Annual Home Maintenance Checklist (With Downloadable Checklist)

Owning a home is one thing, but taking care of a home is a completely different ball game. 

Many homeowners, old and new, focus on the property space and potential monetary turnaround they could net from their land (and rightfully so). 

However, regular maintenance and keeping up with chores around the home will serve a homeowner greatly in the long run, as well as help bump up that asking price they’re looking for.

Home maintenance comes in all sizes, from the tiniest of smoke alarms to monitor, the light bulbs to change, or the largest of gutters to clean out, no stone should be left unturned or forgotten.

Thankfully, we’ve put together the perfect way to make sure all those stones are turned over and cleaned thoroughly, by preparing an annual home maintenance checklist that you can dust off each year for use!

Monthly Makeover

To kick things off, there are several spots in the house that require regular maintenance monthly. These spots are typically areas of the house that just need a quick clean to be freshened up. 

For instance, all the sinks and drains in the home should be freshened up, along with any appliances that see regular use.

One of the more important monthly checkups is centred around filters, as your heating and air conditioning systems can build up dust and cause their systems to consume more energy than necessary.

Rangehood filters should also be looked after monthly, cleaning these filters with a strong degreasing solution, as plenty of grime can build up in a month.

All home maintenance checklists will tell you about the importance of maintaining smoke detectors, and this checklist is no different in that regard. A thorough check on your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency, so be sure to clean it top to bottom and replace batteries if the button test wasn’t to satisfaction.

Seasonal Check-ups

Consider this portion more of a list of things to maintain every 3-4 months or so, as we’ll dive into each season’s maintenance later down the track.

The majority of appliances should have a general maintenance check every 3-4 months. This can include vacuuming refrigerator coils, as well as verifying the temperatures in the refrigerator are still pumping out at the right level.

Be sure to also check your laundry appliances, as laundry exhaust vents will quickly build up with dust and lint. Clothes dryers and washers will also build up dust and lint behind the screen, so you should be given a rinse when you’ve got the chance to.

Dirt buildup is a pain, so it’s not an awful idea to run water and flush toilets in areas you haven’t used in a while. Utilise a feather duster for those hard-to-reach places and keep your home dust-free.

Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Now here is where the bulk of home care goes into, as Spring is commonly known as the cleaning season.

There’s not much that can be specifically mentioned in Spring, other than the need to be cleaning everything from top to bottom. Maintaining doors, walls, curtains, cleaning windows, and skirting boards are among the many that need to be cared for in Spring.

Spring cleaning is a time to clean areas you normally wouldn’t during a monthly clean, so targeting an outdoor area like the garage or shed is one that should be in your scope.

Spring is also when the temperature starts to heat up, so it’s a great time to prepare for Summer. This will include a check-up on your air conditioning and a call to care services to make sure it’s been serviced, or even purchase a new fire extinguisher for any surprise flames that emerge. 

Be sure to prepare window screens for the upcoming season of heat, as insects are more prevalent in warmer weather. Speaking of insects, it’s not a bad idea to call a professional bug inspector (and potentially pest control!) ahead of Summer, plus termites can show up when you least expect it, as they’ll do plenty of damage that’ll go undetected.

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

With the heat as scorching as it can be in Australia, summer should be reserved for small tasks indoors and bigger renovations outdoors when the weather is nice.

Assessing your home’s exterior is a great way to maintain your external property, so monitoring the paint, driveway, and foundations for any cracks or splits should be at the top of the summer list.

Check that all water taps or hoses are in working order and that the cold and hot water taps are all functioning indoors and outdoors while you’re at it.

Look to maintain all trees and bushes that have started to grow in the summer, making sure you trim any overgrown leaves and remove any dead plants that didn’t survive the harsh seasons. Be sure to remove any invasive vines earlier rather than later, and cut any trees that are beginning to obstruct power wires before that turns hazardous.

Lastly, maintain any flooring outdoors, whether that be cleaning and repairing the deck with some caulking or even just making sure the lawn mowing is done frequently to prevent any overgrown weeds from ruining your front or back yard.

Autumn Home Maintenance Checklist

The first thing that can come to mind when thinking about Autumn is the falling leaves that’ll need to be cleaned up. In actuality though, you’re better off leaving that for the start of winter so you’re not clearing leaves only for more to take their place!

Instead, prepare what you need for a chilling winter by ensuring your heating system is functioning and booking a maintenance service if needed. This could mean ensuring your wood-burning heater gets a touch-up or that your fireplace/chimney is cleaned and cleared out.

Be sure to check for any leaks in windows and doors, as you won’t want any heat to seep out of the house, or better yet for any cold or rain to drip into your cosy space.

While you’re checking the windows and doors, autumn is a great season to assess your level of safety and security in your home. Ensure that all your windows and doors are fitted for locks and deadbolts, and check if all the hinges, handles and any loose item is sturdy. 

Once you feel safe with all the home improvement and you’re ready to take on winter, your autumn checklist can be ticked off and you can prepare for the coldest season of the year.

Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

To start your winter, it’s time to double back to the autumn checklist and readdress the fallen leaves all over the property.

Now that autumn is over, the last of the leaves have fallen and you can begin to clear away all the debris. Be sure to check your gutters, ramps, and your downspouts so there are no issues with water leakage or property damage once the weather starts to take a turn for the worse.

Winter brings its own set of challenges, one of which is rain that exposes cracks and leaks that were unbeknownst to you. Check for any leaks near faucets and any moisture damage underneath the home. If the leaks or damage is too severe, be sure to contact a local tradesperson and enlist the services of a plumber or handyman. If you’re concerned the water is starting to damage the wiring, an electrician will be the tradie you want to target.

If the rain is pouring down and you’re stuck indoors more often than not, it’s the perfect time to maintain the main rooms of your home. Whether it be cleaning the grout off the kitchen and bathroom tiles or ensuring the washing machine filters are spotless, there’s plenty to clean indoors.

Downloadable Home Maintenance Checklist

To save you the hassle of jotting all this info into dot points, we’ve put together a condensed checklist that you can download, print, and start ticking off as you run your annual home maintenance.

For any other questions about moving home as a whole, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to moving house, which you can check out here.

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