Are you like most homeowners who put off home maintenance until something goes wrong, then pay for expensive emergency repair services? Caring for your home may seem like a never-ending list of chores, but you can preserve its value with the right maintenance.

From chipped paint and clogged gutters to dirty furnace filters and a broken chimney, these issues may look simple but, when ignored, may lead to a more complicated problem. You’re also putting your family’s health and safety at risk. There’s no denying that maintaining a home gets overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be if you do it each season.

Your home is your biggest investment and a place to seek solace; make sure you treat it right. To make things easy for you, we have prepared a checklist to help you create a plan that suits you best.

Deep Cleaning

Besides regular cleaning, your home also needs to be deep cleaned every six months to get rid of all the dirt and grime built over the years. Deep clean all the windows, rooms (including the basement and attic), appliances, and cabinets, and make sure you’ve cleaned every nook and cranny. Doing this will bring you satisfaction and peace of mind, and your home will be free from all the dust and debris.

It doesn’t need to be done all by yourself. Clean the house with your family and complete the tasks in a span of a few days.

Inspect the Exterior Drainage and Clean the Gutters

Inspecting the exterior drainage ensures that the rainwater will flow away from the house instead of flooding the grounds. If water moves in the wrong direction or stays for more than 24 hours, it might be because your gutters have accumulated leaves and grime during fall and winter. Clean the gutters or check for a loose connection preventing the water flow.

You can also call repair contractors; they will inspect the issue and offer the appropriate solution. It’s best to get this done after every winter to have the drainage ready for rainy months.

Trim the Trees

If you forgot to trim the trees and shrubs during fall, it’s time to do it now. Pruning the trees promotes healthy growth and keeps them from getting too close to your home or power lines.  Fallen tree branches during windy weather can damage your home and wreak havoc on the roads, not to forget the costly repairs. Trimming the trees and plants will keep them healthy and eliminate potential issues.  

Inspect and Change HVAC Filters

Inspecting and changing your HVAC filters every month is important because all the dirt and debris get trapped in them. A dirty filter can affect your home’s air quality and cause duct molds. If you’ve got pets or someone in your home has respiratory allergies or asthma, you need to change these filters regularly. Moreover, frequently changing filters will also enhance your HVAC performance, prevent repairs and maintain air quality. For small families with no allergy issues or pets, it’s okay to wait 2–3 months before changing the filters.

Tip: Go with low-cost filters and replace them often instead of getting expensive filters to save money.

Clean Range Hood Filters

A lot of grease and dirt forms in the range hood filters above the kitchen stove. If you’ve never cleaned them, be prepared for some stubborn grease. You can clean them by putting them in a degreasing solution (mix degreaser with some hot water) and let them sit for a while. All the grease would come off, after which you can simply rinse them.

Cleaning these filters every month will save the hassle of removing stubborn dirt and grease.

Stucco Installation 

The moisture from snow and rain can damage the exterior walls, causing the paint to chip and bricks to fall. Plastering your home with stucco can keep your home in perfect condition for a long time. It’s a decorative coating for ceilings and walls and changes the aesthetics of your home without spending a fortune.

Maintaining the exterior is more difficult than the interior of a home. However, you won’t need frequent stucco repairs because it’s low-maintenance and stays great even in extreme temperatures and stormy weather. It also insulates your home and saves up to 20% of your HVAC costs.

Clean The Kitchen Sink Disposal

Kitchen sinks are full of germs, even more than a bathroom. While you may clean the sink and surrounding space every day, it’s also important to deep clean the sink disposal once a month. You will find a lot of great cleaning options on the market, or go with a handy DIY solution like vinegar ice. Freeze some vinegar in an icetray and run the ice cubes through the disposal. The vinegar will clean all the germs and freshen the sink, and ice will sharpen the blades.

If you feel that the blades aren’t working as they should, it’s best to call a professional.

Clean Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans keep your home free from moisture and smell, but if you don’t clean them, they will stop doing their job properly. Unclean exhaust fans also pose a risk of mold growth inside the home, so make sure you take some time to remove and clean all the exhaust fans in your home. This will increase their efficiency, keeping the moisture out of the kitchen and bathrooms and preventing mold growth. 

Inspect Smoke Detectors

You already know how important smoke detectors and alarms are for your home’s safety. These detectors come with a test button, so check them every 3–4 months. If the alarm doesn’t sound after pressing the test button, replace the batteries and check again. You will need to replace the detector if it still doesn’t work.

The best practice is to replace the batteries every six months to prevent any mishap.

Clean the Refrigerator Coil

Your refrigerator uses up to 15% of your home’s total energy consumption or even more if it isn’t working efficiently. Dirty coils cause the fridge to use more power than usual and also affect its performance. Clean them at least twice to save your electricity bills and increase the efficiency of your refrigerator.

Exterior Painting Services

With the constant UV exposure and other external factors, your home loses its beauty. Touching up your home’s exterior paint makes it look beautiful, enhances its curb appeal, and protects the shingles and wood from water damage and rot. You can also get small painting touch-ups instead of a complete paint job if the damage isn’t severe.  

Spring is the best time to hire painting services, so all of it gets done before summer. It’s the perfect weather for outdoor projects and keeps contractors comfortable.

Inspect Your Roof

Inspect the roofing for missing, damaged, loose shingles or unusual leaks. Maintaining the roof increases its lifespan and saves you from expensive roof replacements you dread. Also, resolving the roof issues will prevent leaks that lead to water damage and help your HVAC system to operate more efficiently. You should call a professional every six months to inspect the roof and avoid any major damage.

Inspect the Foundation Problems

Summer is the best time to do a thorough inspection of the foundation of your home. Your home’s value may reduce if there are cracks in the foundation, so make sure you inspect the exterior foundation annually and hire construction repair services to address the issues.

Wash Your Home’s Siding

Not maintaining your home’s siding can cause insect damage, rotting and splitting; it requires periodic cleaning to get rid of bacteria, nests, mildew, mold or other substances carrying harmful germs. You can get a power washer and clean the sidings every six months; make sure you choose the pressure wisely because high pressure can damage the exterior. Cleaning the siding will prolong its longevity and also enhance the curb appeal of your home.

Replace Damaged Window Screens

Insects and bugs can easily pass through the smallest crack in your window, and you don’t want that. Instead of duct-taping the holes and cracks, replace the damaged window screens. Duct tape looks really bad and affect the overall look of your home, so it’s best to get the necessary repairs.

Flush Out The Water Heater

You need to flush out your water heater every year to eliminate any debris and minerals in the system and increase its efficiency. If you don’t want to do this, you can call a professional plumber, and they will also inspect the heating system for any repair before the weather gets cold.

Change the Direction of Ceiling Fans

The energy costs are higher than ever, and you need to make the most of everything to reduce your electricity consumption. Most homeowners use ceiling fans along with their heating and cooling systems to put less strain and reduce costs. Changing the rotation of the fans increases their efficiency, and they make your room cold and warm quicker than usual.

In summers, keep your fan rotating counterclockwise (which it typically does) and reverse the switch during winter to get the clockwise direction.

Complete Repair of Water Damage

Water damage is a frequent issue in every home; the sooner you repair the damage, the better. However, repairing the cause of the damage isn’t enough; you also need to get rid of any evidence left behind, such as stains, patches or cracks.

Most times, homeowners don’t have enough time to get a complete repair, and they just fix the source of the damage. It’s best to check all the unfinished jobs every now and then to keep your home looking perfect. You can get painting services to remove the evidence of water damage and also ask them to use a stain-blocking primer to prevent future staining.

Chimney Cleaning and Repairs

If you have a chimney and fireplace in your home, make sure you are getting them cleaned by professionals to eliminate any fire hazards. It’s recommended to get chimney inspections once a year to prevent any incidents. 

Get Your HVAC Professionally Serviced

The only way to maintain your HVAC is to get it serviced twice a year. Spring and fall is the perfect time to keep your heating and cooling systems ready for the weather and also maintains your home’s value.

Instead of cleaning it yourself, it’s best to call the technicians to ensure comfortable temperatures all year long. They will inspect and repair any required damages before it stops working completely.

Home Improvements

If you truly want your home to look the best on the block, then opt for home improvements every now and then. They don’t necessarily have to be expensive; even small changes here and there can elevate your home’s aesthetics.

While most homeowners do frequent interior renovations by changing their curtains, furniture or adding décor stuff, it’s good to do some remodeling outside to enhance the curb appeal. It’s the first thing that people notice and leaves a great impression on the home buyers.

Get paver installation in the backyard and have a nice patio to enjoy the outdoors and entertain guests. If you don’t have a garden, opt for an artificial turf instead to elevate your home’s backyard.

Some Necessary Repairs to Look After

• Check all the locks in your home and replace them if they are not working properly
• Inspect the handles, racks, and knobs around the house twice a year to inspect if anything is broken and fix that
• Make sure all the electrical outlets are working, and there are no exposed wires that can harm your family
• Run water in unused spaces like guest bathrooms to prevent grime or other harmful build-ups
• Inspect your fire extinguisher and make sure they are working perfectly and have the right pressure to be completely safe

Wrapping Up



Remember that you don’t need to follow this checklist to the letter. You can add or remove anything according to your home’s design, condition, and other factors. As long as you accomplish the necessary tasks, your home will be safe and well-kept for years to come.

At CF Vice Construction, we offer a wide range of home improvement services such as artificial turf installation, paver installation, block wall repair, etc. You can check our services or call us for more information.