Your Home Maintenance Checklist

• Major appliances: Check on the function and physical condition of your appliances, such as your stove, oven, and dishwasher. Take the time to deep clean them or change filters as needed so they continue to work correctly. Most home warranty services will cover fixes to your major appliances. Read our Select Home Warranty review to learn more.
• Heating and cooling: You don’t want to be stuck without heating or cooling at the worst times, so be proactive about checking on your furnace, air conditioning units, air filters and vents.
• Plumbing: No one wants to dive for the plunger or make a mad dash to the water main. Plumbing can fail in lots of messy and expensive ways, so checking the pipes and appliances proactively reduces the chance that this will happen.
• Gutters: Clogged and damaged gutters can lead to water damage in the house, foundation or yard. Keep things clean and repaired, especially before heavy rain and snow seasons.
• Roof: A damaged roof puts your house at risk for a lot of problems. Ideally, you get it checked every year.
• Backyard: Keep your yard, patios, walkways and other landscaping features in good repair by checking in every season.
• Pool or hot tub: Your pool or hot tub is a great way to relax and enjoy your home, but you need to keep up on cleaning, chemical treatment, and repairs.
• Smoke and CO/2 detectors: These lifesaving devices give you the warning you need to get your family to safety. Make sure their batteries are going strong, and they work properly.

How to Get Assistance with These Home Maintenance Tasks

This list might appear daunting at first, but you don’t have to do all of it yourself. Home repair services can help you out with these tasks. They’re particularly useful for specialized maintenance such as roof repair, as heading up the ladder yourself can be harrowing.

Find qualified companies and contractors through websites such as Home Advisor, Amazon Home Services, Porch and Angie’s List. You can read about what they offer, general price ranges and reviews from people who have hired the business. You have a lot more on your plate as a homeowner, but it’s all worth it.