How to Turn on Autopilot in a Household This Year
Taking care of your home is one of those things that can be easily forgotten or put off because many tasks only need to be done once or a few times a year. However, if you’re not careful, you could end up with that home next door to an overgrown yard, peeling paint, and a list of expensive but possibly avoidable renovations.
But what if you are a busy or forgetful type? Of course, let’s turn to technology. We’ve created a home maintenance schedule that you can copy, customize, and subscribe with one click so you never forget important maintenance again.
In truth, I need it too. Housekeeping checklists abound, but the problem is they don’t have reminders. I’ve downloaded and saved a lot of checklists over the years, but honestly I can’t remember the last time we checked our roof for repairs or cleaned our chimney – the main things I need a computer about to bother me. (I found out that if it’s not on the calendar, it probably won’t.)
Most of these tasks are more applicable if you own a home, but there are also some security and other home maintenance tasks that even apartment tenants or condominium owners should keep in mind.
Maintenance Needed to Prevent Destruction of Your Home
It sounds dramatic, but it’s the little things like caulking around the tub and making sure your gutters aren’t clogged that prevent more serious problems, such as serious water damage. In addition to making sure everything is working, simple maintenance also extends the life of your appliances and systems that keep your home running (plumbing, heating, etc.) the safety of your home and family (for example, check fire alarms twice a year and make sure the dryer vent has not caught fire).
That’s not all you have to pay for – some of them are just household chores that you should remember to do. The challenge is knowing what to do and when to take care of your home. Our solution: One-click to subscribe to the Home Maintenance Calendar, which outlines all of the most common and essential home care tasks so you don’t forget.
How to use the home care calendar
The built-in Google Calendar below will ensure that repetitive home maintenance tasks are done (or at least consistent attention), and you can easily share it with your partner if you’re a delegation type. Or, of course, just make your own that suits your needs.
If you are using Google Calendar
You can subscribe to a sample timetable with just one click from this link . If you would like to customize the tasks that are copied to your Google Calendar, click any item and copy it to your own Google Calendar by clicking the “copy to my calendar” link and then change the dates as needed.
If you are using a different calendar
If you are not using Google Calendar, you can download the calendar in various formats from the links below. Below in the calendar are descriptions of these repairs and tasks by season.
XML Calendar | iCal version | HTML version
What home maintenance tasks should you include?
Most of the things you need to do to keep your home running smoothly happens in the fall and spring when we prepare for winter or do our annual spring cleaning and inspection.
What to do in the fall
When the weather gets colder, take care of your heating equipment and weather protection. I’ve divided these tasks into groups over two weekends in October and one in November, but again, you can adjust to your schedule.
On open air
- Remove window screens for storage (label them so they can be put up quickly in the spring, and repair or replace now if necessary). After you wash your windows, replace them with storm ones.
- Close windows and doors with seals and check the tightness (to save on heating bills). Replace the seals if necessary.
- Check the roof for leaks, damaged or missing shingles, and pests lurking in the vents.
- While you’re there, check the chimney for leaks, broken bricks and mortar, and again, pests.
- Yard cleaning. Trim trees and bushes closer than three inches from your home.
- Check the outdoor tap for leaks, then drain the water and turn them off. Storage hoses.
- Clean gutters and gutters. Any gutter covers can also help prevent debris from entering the gutters.
- Clean, lubricate and store garden tools. (You can also store them in a sand bucket to prevent rusting.)
- Clean and store garden furniture (or cover with waterproof material).
In room
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if necessary. Also check fire extinguishers. This is a good time to conduct fire drills and review emergency documents.
- Remove air conditioners or weatherproof (if applicable).
- Check the attic for insulation, leaks, squirrel hiding places, etc. A simple attic inspection is easy if you know what to look for.
- Flush the water heater to get rid of sediment. Here are some instructions from the DIY network .
- Remove air from radiators if you have hot water heating. Do not do this while the system is running because the water will be hot .
- Inspect your kitchen, plumbing, and cabinets for leaks and prevent water damage by re-caulking or grouting tiles and tiles in your kitchen or bathroom if necessary.
Scheduled services
If you don’t already have a contractor, you can find one on Angie’s List , Home Advisor, or similar sites. The types of services to plan include:
- Chimney cleaning
- Maintenance of heating systems and heat pumps
- Septic tank pumped over
What to do in spring
Spring maintenance includes many of the same tasks as fall. However, we are now preparing for warmer weather and are testing our home systems once more to make sure everything is still working smoothly. I plan them for April and May.
On open air
- Wash windows and replace storm windows with screens.
- Check drains and downpipes and clean if necessary.
- Check exterior walls for damage or wear (e.g. brickwork or siding repairs, paint peeling)
- Check your deck for water damage or stains. A pressure washer will help rid your deck of mold and moss.
In room
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if necessary.
- Check the basement for cracks and leaks, dampness and mold.
- Inspect your kitchen and plumbing and prevent water damage by reprobing caulking or grouting countertops and tiles in your kitchen or bathroom as needed.
- Check the ventilation slots of the tumble dryer and remove lint.
While this isn’t really a home care task, now is also a good time to do some basic spring cleaning and get rid of things you no longer need or need anymore.
Additional resources for planning home maintenance
If you don’t like the Google Calendar method and prefer a paper planner , you can use this printable home planner to keep track of your household chores. Homespot can also help you create a home maintenance task list (as well as plan home improvement projects), and the web app will link to Google Calendar or other digital calendars.
The important thing is that you actually remember to complete these important tasks (so that you are not like me, and suddenly you find that pigeons have been living in your attic all winter).
This story was originally published in 2011 and was updated on December 28, 2020, per Lifehacker’s style guidelines.