A Season-by-Season Home Maintenance Checklist

Home maintenance is not glamorous, but skipping it is expensive. Small tasks done on schedule prevent the big, costly failures — and spreading them across the year keeps any one weekend from becoming a chore marathon.

Spring

• Clear gutters and downspouts and check they drain away from the foundation.
• Inspect the roof from the ground for missing or damaged shingles.
• Service the air conditioning before the first hot week.
• Check exterior caulk and seals around windows and doors.

Summer

• Test smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors and replace batteries.
• Clean dryer vents — a common and preventable fire hazard.
• Check for pests and standing water; trim vegetation away from the house.

Fall

• Service the heating system before you need it.
• Clear gutters again after the leaves drop.
• Seal gaps, and disconnect and drain outdoor hoses before the first freeze.

Winter

• Watch for ice dams and keep walkways safe.
• Know where your water shut-off is in case a pipe freezes.
• Reverse ceiling fans to push warm air down.

The point of a schedule

None of these tasks is hard. The value is in doing them before something breaks, when they are cheap, rather than after, when they are not. Put the seasonal list on your calendar and treat it like any other recurring bill.

More in Home & Living and the Home Improvement Guide.