A home maintenance checklist works best in layers. Every month, test the smoke and CO alarms, check the HVAC filter and look under the sinks for leaks. Each spring and fall, deal with the outside and the heating and cooling. Once a year, clean the dryer vent, service the water heater and get the chimney inspected.
A one-bedroom apartment and a house with a basement, a deck and a septic tank need very different lists, so treat this as a menu. Skip what you don't have. Each task links to a guide with the details.
Monthly home maintenance checklist#
The alarm and filter checks have the firmest backing. The US Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms monthly, and ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist says to check air filters every month. The garage door tests come from the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association's monthly safety routine.
The leak check takes two minutes. Open the cabinet under each sink with a flashlight and run a hand along the pipes and the cabinet floor. A water stain, a warped cabinet base or a musty smell is worth tracking down now. Don't just wipe it and move on.
Every few months#
- Clean the bathroom exhaust fan grille and blades every 6 to 12 months. The bathroom fan guide explains the signs it's overdue.
- Replace the refrigerator water filter about every six months, or when the indicator comes on (fridge filter guide).
- Check refrigerator condenser coils if you have pets or a lot of dust. Some fridges never need it (coil cleaning guide).
- Check air purifier and other appliance filters against their service alerts (air purifier filters).
- Test the sump pump before your wet season, if you have one (sump pump maintenance).
Spring checklist#
Spring is for finding out what winter damaged and getting ready for heat. Walk the outside looking at the roof, gutters and foundation from the ground. Turn the outdoor faucets and sprinklers back on and watch for leaks. Book the air conditioner's pre-season check, which ENERGY STAR recommends doing in spring. Then wash and inspect the deck or patio, bring out the garden furniture and get the mower serviced.
The full list, in priority order, is in the spring home maintenance checklist. The outdoor jobs each have their own guide: deck and patio maintenance, outdoor furniture, lawn mower maintenance and cleaning the grill.
Fall checklist#
Fall is about water and heat. Shut off and drain the outdoor faucets, store the hoses, insulate exposed pipes, clean the gutters once the leaves are down, and book the heating service. ENERGY STAR recommends checking the heating system every fall. If you burn wood, get the chimney inspected before the first fire. Restock emergency supplies before storm season.
The details are in the winter preparation checklist, with separate guides for gutter cleaning, chimney inspections, cleaning garden tools before they go away, and building an emergency kit.
Once a year#
| Task |
Notes |
Guide |
| Clean the dryer vent duct |
Every six months with heavy use or pets |
Dryer vent cleaning |
| Flush or service the water heater |
More often in hard-water areas |
Water heater maintenance |
| Chimney inspection |
Before the heating season |
Chimney inspection |
| Clean gutters |
At least once; twice for most homes with trees |
Gutter schedule |
| Toilet leak test |
Food coloring in the tank, wait 10 minutes |
See below |
| Clean window screens |
Before you start opening windows in spring |
Window screen cleaning |
| Descale the showerhead and faucet aerators |
At least yearly; aerators every six months or so, sooner with hard water |
Showerhead and aerator guides |
| Review home security |
Locks, lighting, codes, who has keys |
Home security audit |
The toilet test catches a leak you'd never hear. EPA WaterSense suggests putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at least once a year, waiting 10 minutes without flushing, and replacing the flapper if color shows up in the bowl. The same page describes a whole-house check: read the water meter, use no water for two hours, and read it again. If the number moved, something is leaking.
Things you replace by date, not condition#
Some parts of the house look fine right up until they fail, so go by the date:
- Smoke alarms: replace every 10 years, per the US Fire Administration, and change the batteries yearly on alarms that use replaceable ones.
- Carbon monoxide alarms: replace by the end-of-life date on the label.
- Fire extinguishers: follow the label for servicing and replacement.
- Wood deck finish: recoat every 1 to 6 years depending on the finish (deck guide).
The manufacture date is usually printed on the back of smoke and CO alarms. Write the replacement year on the alarm itself with a marker and you won't have to look it up again.
What to leave to a professional#
Some jobs on any home maintenance list should go to someone qualified, however handy you are: gas appliance repairs and any smell of gas, electrical work beyond changing a bulb or fuse, roof work, anything touching garage door springs or cables, and chimney sweeping for wood burners. The seasonal heating and cooling checkups are professional jobs too. Your part is booking them early.
If you rent#
Renters still have a list, it's just shorter. Testing alarms, changing filters, cleaning appliances you use every day and reporting leaks usually fall to you. Repairs to the building, the heating system, the roof and the plumbing usually fall to the landlord. Your lease should say who handles what. When you find a problem, report it in writing with a photo and the date, so there's a record if it gets worse.
Keeping track of it all#
Most of these jobs take minutes. What goes wrong is losing track of dozens of them on different schedules. Keep the manuals, filter sizes and model numbers in one folder or note, and log the date each time you finish a job, because "I'm sure I changed that filter recently" is usually wrong. A recurring reminder for each task in ChoreLists.com covers the remembering. Day-to-day housework belongs on a separate weekly cleaning schedule so it doesn't crowd out the less frequent jobs.