Home maintenance essentials by season.

Fall: Prep for colder months ahead.

Finish up summer tasks and make sure your place is ready for plummeting temperatures and harsh weather. 

• Clean clogged gutters to prevent water damage and ice dams. 
• Make sure your heating systems are working. Flush your hot water heater to get rid of buildup. Inspect your furnace filters, and swap them out if needed. 
• Check the weather stripping on windows and doors so that brisk winter drafts stay out and heat stays in. 
• Turn off sprinklers and outdoor faucets. Research what you need to do to protect and winterize your pipes for your particular climate. 
• Test your sump pump to keep your basement nice and dry. 
• Check your roof for cracks to save you from any nasty surprises at the first snow. 

>>Get the full fall home maintenance checklist.

Winter: Fix up your home’s interior.

You shouldn’t take on a big remodel in the winter. But now’s the ideal time to handle any indoor projects you’ve been putting off all year. Winter also means an influx of guests during the holidays.

Here’s how to get your place ready: 

• Refresh the paint on your walls. Unless you like it when your mother-in-law comments on what an “interesting” choice your current color is.  
• Hire a house cleaner to deep clean your kitchen, powder rooms and any guest rooms. You’ll need more help than you think to dust off rarely-used china and glassware too.  
• Get your carpet cleaned before your guests arrive. But if they have kids… wait until after they’ve left. 
• Inspect your fixtures. Check all your locks and deadbolts. Tighten up doorknobs, handles and any loose screws. 
• Clean your showerheads. They can get dirtier than you think. Remove the showerhead, and put it in a big bowl. Mix one cup of white vinegar with three cups of boiling water. Pour it over the showerhead. Let it soak for five to six hours. 
• Check and repair any bathroom caulking. Caulking can wear and crack over time, leading to water damage and mold.
• Check spots where the caulking often gets wet, like the base of your bathtub.
• Switch your ceiling fan rotation to the up position. The fan will draw warmer air from the ceiling and push it down.
• Get your septic tank professionally pumped before hosting begins. holiday guests can be challenging for your plumbing, especially if you’re in an older home. Pump your septic tank at least once every three years. 

Spring: Prep for warm weather.

There’s more to post-winter home maintenance than spring cleaning. Your house has been through a lot — rain, snow, ice. Now’s the time to get it ready for the sweltering summer heat. 

• Get your air conditioning ready. Inspect and swap out the air filters in your air conditioner. Or hire an HVAC specialist to service your unit. 
• Inspect your home’s exterior. Is the paint chipped? Is the siding loose? Take note of any home repairs that need to be done. Make sure to check your roof for damage or leaks. If the damage is beyond your DIY skills, hire a roofing professional. 
• Get the gunk out of your gutters. You’ll want those flowing properly when spring showers hit.
• Clean and inspect your windows. Repair or replace any damaged window screens before the summer. Now’s a great time to get your storm windows cleaned if you have them. 

Summer: Handle outdoor repairs and improvements.

Now that you don’t have to worry about unpredictable spring weather, spend summer fixing up your home’s exterior. 

• Pressure wash your home's exterior. Clean your walkways, patio and other outdoor areas, and get your deck cleaned for summer entertaining.
• Check any exterior exhaust vents. Run the clothes dryer and check the exhaust. If what’s coming out of your dryer vent doesn’t smell like fresh, clean laundry, you may need to hire a vent specialist to check for blockages. 
• Repair and paint fences. Wet weather causes warping and can wear away your finish. 
• Clean out your garage. Who knows what’s piled up in there?
• Switch the direction of your ceiling fans. Put the blades in a down position so they turn counterclockwise. They’ll push cool air down and help warmer air rise. 

Source: Thumbtack