Home Maintenance Checklist

Here’s a list of routine home maintenance that we recommend completing at least once a year. In many cases, catching small issues early can head off bigger problems, which can decrease the cost and stress involved in resolving them.

• Interior Maintenance:

  • Test GFCI receptacles. GFCIs are the outlets with buttons on the face. Manufacturers recommend testing these monthly, using the buttons on the front of the outlet. If they don’t reset using the reset button, they may need to be replaced.

  • Replace intake filters for your furnace or air conditioning system. These filters should be changed at least once every six months to maintain the efficiency of your system.

  • Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Any devices more than ten years old should be replaced. If the device doesn’t have a manufacturer date listed on the back, it’s probably more than ten years old. Each home is required to have at least one smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in the common area of each floor of the house and one smoke detector in each bedroom. Many people choose to test their alarms when daylight savings starts and stops, which is an easy way to remember to test every six months.

  • Change the filter cartridge on your water filters, including your refrigerator if it has an ice maker or water dispenser. The cartridges will generally say often replacement is needed. Many recommend replacement every six months.

  • Check the caulking around your tubs and showers. If the caulking is starting to peel away or has visible mildew, it should be replaced.

  • Check around your plumbing fixtures for signs of leaks. Make sure all your shut-off valves operate smoothly. It’s so much easier to resolve these issues before they cause a plumbing emergency.

  • Check the fill valve and flapper on your toilets. A continuously running toilet is one of the largest sources of wasted water.

  • Clean your bathroom and laundry room exhaust fans. Build up of dust on the grill, housing, and fan blade can lead to worse fan performance and a shorter motor life.

  • Clean your dryer duct. A buildup of lint inside the dryer duct will lead to longer drying times, make the dryer less energy efficient, and is a fire hazard.

  • Check washing machine hoses. If they have signs of bulging, they should be replaced right away. If they look old, it may be a good idea to replace them with new stainless steel braided hoses.

• Exterior Maintenance:

  • Make sure your house numbers are visible from the front of the street. This may include replacing the numbers if they have been painted over, or replacing burned out bulbs in backlit numbers. Emergency services should be able to find your home quickly, day or night.

  • Check your exterior plumbing fixtures for leaks or signs of corrosion. Make sure all your shut off valves operate smoothly. As with your interior fixtures, it's always better to catch these things before they become critical issues and increase your water bill.

  • Check your window screens for damage that may allow bugs to get inside. If the frame is still in good condition, it can likely be rescreened fairly easily.

  • Check for water and insect damage in the trim and siding around the exterior of your home. It leaves your home susceptible to further decay, so dealing with it promptly is the best way to minimize the damage.

  • Clean the gutters and flush downspouts. If your roof is near a tree that sheds heavily, consider having gutter guards installed to cut down on clogs and overflow.

  • Check your walkways, driveway, and other concrete for cracks. Seal any cracks you find. Rainwater entering these cracks can erode the soil beneath the concrete and cause further cracking.

  • Check the weatherstripping around exterior doors. If you can see light around the edges or at the bottom of the door, it probably needs some attention to eliminate drafts and maintain your home’s energy efficiency.

  • Check foundation vents and attic vents for tears in the screening. An opening the size of a quarter is large enough for a mouse to enter.

  • Check for loose or leaning fence posts. Weak posts can lead to more wind damage during a storm.

If you run into any challenges with these checks or need assistance with the repairs, please feel free to reach out. We’re here for you and we’re glad to answer questions or assist you in any way we can.