Like many chores, it can be easy to lose track of home maintenance tasks.
Which tasks need to be done monthly, seasonally, or annually? How do I keep track of ongoing maintenance and visual inspections? What can I do on my own, and when should I bring in a professional?
If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, we’re here to help.
While home maintenance is certainly not the most glorious aspect of home ownership, it is the most important. By following a home maintenance schedule, you can keep things running smoothly inside and outside of your home, ensure your home’s safety, protect your investment by preserving your home’s value, and even save you money by keeping appliances efficient and avoiding costly emergency repairs.
When Should You Phone a Pro?
Good news! Many of the ongoing tasks on your home to-do list are ones you can tackle yourself, but it’s important to recognize when you can DIY and when it’s time to bring in the professionals.
For some tasks like clearing debris and testing your smoke alarms, the answer is obvious—you can do those yourself. For other tasks like electrical work or roof repairs—phone a pro for help. But what about when the lines blur?
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
- How complex is this project?
- How many hours of work would it take me compared to a professional?
- What is my skill level in this area?
- Are there any safety risks involved in this project?
- Do I have the proper tools necessary to complete this project?
- Would the cost of materials (or even potential mistakes) outweigh the cost of hiring a professional?
Hometown Restyling is Now Your Local Handyman
When you need a pro, Hometown Restyling’s high-quality handyman services can help! After over 40 years of being Eastern Iowa’s trusted remodeler and after years of requests for household handyman work, we’re now here for your quick fixes and ongoing maintenance needs.
Some of our most common services include:
- Cabinetry Repairs
- Deck repairs
- Door installation
- Drywall repair
- Exhaust fan installation
- Flooring
- Interior and exterior railing installation
- Painting
- Hardware replacements
- Rotten wood issues
- Window shutter installation
- And more!
Home Maintenance Help
Then there are the times you may not need someone to come fix a problem, but to help prevent them. Quality ongoing help doesn’t have to be hard to come by.
Aging or injury doesn’t have to impact your ability to be a homeowner. Hometown Restyling offers regular home maintenance services starting as low as $100 a month for those struggling with home upkeep. We’re here to get to those hard-to-reach spots and heavy lifts while lending a helpful professional eye for routine visual inspections.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Reach out!
Step 2: We’ll meet you in person before your first appointment to determine your needs and how often you need us to visit.
Step 3: We’ll get started with the first appointment.
Take the worry out of home upkeep. Get a free quote today!
Maintenance Schedule and Checklist
Your home maintenance schedule, all in one place. We created this checklist to help you stay organized and knowledgeable about your home’s needs.
Monthly
These are typically quicker, easy tasks to help catch minor problems before they become major and to keep things running smoothly.
Test smoke alarms and CO detectors
Inspect sink, shower, and bathtub drains for debris
Check the water softener and replace salt. If you have a newer model, you may be able to extend this timeline to every 6-8 weeks. Newer models tend to be more efficient with salt use.
Clean garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes, then flushing with hot water and baking soda.
Check for signs of pests under appliances, near wood structures, and any cracks or corners
Seasonally
Winter
Don’t hibernate just yet! These tasks will help your home stay in tip-top shape all winter long.
Replace the HVAC filter (roughly every 3 months).
Check and change furnace filter.
Inspect for ice dams and icicles. Icicles, in large quantities, and ice dams may be a sign of poor ventilation in your home.
Seal any gaps around doors and windows where heat may be escaping.
Watch out for freezing pipes. Tip: If you’re going away on a trip in the winter, leave the heat on at least 60ºF to avoid frozen pipes. For short trips, you can also leave faucets dripping.
Leaving for warmer weather this winter? Follow our Snowbird Winter Home Maintenance Checklist for leaving your home in great shape.
Spring
Winter can be tough on any home, especially if you live in Eastern Iowa. This season’s goal is surveying the damage from below-zero temperatures and inclement weather.
Replace the HVAC filter (roughly every 3 months).
Roof Inspection – Keep this task visual-only! According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, roughly 500,000 people are injured in ladder-related incidents yearly.
Check gutters. The buildup of ice, snow, or foliage can weigh down your gutters and cause drainage issues.
Inspect the foundation for cracks that can occur from the freezing and melting of ice.
Walk through the yard to look for standing water spots where mosquitos can breed.
Prune and trim all branches or plants that touch your home to prevent damage and pests.
Check all exposed wood for wood rot and replace, if needed.
Summer
Before your grand summer plans kick off, don’t forget to give your home some TLC.
Replace the HVAC filter (roughly every 3 months).
Power wash the home deck and siding.
Inspect your deck and siding.
Give your landscaping some love.
Change the direction of your ceiling fans to counterclockwise. This will direct cool air down!
Clean air vents. When it’s time to turn the heat on, you don’t want months of built-up dirt and dust circulating your home.
Wash your windows and window screens. This is also a great time to inspect your window frames, ensuring caulking and seal around the windows are in good condition.
Fall
The days are getting shorter and it’s time to prepare your home for cold weather with these tasks:
Replace the HVAC filter (roughly every 3 months).
Cover your AC unit. When the temperature drops, it’s a good idea to cover your unit to protect the coils from debris and ice.
Inspect and clean the fireplace and chimney. This is important to get rid of creosote, a dark tar-like flammable substance. The longer it goes unnoticed, the harder it is to clean!
Clean your gutters and downspouts. Debris can weigh gutters down and potentially damage siding and trim.
Have your furnace inspected and cleaned. This routine maintenance will help you avoid breakdowns during the cold winter months.
Clean and store your outdoor/lawn equipment.
Turn off and drain any outdoor faucets.
Annually
These annual tasks help you to protect your investment for years to come. Since these will be done less frequently than most home tasks, it’s important to keep track of when these tasks are completed each year.
Clean your dryer vents to prevent fires.
Clean refrigerator condenser coils. You can do this more than once a year if you have pets that shed.
Drain and flush your water heater to remove collected sediment. This can extend the life of your water heater (and even lower energy bills!).
Inspect your sump pump to ensure it’s ready when needed.
Use a hygrometer to check the humidity levels in your basement. Humidity can be an early indicator of future problems for your home, your health, and your belongings!
Check the expiration date on fire extinguishers.
Inspect your driveway and walkways for cracks and damage.
Deep clean carpets and flooring.
While this checklist may look like an abundance of tasks, you’ll be shocked to see how quickly you can make it through most of them! And if you find yourself needing to call in reinforcements, our friendly and knowledgeable team at Hometown Restyling is ready to help.
