Keeping up with home maintenance throughout the year can help East Texas homeowners spot small problems before they become costly repairs.
From spring storms and humid summer weather to falling leaves and winter freezes, each season brings different maintenance needs. Use this seasonal home checklist to help protect your home, outdoor spaces, and essential systems year-round.
(If any maintenance or repairs are beyond your scope of expertise, always consider hiring a professional.)
A few things to check in Spring -
Landscaping -
Getting flower beds cleaned out and ready for new plants and fresh mulch goes a long way. Fertilizing yard and taking care of any nuisance ant mounds popping up may also be something to watch for.
Porches and Decks -
Check to see if any wood has started to rot or if anything needs painted or sealed.
Gutters -
Get any remaining leaves out that fell last fall.
Exterior Walls -
Does anything need painted or caulked? Especially check around doors and windows. Maybe there is a bit of dirt or mildew that needs to be washed off.
Chimney -
Have a professional chimney sweep clean out if needed after all those cozy fires last winter.
Faucets -
After the risk of freezing weather has passed, remove the insulation protection from faucets and outside piping.
Roof -
Any missing shingles noticed from looking at ground level from any storms? Consider having a professional roofer take a look.
Filters -
Clean out or change all air filters every couple of months.
Cleaning -
Something about Spring just brings on the want to clear out any clutter and spring clean. Giving the entire interior of your home a good once-over is always a refreshing job to get done.
A few things to check in the Summer -
Filters -
Clean out or change all filters every couple of months. Clean out lint traps, exhaust covers, etc.
HVAC -
Make sure HVAC system doesn't need cleaning or servicing by a professional. Something any homeowner can do, is keep debris and vegetation cleared from exterior unit space.
Pests -
Look around exterior of home for any possible pest entry points or termite activity around wood-to-soil contact. Be ready for those ant piles and any wasps that try to build nests on your home.
Seal Air Gaps -
Check for any gaps around doors and windows that could be causing AC to run more often. Apply fresh weatherstripping if needed.
Plumbing -
Are there any standing water puddles formed under or beside the home, or any leaking pipes or faucets to take care of?
Smoke Detectors -
Test and replace batteries if needed. Inspect any fire extinguishers too.
Appliances -
A good inside job during the hot summer months is to inspect all appliances. Check for proper working condition, as well as any leaks in items like the dishwasher, water heater, and washer.
Yard -
In East Texas, plan to water your flowers and yards as needed. It can get over triple digits here!
A few things to check in the Fall -
Yard Work -
Leaves, leaves, leaves! If you have to get the leaves raked up and out of the yard so they don't blow into your neighbor's space, consider adding them to a compost and recycling them into rich homemade soil for your plants. You may also want to start getting any veggie and flower beds ready to winterize. Depending on what trees and shrubs are in your yard, it may be a good time to prune a few if needed, especially if they are touching the house.
Gutters -
When all the leaves are done falling, try to schedule a day to get all of them out of the gutters before winter sets in. Removing any roof debris may also be needed. Please call someone to help if getting on the roof is needed.
Driveway -
Check for any new major cracking or potholes starting to form.
Pool -
Look for any maintenance that the pool might need before winterizing it. Does coping need sealed? Are any of the pump connections leaking? Any pool cover needing to be inspected before installation?
Filters -
Clean or change out all filters every couple of months.
HVAC -
Test your heating system for proper function before the cold months get here.
Fireplace -
Check the fireplace for any damage or debris. Hire a professional if needed to inspect and clean. Check your firewood pile and see if you have enough!
A few things to check in Winter -
Faucets -
Make sure to rewrap those exterior faucets with insulation. Do you have any exterior water lines or tanks? Cover them too or be prepared to drain and winterize. Knowing where your main water shut-off is will help if a pipe does happen to freeze and burst.
Yard -
Tuck away any tender plants from the frost if you want to keep them next year. Wash and put away any hummingbird feeders. Pile up extra mulch around tender plants in flower beds as needed.
Interior Odors -
Do a walkthrough your home periodically throughout the year and pin down any odors. Especially if something smells wet or mildewy, which can indicate a leak or mold growing.
Outdoor Items -
Put away anything that doesn't need to weather out the winter months exposed. Could be anything from your mower, water hoses, patio furniture, toys, etc.
Animals -
Please make sure all your animals are ready and comfortable when the weather gets cold. They need shelter from wind and rain, warm dry bedding, and maybe a little extra food to warm their bellies. Keep a way to always have them water even if it freezes over daily.
Filters -
Clean or change all filters every couple of months.
Ceiling Fans -
Reverse the spin to force warm air down.
This is definitely not a complete list of to-dos since every property is different. Hopefully you have your own list already, but if not, maybe this one will get you started and you can always tweak and add to your list as needed.
Hi there! I am Melissa Summers, the Broker for Country Roots Realty. I am proud to be able to help sellers or buyers with all of their real estate needs.
