Maintenance Schedule

Invest a few hours each month, and you can keep your house looking great and avoid expensive repairs down the road. Below is my smart homeowner’s maintenance schedule.

January

This is a good time to address some interior issues…

• Start a to-do list. Walk through your home, jotting down projects and maintenance problems you notice or that have been on your mind. Carry a screwdriver and a can of machine oil or WD-40 so you can immediately take care of minor issues, such as loose door knobs and squeaky hinges.
• De-clutter your closets. Throw away anything you don’t need. Buy additional shelves, hooks and boxes to organize everything that remains. Next: De-clutter the laundry room, another often disorganized, small space.
• Consider your flooring. January is a slow month for carpet sellers and floor refinishers, so it is a good time to get a deal on a replacement or spruce-up.

February

Tackle more indoor tasks before the warmer weather arrives…

• Examine bathroom and kitchen caulking. If you find gaps between the tub or shower and the floor and walls, or between the countertop and backsplash, re-caulk.  Check the tile around bathtubs and shower edges to make sure they are caulked and secure.
• Check under sinks and around toilets and showers for signs of leaks. Fill sinks with water, open the drain and with a wad of toilet tissue rub down the entire drain pipe to check for leaks.  Also repair dripping faucets and make sure faucet aerators are not clogged — if you don’t know how, a local handyman may do the job at about half the price of a plumber. Save plumbers for bigger, complex jobs.
• Replace any rubber clothes washer hoses with braided metal hoses to insure against a split hose, water disaster.
• Call to have your central air-conditioning serviced. Set up the appointment now for March or April to avoid the summer rush. The service will make sure that your compressor and air handler is working well and that the condensate drain is clear.
• Don’t forget to periodically check and replace all your return air filters and vacuum out the area behind the filter to keep your system working efficiently.  Most manufacturers recommend filter replacement every 30 days.  Get a Sharpie and mark the filters with the date you installed them to help keep you on schedule. Check new filter for the arrow showing air flow direction and install accordingly.
• Inspect all electrical cords, wall switch plates, and receptacles for damage and wear.  Make sure receptacles are secured tightly.  If you have young children in the home make sure receptacles have appropriate child-proof covers.
• Periodically check all GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) receptacles found in kitchens, bath, garage and exterior. Push in lower button – top button should pop out then re-set by pushing in top button. Contact licensed electrician to replace/repair if not working properly.
• Periodically check all AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupters) found in main electrical circuit breaker box – by pushing the small blue button on breakers supplying power to bedrooms.  Re-set circuit breaker by pushing it all the way to “OFF” then back to the “ON” position.  These are found primarily in newer homes and are a fire safety feature.  Again, contact a licensed electrician to replace/repair if not working properly.

March

Winter’s ending. It’s time to…

• Search for peeling exterior paint. Harsh winter weather can cause caulking to loosen and paint to chip, peel or flake, exposing wood to the elements and giving water a place to enter.  Caulk around all window and door trim where needed. Touch up bare spots now with paint to prevent moisture problems later. First, scrape and sand any loose paint, then prime and add at least one top coat.
• Prep your lawn. Apply a pre-emergent fertilizer to your grass in March (or as soon as the snow melts), and you’ll have fewer weeds and healthier grass come April. A local nursery can recommend a fertilizer appropriate for your yard.
• Examine the foundation. Take a walk around the exterior and interior of your foundation (if accessible) in search of cracks. Small cracks should be filled with caulk and monitored to make sure they aren’t widening. If you see large cracks, call a home inspector, building contractor or structural engineer to inspect. Check all cement walkways and driveways. If you find a crack, use a leaf blower to clear out debris, then seal with caulk made for your type of surface (asphalt, concrete, etc.). Use mortar only if the crack is more than a half-inch wide.
• Check all wooden siding, trim and untreated lumber making sure it is not in contact with the ground.  Such contact can lead to wood rot and is an invitation to wood destroying insects.
• Check your outside AC condenser unit and make sure that there are no leaves, mulch or other debris blocking the air flow around the fins.  Make sure that insulation on the suction line (the larger cold one) is in place all the way to your inside air handler and that the condenser unit looks level and is secure on its pad.  Call your HVAC service company to repair if necessary.
  Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change the clocks for daylight saving time.  Contact alarm companies for periodic check of hard-wired systems.
• Examine the exterior hood of your dryer vent.  Remove any lint build-up.  Periodically disconnect the dryer vent hose from your dryer and clean it out.  A leaf blower works well to blow it out. Lint build up in dryer vent hoses causes over 10,000 house fires every year.  Make sure hose is flexible metal and not plastic.  Keep hose as straight and as short as possible for better air flow and more efficient drying and less lint built-up.

April

Start your spring cleaning…This is a really good time to de-clutter your garage and get your yard tools ready for spring clean-up and planting.

• Wash your windows, both inside and out. Also scrub the window frames and shutters. Replace storm windows and doors with screens.
• Pressure-wash outside surfaces. Spray sidewalks, driveways, exterior siding, decks and fences. Pressure washers can be rented for $50 to $75 a day — split the rental cost with a neighbor. Important: High-powered pressure washers can damage siding and decks if used improperly. Read the unit’s operating instructions carefully.
• Test your underground lawn sprinkler system. Monitor the system through a full cycle to make sure it survived the winter in good shape. Some sprinkler heads might need to be cleaned or adjusted.
• Degrease your barbecue grill with a stiff brush and detergent. Gas grills require disassembly to clean burners. Use a soap solution (kid’s bubble solution will work) in a spray bottle to check the regulator and hoses for leaks (see your owner’s manual).
• Periodically check all gas line connections (around the gas meter, your furnace and in your crawl space or basement) using the same soap solution, to determine if you have any gas leaks in your system. Don’t forget to also include your gas fireplace.  Immediately call your gas company if leaks are found.
• Clean and check gutters. Remove leaves and other debris from gutters. If you find any cracks or leaky seals, clean the area and use a putty knife to apply a thick coat of butyl rubber caulk. When the caulk dries, flush out your downspouts with a garden hose. If the downspouts don’t effectively divert the water away from your foundation, buy splash blocks or drain hoses and place one at each gutter downspout.

May

• Vacuum window air conditioners, and then make sure there is no air leakage around them (use removable rope caulk if necessary) and they are operating properly.
• Examine your deck for signs of deterioration. Tighten screws and railing bolts, and hammer down any exposed nails. Clean and reseal wood surfaces. Also check patio furniture for rust. Scrub rusted areas with a wire brush, then prime and paint.
• Check and repair weather stripping and caulking. Gaps around your doors and windows inflate energy bills.

June

Time to make some final preparations for the hot weather…

• If you have a fan in the gable end of your home to evacuate hot air from your attic, make sure it is working. Confirm that the turbine vents spin freely. While you’re in the attic, look for signs of moisture that might indicate the roof is leaking.
• Hire a chimney sweep. If you use your fireplace regularly, you should have the chimney cleaned at least every other year. The best time to schedule an appointment is early summer, when business is slow for chimney sweeps.

July

The month for outdoor projects…

• Paint. July is warm and relatively dry (in most regions), making it a good time for exterior painting projects.
• Inspect your roof shingles. If you don’t want to risk climbing on your roof, use binoculars to carefully scan it for damaged and missing shingles.  Trim any tree or shrubs back away from the roof and siding.
• Care for your garage door. Tighten screws and bolts. Make sure the auto-reverse is working. Use light grease recommended in the owner’s manual to lube the rollers. Important: Don’t use a spray-on lube, which will sprinkle down on the car when you open the door.

August

August is the time to tackle those remaining outdoor projects or head inside if you’ve had enough sun…

• Mend fences. Replace broken or rotting boards. Repaint fences if necessary. Oil hinges on gates.
• Trim bushes and shrubs around your house. Your home has an increased risk of mold and mildew problems if you let plants grow within 12 inches of its exterior walls.
• Call to have your gas or oil furnace or boiler serviced. It is best to set up the appointment before the cool weather comes. For forced-air furnaces, don’t forget, install a new filter every month during peak heating and cooling seasons.

September

Summer’s over. Time to…

• Protect your firewood. Cover your woodpile with a tarp, or move a winter’s worth of wood into the garage or under an overhang, where it will stay dry. Outside – store wood well away from house to discourage insect infestation.
• Drain and refill your water heater. Cleaning out sediment once a year will improve efficiency and extend the life of the unit. Check the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Clean bathroom exhaust fans and kitchen vent hoods. Dust, dirt and mold can build up, reducing efficiency and air quality. Vacuum the fan assembly. Clean the grille and vent hoods with a mild detergent, and dry with a soft cloth. Never use abrasive cleansers.
• Shut down dehumidifiers for the year. Empty the reservoir completely, and wipe it down with a bleach solution to kill any mold growth.

October

Cold weather’s on the way…

• Take in or cover outdoor equipment. Clean and store the barbecue and patio furniture. Change the mower’s oil, clean its blades and drain the gas. Call now to get mower serviced and blades sharpened during the slow winter months. Call your town to find out about disposal points for the drained gas.
• Drain your lawn sprinkler system. Follow your system’s winterization instructions. Also, store hoses and turn off the water to outside faucets if they are not frost free. Leave non-frost free faucets slightly open so that they drain.
• Rake often. Aim for every week or so when leaves are falling. If you wait until the end of the season, the job will be much harder, and your lawn will be starved for sun. Buy a leaf blower if raking is too hard on your back.
• Service your generator if you have one. Stock up on flashlights, candles, canned food and water in case of power outages.

November

Late-fall chores…

• Tidy up your yard. Trim plants, re-mulch gardens and rake up the last leaves to keep your yard looking nice through March.
• Clean and stow lawn and garden tools. Use a wire brush to remove any rust, and apply a thin film of oil to metal-on-metal surfaces.
• Replace batteries in fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Do this when you adjust clocks for the end of daylight saving time.

December

Winter is here…

• Make sure extension cords for holiday decorations that are used outside are rated for this use. All outdoor lights should also be plugged into a ground-fault-interrupter (GFCI) receptacle.
• Add adhesive-backed nonskid strips to wooden stairs and other dangerous areas, because you will be indoors more.  Stock up on sand or other ice melt products to keep walkways free of ice.