Home maintenance checklist: every month and every season

The jobs almost every house needs, in the order the year asks for them. Each says how often and whether it's a do-it-yourself job or one for a pro.

Every month

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarmsPress the test button on each one. New batteries once a year. DIY, 10 minutes.
• Look at the furnace filterChange it every 1 to 3 months, sooner with pets or dust. DIY, 5 minutes.
• Look under sinks and around the water heaterA drip found early is a small fix. DIY, 5 minutes.
• Clean the dishwasher filterIf yours has one you can twist out, rinse it. DIY, 5 minutes.
• Check the water softener's saltTop it up when the salt is low. DIY, 5 minutes.

Spring

• 

  Book an AC tune-up

  Before the first hot week, so a problem shows up while it's still mild.

  Once a year · Call a pro

• 

  Test the sump pump

  Pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch it switch on and pump out.

  Spring and fall · DIY, 10 min

• 

  Clear gutters and downspouts

  Spring storms need a clear path away from the house.

  Spring and fall · DIY or pro

• 

  Start up the sprinklers

  Turn the water back on slowly and walk each zone for broken heads.

  Once a year · DIY or pro

• 

  Walk around the outside

  Look for peeling paint, cracked caulk around windows and doors, and loose siding.

  Once a year · DIY, 30 min

• 

  Wash the range hood filters

  Grease builds up and the fan stops pulling. Soak them in hot soapy water.

  Every 1 to 3 months · DIY, 15 min

Summer

• 

  Check the washer hoses

  Look for bulges, cracks or damp spots on the hoses behind the washer.

  Once a year · DIY, 5 min

• 

  Clean the refrigerator coils

  Dusty coils make the fridge work harder. Your manual shows where they are.

  Once or twice a year · DIY, 20 min

• 

  Clean the dryer vent

  Lint in the vent is a fire risk. Clean the duct, not just the lint screen.

  Once a year · DIY or pro

Fall

Ten jobs before winter: the furnace filter and tune-up, gutters, outdoor faucets, sprinklers, alarms and more. Open the free fall house checklist.

Winter

• Keep outside vents clearAfter snow, check that the furnace, water heater and dryer vents outside aren't blocked. DIY, 5 minutes.
• Don't let the house get too coldEven when you're away, keep the heat on so pipes in outside walls don't freeze.
• Test the generator, if you have oneMake sure it starts before an outage. DIY, 20 minutes.
• Change the humidifier padOnce a year, when the heat comes on. DIY, 15 minutes.

Once a year, by the manual

Some jobs depend on your exact model: flushing the water heater, descaling, the parts a tune-up covers. Your appliance's own manual is the final word, and it's the part of this list most people never get to.

That's what House Lantern does: snap each appliance's label and it finds the manual for that model, builds the upkeep schedule from it, and shows you only the 3 things to do this week, with a Monday email if you want one.

Standard guidance for a typical house. Your own appliance's manual and your pro's advice come first.