they become big bills
  • Inspect the garbage disposal — never put grease or fibrous food down it
  • Test smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, replace batteries

Fall

  • Have the furnace or heat pump serviced before the first cold snap
  • Replace the furnace filter
  • Reverse ceiling fans to push warm air down
  • Drain and shut off outdoor faucets before the first freeze
  • Check the water heater temperature and pressure-relief valve
  • Clean gutters so water drains away from the foundation
  • Test the garage door auto-reverse safety feature

Winter

  • Keep interior doors open so heat circulates and pipes stay warm
  • Let faucets drip on the coldest nights to prevent frozen pipes
  • Change HVAC filters — heating runs hardest now
  • Watch for ice buildup in the freezer (a sign the seal or defrost is failing)
  • Know where your main water shut-off is before an emergency
  • Check for drafts around windows and doors and seal them

Every month

  • Swap or clean the HVAC filter
  • Run water in unused drains to keep traps sealed
  • Test smoke / CO detectors
  • Give appliances a quick look — leaks, odd noises, error codes

Maintenance can’t stop everything.

When a system finally gives out, a home warranty turns a four-figure surprise into a flat service fee. See what your home would cost to protect.

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