Home Maintenance for Dummies Checklist

Owning a home is a ton of work. We understand that this checklist may be daunting, but put it all in your phone’s reminders app and set them to automatically let you know when they need to be done.

Take a deep breath and let’s go through our checklist of maintenance tasks that you can do to keep your home’s occupants safe as well as prevent the most expensive damages.

Clean Your Gutters

Twice Per Year

You might not think to check your gutters often, but they are very important to guiding water away from your home. If you have trees or other foliage which clogs your gutters often, consider cutting them back so they don’t interfere with your gutters.

Get a Good Look at Your Roof

Once Per Year

Whether by drone or by ladder, get a closer look at your roof. Make sure to check both sides of the roof for anything that looks out of the ordinary. Get ahead of the curve if this repair needs to be completed.

Re-Caulking

Once Every 5 Years

Caulk is a cheap and easy fix to help prevent water damage which is often expensive if not also dangerous if moisture sticks around. At least once every 5 years, re-caulk around your windows, in your bathrooms and kitchen, and other areas where moisture needs to be contained.

Drain Your Hot Water Heater

Once Per year

Completely draining your water heater helps prevent sediment buildup. Check your manual or look up a YouTube video to learn how to do this relatively easy task to extend the life of your hot water heater.

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Have Your HVAC Serviced

Twice Per Year (Depending on Location)

It is best for you to get your HVAC serviced twice a year, once before the summer and once before winter to make sure you are ready for the coldest and warmest seasons. If you don’t get regular maintenance, make this a priority.

Change Your Filters

Frequency Varies

Some filters that need to be replaced periodically:

  • HVAC
  • Dishwasher
  • Fridge
  • Vacuum
  • Reverse Osmosis System

Keep note of appliances that have filters and check how often they should be replaced. Remember, it’s better to replace your filters often with cheaper filters than less often with expensive filters.

Smoke Alarms

Once a Month / Replaced Every 10 Years

Test your smoke detectors as well as your carbon monoxide detectors at least once a month and if your detectors are more than 10 years old, replace them. They are the first steps to letting you know that you need to leave your home – a simple test every month could save your life.

Service Your Garage Door

Once Per Year

You’d hate for your car to be stuck inside your garage, especially if it’s going to keep you from an important meeting or event. Your garage door will need maintenance and if you aren’t doing it periodically, you will eventually need emergency repairs. If your garage is making an unusual noise, have it looked at as quickly as possible.

Pest Control

Once Per Quarter

Call your local pest control team and see what critters are in your area and how often you should have someone come out to protect your home. Some are annoying, others are dangerous, and a few may even damage the structure of your house itself. The standard is once a quarter but that may vary depending on your particular situation. Either way, don’t wait for bugs and critters to be a problem before dealing with them.

Is there maintenance you regularly perform on your home that we missed?

If maintenance has become overwhelming and you’re looking to get out of your home, contact us today to discover your options.

Discover your home’s value and see your options today!

We’re here to walk you through each and every step of the process.

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