Your home is most likely your biggest asset. Keeping your house well-maintained makes your home more enjoyable, cleaner, and healthier. And when you are ready to part way with your house, you can get a better price and sell it faster if it is well-maintained. Here is a checklist to help you maintain your home throughout the four seasons of the year.
Spring
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Change batteries as needed.
- Inspect HVAC air filter. Replace or clean as needed.
- Clean your windows inside and outside, including areas around the windows.
- Check window and door screens for holes and tears.
- Make repairs or replace the screens as needed.
- Replace your windows’ caulk and weather stripping.
- Test your sump pump in the basement. Sump pump pulls water away from your house and prevents flooding. If you have a sump pump, test it to make sure it is working.
- Inspect your roof. Look for missing or loose shingles, and clear away any debris that may have accumulated on the roof over the winter.
- Remove leaves and debris out of the gutters and downspouts. Wash off the gutters with water to check for leaks.
- Repair cracks in the driveway. Re-coat the driveway if needed (asphalt driveway only).
- Inspect ground around your house foundation.
- Trim away bushes, hedges, and trees that are too close to your house.
- If ground slopes toward the house, add soil and top off with mulch to build a slope away from the house.
- Check downspout extensions and diverters to make sure they carry water away from the house.
- Get a pest inspection and do treatments as needed.
- Service your lawn equipment.
- Apply pre-emergent weed killer and fertilizer to your lawn.
- Inspect your well and septic system.
Summer
- Inspect HVAC air filter. Replace or clean as needed.
- Clean your siding.
- For vinyl siding, power wash your siding to prevent mold from building up.
- For wood siding, lightly clean and do touch up painting as needed
- Touch up painting any exterior surfaces that have cracking or peeling paint.
- Re-stain or re-coat decks, porches, and patios.
- Flush your water heater.
- Clean lint from the dryer exhaust.
- Trim bushes and hedges, and prune your trees.
- Lubricate doors, windows, and garage doors.
Fall
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Change batteries as needed.
- Inspect HVAC air filter. Replace or clean as needed.
- Inspect and clean your fireplace and chimney.
- Clean the gutters and downspouts.
- Aerate the lawn.
- Apply fertilizer and seeds.
- Service your snowblower
Winter
- Store away lawn equipment and outdoor furniture.
- Drain and winterize exterior water spigots.
- Have salt and shovels ready.
- Insulate doors and windows as needed.
- Recaulk kitchen and bathrooms as needed.
More Articles You Might Like
Why Pre-Approval Should Be Your First Step
Why It Makes Sense to Sell Your House This Winter
How to Get Started with an Investment Property
Should You Keep Your Current House as a Rental?
Renting vs Buying: Which One is Right for You?
What is a Standard vs. Enhanced Title Insurance?
Common Loan Options of Home Purchase
Should You Request Mortgage Forbearance?
Pinyo is a full-service Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty and an insurance agent with McEvoy Insurance & Financial Services. He specializes in representing clients in the purchase and sale of residential and investment properties throughout Virginia and Maryland areas around DC.