Your home’s maintenance needs change just as the seasons do. The kind of upkeep you’ll need to do in the winter may not be applicable in the summertime. If you don’t adequately prepare for these changes, you and your family’s comfort and safety may be in jeopardy. Here’s a handy checklist to help keep you up-to-date with your home’s upkeep according to the season:
Summer
Summer brings with it high temperatures and low humidity. It’s the perfect time to spend outdoors on your lawn or backyard, as well as to make any necessary repairs that you couldn’t do during the previous seasons.
- Mow your lawn and clear any debris. You can do this yourself, but seeking out the services of residential mowers can help you get the job done more efficiently. These kinds of services will do more than just mow your lawn for you, they can also get rid of weeds and pests, fertilize, aerate, and dethatch your yard.
- Make necessary repairs to the exteriors of your house, including your deck. Give it a fresh coat of paint as needed.
- Check the condition of fences and gates. Wash the surfaces, oil any hinges, and apply a sealant as needed.
- Prune your trees and trim your shrubs.
- Do a thorough inspection of any pest infestations, especially for termites, since warm weather tends to speed up their life cycle.
Fall
Temperatures during the fall season are moderate, bordering on the cooler side, with low precipitation. Most home maintenance tasks done during this period are to prepare your home for the winter months.
- Clean your chimney or call for a professional chimney cleaning service to do this for you.
- Aerate your lawn and rake or sweep away any excess debris or leaves.
- Remove debris and leaves that have accumulated in downspouts and gutters.
- Inspect your fireplace for any damage and clean it thoroughly.
- Patch up any holes or cracks on your doors and windows with sealant, weather stripping or caulk. Replace or repair them if you notice they’re drafty.
Winter
Depending on where you live, the wintertime can be incredibly rough on your house. The freezing temperatures bring with it plenty of issues, such as broken gutters, mold, and cracked foundations. It’s all about damage control during this season.
- Check your gutters and roof for any debris, leaves, and ice dams, and quickly remove them as needed.
- Make sure falling branches from trees aren’t a danger to your home and utility poles.
- Air out bathroom and kitchen doors to let in warm air around plumbing and add extra insulation to pipes.
- Cover up your air conditioner.
- Clean out any dirt and debris that build up in your sump pump.
Spring
Fresh grass, blooming buds, and mild weather mean spring is here. Spring cleaning and maintenance consists of cleaning up after the mess left over during the winter.
- Drain out your gutters and remove any leftover leaves or debris. The same goes for your downspouts.
- Inspect your roof for any damage to your flashing, vents, leaks, and shingles.
- Replace or clean our your air-conditioner filter.
- Remove the insulation from indoor and outdoor faucets or pipes.
- Fertilize and clear out any remaining debris on your lawn.
Make sure your home can survive the elements by keeping these handy yearly house maintenance tips in mind.