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Home maintenance and repairs

Seasonal home maintenance

Home upkeep sorted by time of year, so each job lands when the weather suits it and before the system it protects is needed most.

What It Means

Seasonal home maintenance groups a home's upkeep by time of year. Spring brings clearing the gutters and booking the cooling check-up, while fall is for the heating check-up and sealing drafts before the cold arrives. Winter jobs center on frozen pipesFrozen pipesWater pipes in which the water has turned to ice, blocking the flow and building pressure that can split the pipe and flood the house once it thaws. See more and safe heating, and in summer the air conditioner's filter needs checking every month or two. Fannie Mae suggests setting a calendar reminder for each season so none of it slips.

Try It: Tick Off This Season's Home Jobs

Pick a season and tick what's done. Each job comes from Fannie Mae, ENERGY STAR, DOE, Ready.gov or the U.S. Fire Administration.

Done this season0
Jobs on the list4

Jobs left this season: 4

How It Sounds at Home

  • "Gutters this weekend, before the spring rain."
  • "Did we book the furnace guy yet?"
  • "Time to put the weatherstripping back on the back door."

The Breakdown

Worked example. A couple owns a newer $350,000 home and plans with the low end of Fannie Mae's 1% to 4% yearly maintenance range.

StepAmount
Yearly maintenance budgetBudgetA plan for a set period, usually a month, that lists the money you expect to receive and how you'll spend or save it. See more, 1% of $350,000$3,500
Split evenly across four seasons$875 a season
Set aside each month$292

What the number means. Seasonal work tends to arrive in lumps: a contractor visit in spring, another in fall, and supplies such as caulkCaulkingSealing cracks and gaps between parts of a house that don't move, such as around window and door frames, with a flexible filler called caulk. See more and weatherstrippingWeatherstrippingStrips of material fitted around doors and windows that open and close, sealing the gaps where air leaks in and out. See more in between. Setting aside a monthly amount spreads those lumps across the year, and a newer home can usually work from the low end while an older one plans higher.

The jobs, season by season

SeasonJobSource
SpringBook a cooling system check-up with a qualified contractorENERGY STAR
SpringClean gutters and downspoutsGutter cleaningClearing leaves, needles and debris out of roof gutters and downspouts so rain drains away. CSU Extension advises spring and fall at a minimum. See moreFannie Mae
SpringCheck attic ventsAttic ventilationThe flow of outside air through an attic, in at vents under the eaves and out near the peak, that carries moisture out and keeps the attic cold in winter. See more and make sure exhaust ducts are clearFannie Mae
SpringTest smoke and carbon monoxide alarmsFannie Mae
SpringLook for puddles in the basement and confirm the floor drain worksFannie Mae
SummerClean or replace the AC filterHVAC filterThe removable filter in a furnace, central air conditioner or heat pump that traps dust from the air; ENERGY STAR says check it monthly and change it at least every 3 months. See more every month or two if you're unsureDOE
FallBook a heating system check-up with a qualified contractorENERGY STAR
FallYearly professional cleaning and inspection of heating equipment and chimneysU.S. Fire Administration
FallCaulk gaps around window and door frames on a dry day above 45°FDOE
FallReplace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows that open, above 20°FDOE
WinterTake steps to keep pipes from freezingReady.gov
WinterTest smoke and CO alarms that have battery backupsReady.gov
WinterCheck the furnace filter every monthENERGY STAR

Good to Know

ENERGY STAR points out that contractors fill up once summer and winter arrive, which is why it puts the cooling check in spring and the heating check in fall. Ready.gov's winter advice includes insulation, caulking and weatherstripping to keep the cold out, and it says a generator must run outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and garages. Fannie Mae notes some of these jobs may call for a professional.

FAQ

What should I do to my house in the fall?

ENERGY STAR suggests booking the heating system check-up in fall, and the U.S. Fire Administration calls for a professional cleaning and inspection of heating equipment and chimneys every year. Fall is also a good time to caulk, since DOE says caulk goes on best in dry weather above 45°F.

When should I get my AC serviced?

In spring. ENERGY STAR recommends the cooling check-up then, because contractors get busy once summer comes.

What's on a spring home maintenance checklist?

Fannie Mae's single-family checklist includes cleaning gutters and downspoutsDownspoutThe vertical pipe that carries rainwater from a roof gutter down to the ground, ideally ending several feet away from the house's foundation. See more, checking attic vents and exhaust ducts, looking for pests, and testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. It also has you check the basement for puddles and make sure the floor drain works.

Do It in Buhata

Maintenance (Household X)

Put each season's jobs into Maintenance in the Household X add-on on a yearly schedule, so ticking one off moves it to the same season next year.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Gutter cleaning

    Clearing leaves, needles and debris out of roof gutters and downspouts so rain drains away. CSU Extension advises spring and fall at a minimum.

  • Weatherstripping

    Strips of material fitted around doors and windows that open and close, sealing the gaps where air leaks in and out.

  • Caulking

    Sealing cracks and gaps between parts of a house that don't move, such as around window and door frames, with a flexible filler called caulk.

  • Frozen pipes

    Water pipes in which the water has turned to ice, blocking the flow and building pressure that can split the pipe and flood the house once it thaws.

  • HVAC tune-up

    A service visit where a qualified contractor checks, cleans and adjusts a heating or cooling system; ENERGY STAR advises one for cooling each spring and heating each fall.

Home maintenance and repairs

Sources

Fannie Mae, "Single-family home seasonal maintenance checklist"; Fannie Mae, "Regular Home Maintenance"; Fannie Mae, "How to Build Your Maintenance and Repair Budget"; ENERGY STAR, "Maintenance Checklist"; U.S. Department of Energy, "Air Conditioner Maintenance", "Caulking" and "Weatherstripping"; Ready.gov, "Winter Weather"; U.S. Fire Administration, "Heating Fire Safety"

Last updated .