It's no secret that owning a home is expensive. Although estimates of maintenance costs vary, one fast rule suggests that when addressing a home maintenance checklist, homeowners set aside 1% of the home's value each year for maintenance fees.

Even when you're investing money in the property, changing the air filters or cleaning the gutters won't automatically raise the worth of your house. However, if you aren't taking proper care of your house, you can find that when you decide to sell, its worth has decreased.
Home maintenance checklist: Where to begin?
Especially if you intend to sell your home within the next year or two, it might be difficult to know where to start certain repairs. Are you prepared to begin? We've categorized our home maintenance checklist so you can easily find the frequency and season of each chore.
Monthly maintenance tasks
Clean and replace HVAC filters
Your HVAC system's air filters can help it operate more effectively, last longer, and provide better indoor air quality throughout the house.
Clean and descale faucets and shower heads
Your shower heads and faucets may eventually become soiled and possibly even have scale accumulation. You can clean them by putting white vinegar in a ziplock bag, tying it to the shower head or faucet with zip ties, and letting it sit for an hour or two. Remove the bag, then wipe away any sediment with a cloth. After that, you should run hot water through the openings.
Inspect drains for clogs
It's really simple. You can use a drain cleaner if your drains aren't functioning properly. You can also use boiling water to flush the drain or a solution of baking soda and vinegar for home treatments.
Inspect electric cords
Make sure there are no frayed or damaged electrical cords by walking around your house and inspecting them. An electrical fire may start because of damaged cords.
Clean garbage disposal
If it isn't cleaned frequently, a garbage disposal can become fairly disgusting. Turn on the garbage disposal after dropping a few ice cubes and some lemon peels in there. Any food buildup will be broken down, and the citrus peels will give the kitchen a fresh scent.
Seasonal maintenance
Winter maintenance tasks
Check for signs of ice dams
If left hanging on the roof eaves, icicles and ice dams (thick ridges of solid ice) can lead to several issues. If you notice any, use a roof rake to remove the snow securely without endangering the siding or roof.
Winterize pipes
To avoid your pipes from bursting because the water inside them froze while you were away during the coldest months, you should winterize them. To accomplish this, shut off the water supply at the main valve and open all of the taps in the house to create a gradual, even drip.
Spring maintenance tasks
Spring cleanup
After laying mulch in your flowerbeds, you should rake up any fallen leaves that you may have missed in the fall. Your plants will be protected by the mulch from any cold spells, weed growth, and drought. Check the trees as you go around for indications of broken limbs, insect or animal damage, or other damage.
Lawn prep
Now is the time to begin if you've always wanted a lush, green lawn. Patches of barren grass should be filled in and reseeded. Although you won't need to fertilize it right away, be sure to keep some on hand just in case. In addition to being more appealing to the eye, maintaining stunning landscaping can raise the value of your house.
Inspect the exterior of your home
When inspecting the exterior of your property, pay close attention to the roof to make sure there are no gaps that water can enter, no missing shingles, and no indications of wood rot. If there are any cracks in the driveway, patio, or walks on the ground, fill them in with concrete.
Gutter maintenance
Neglected gutters that are overflowing with leaves and other debris can ruin your siding and result in water damage. You'll have to roll up your sleeves, grab the ladder, and begin scooping out the muck to stop this.
After cleaning the gutters, you can make this work simpler by installing gutter guards. Your gutters will remain clean and unclogged thanks to the guards.
Clean the exterior
The home's outside will inevitably become dirty, and spring is an excellent time to use the power washer (or rent one). Make sure the siding is in good condition by taking a tour around the house before you start power washing it. To avoid wood rot, you should immediately take care of any damage you see.
Repair and clean the deck or patio
While you have the power washer out, you don’t want to forget to power wash the deck and patio! Check to make sure there aren’t any loose boards, screws, or nails. If there are, repair them.
Check the plumbing
Look for leaks or corrosion in the supply line, water heater, and pipes. Sometimes you can catch these things in time to prevent any harm. However, you'll need to employ a plumber if you have a significant issue, such as rusted pipes or a leaking water heater.
Summer maintenance tasks
Tidy up the yard
Your flowers should be blooming by now, the grass should be expanding, and everything should be OK! To avoid cutting the grass too short during the summer, you should set your lawnmower to the maximum setting.
Check sprinkler system
Make sure your sprinkler system is functioning properly if you have one. Check each component of the system to ensure the sprinkler heads are upright, that there are no blockages in the line, and that no vegetation is blocking the spray.
Reverse ceiling fans
By turning the ceiling fans so they spin in the other direction from clockwise, you may keep your rooms cooler in the summer. By doing this, a cool wind will be produced as the cool air is forced downward.
Check for bugs, rodents, and other pests
Bugs, rats, and other pests thrive in the summer and can cause a lot of problems. Small issues like an ant trail or a few mice in the cabinet are typically simple to eliminate and clean up after.
Inspect the foundation
Did you know that a poor foundation can cause your home's value to decrease by as much as 15%? Take the time to properly inspect your foundation for indications that you may have a problem because it's important to find a problem early on before it gets out of hand.
Autumn maintenance tasks
Touch up paint where needed
The summer heat may be severe, and it can start to fade the paint on the outside (and even in interiors that receive a lot of direct sunshine). The excessive dampness in some locations with a lot of rain can make paint peel and chip. The exterior of your property might be entirely repainted or touched up as you clear away clutter from surfaces.
Powerwash exterior and walkways
It's a good idea to use the power washer once more now that the temperature is cooler to clean up any cobwebs, filth, and grime before winter arrives. Use this opportunity to inspect your home's exterior for any indications of possible damage.
Rake up the fallen leaves
With its colorful foliage, autumn is a gorgeous season, but it's also very untidy. If the leaves pile up, they could destroy the lush lawn you worked so hard to create in the spring. As the leaves wither and fall, they can create quite a mess. Large mounds of leaves make the ideal habitat for insects to reproduce and for little rodents to build their nests.
Turn off your sprinkler system
You do not want to skip this step if your area experiences a very harsh winter and you have a sprinkler system. You face the risk of the irrigation lines breaking or, worse, cracking if you don't turn off your sprinkler system during the scalding cold months.
Inspect HVAC system
You already did this in the spring, but you should do it one more in the fall just before the bitter cold arrives. By doing this, you'll increase the system's lifespan, make it more energy-efficient, and reduce health concerns.
Check and clean exhaust fans
An exhaust fan plays a critical role in home maintenance because it pulls excess moisture out of a room, thus preventing the risk of mold and mildew – both of which are deterrents for buyers. The fan in the bathroom is pretty easy to clean, as it’s just dust and cobwebs, but the exhaust fan in the kitchen is going to require more effort because you’re going to be cleaning grease buildup, not just dust.
Clean gutters
Here is yet another project you completed in the spring. To make sure everything is clear and draining properly before the winter weather arrives, we advise cleaning the gutters twice a year.
Inspect and clean the chimney
An annual inspection of your chimney is recommended to check for any problems that might restrict the escape of harmful gases. Then, based on how frequently you use the chimney, you may wish to periodically get it cleaned.
A home maintenance checklist is a lifesaver!
Home upkeep involves several steps, and it's simple to occasionally forget to complete some of them. This home maintenance checklist is a terrific resource to help you make sure your house is in excellent condition both now and when it's time to sell.
When you start having prospective buyers come to view your property, you'll have a lot less to worry about if you keep up with the tasks on this list. However, if you plan to sell soon, find a top real estate agent who can assist you in setting priorities for what has to be done first for a smooth sale.