The home maintenance checklist (printable)
59 jobs that keep a house running, grouped by how often. Jobs marked “every home” apply almost everywhere; the rest depend on what you have — a pool, a septic tank, a chimney. Print this page, or let Convivo schedule and remind you.
Every week
- Test and balance the pool water · Weekly
Test strips or a kit: chlorine, pH and alkalinity. Adjust a little at a time. Weekly while the pool is open. - Test and balance the hot tub water · Weekly
Sanitizer, pH and alkalinity. Shock after heavy use.
Every month
- Clean the dishwasher filter · Monthly · every home
Twist it out from the bottom of the tub, rinse under the tap, scrub with a soft brush. - Clean the garbage disposal · Monthly · every home
Ice cubes and a little dish soap, then run cold water. Citrus peel for the smell. - Check the water softener salt · Monthly
Top it up when the salt is below half; break up any crust. - Clean the washing machine gasket and filter · Monthly
Wipe the door seal, run an empty hot cycle with a cleaner, clear the drain filter. - Clean the dehumidifier filter · Monthly
Rinse the filter; empty and wipe the bucket. - Clean the pool skimmer and filter · Monthly
Empty the baskets, backwash or rinse the filter, check the chemistry. - Rinse the hot tub filter · Monthly
Hose it down between the pleats. Soak in filter cleaner every few months; replace yearly. - Run the generator · Monthly
Run it under load for 20–30 minutes. Check the oil and the fuel.
Every few months
- Replace the HVAC / furnace filter · Every 3 months · every home
Check the size printed on the old filter's edge. Monthly if you have pets or allergies. - Clean the range hood filter · Every 3 months · every home
Soak in hot water with dish soap and baking soda, or run it through the dishwasher. - Check under sinks and around toilets for leaks · Every 3 months · every home
Look for drips, damp cabinet floors, and soft spots; feel the water supply lines. - Test the sump pump · Every 3 months
Pour a bucket of water into the pit; it should switch on and drain it. - Pest check around the house · Every 3 months
Look for droppings, nests, ant trails and gaps around pipes and doors. - Clean showerheads and faucet aerators · Every 6 months
Soak in vinegar overnight to clear mineral build-up. - Vacuum the bathroom exhaust fans · Every 6 months
Pop the cover off, vacuum the fan and grille. - Replace the fridge or sink water filter · Every 6 months
Check the model number on the old one before buying. - Rotate the mattresses · Every 6 months
Head to foot; flip too if it's two-sided. - Deep clean the oven · Every 6 months
Self-clean cycle or baking soda paste overnight; clean the racks. - Drain, clean and refill the hot tub · Every 3 months
Flush the lines first, drain, wipe the shell and the cover, refill and rebalance. - Check the radon system · Every 3 months
The U-tube gauge should show a difference; the fan should be running. Retest radon every 2 years.
By season
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms · Mar & Sep · every home
Press the test button on each one. Replace batteries yearly; replace smoke alarms every 10 years. - Test GFCI outlets · Mar & Sep · every home
Press TEST (power goes off), then RESET. Kitchen, bathrooms, garage, outdoors. - Clean the gutters and downspouts · Apr & Oct · every home
Spring and late fall, after the leaves drop. Check the downspouts carry water away from the house. - Service the heating and cooling · Mar & Sep · every home
AC tune-up in spring, furnace or heat pump in fall. - Switch ceiling fan direction · May & Nov · every home
Counter-clockwise in summer (cooling breeze), clockwise on low in winter. - Inspect the roof, caulking and weatherstripping · May · every home
Loose shingles, flashing, caulk around tubs, sinks and windows, door seals. - Shut off and drain outdoor faucets · Nov · every home
Before the first freeze: disconnect hoses, close the inside shut-off, open the outside tap to drain. - Replace smoke alarm batteries · Nov
An easy one to pair with the clock change. - Start up the sprinklers and check the heads · Apr
Turn the water on slowly, run each zone, fix broken or misaimed heads. - Winterize the sprinklers · Oct
Shut off the water and blow out the lines before the first freeze. - Aerate and overseed the lawn · Sep
Early fall is best for cool-season grass. - Clean the AC condensate line · May
Flush with a cup of vinegar at the access port to stop clogs. - Clean the window screens and tracks · Apr
Soapy water and a soft brush; vacuum the tracks. - Inspect the attic for leaks and pests · Oct
Look for water stains, droppings and damp insulation. - Service the garage door · Jun
Lubricate rollers and hinges; test the auto-reverse with a board on the floor. - Chimney inspection and sweep · Sep
Before the first fire of the season. - Open the pool · May
Take off and clean the cover, refill, start the pump and filter, shock and balance the water. - Close the pool for winter · Sep
Balance and shock, lower the water, blow out the lines, add winterizing chemicals, cover it. - Clean the window AC filters · Jun & Jul & Aug
Slide the filter out, rinse it, let it dry before putting it back. - Bleed the radiators · Oct
Radiator key on the valve at the top until water comes out. Start upstairs. - Service the boiler · Sep
A yearly tune-up before the heating season; check the pressure gauge. - Check and clean the solar panels · Apr
Look at the app for a drop in output; rinse dust and pollen from the ground with a hose. - Fertilize the lawn · Apr & Sep
Spring and early fall; water it in. - Sharpen the mower blade · Mar
And change the oil and the spark plug before the first mow. - Clean and season the grill · Apr
Burn off, scrub the grates, check the gas hose for leaks with soapy water. - Clean the fireplace and check the damper · Oct
Clear the ash, check the damper opens and closes, test the CO alarm nearby.
Every year or longer
- Flush the water heater · Yearly · every home
Drain a few gallons from the valve at the bottom to clear sediment. Check the pressure-relief valve. - Clean the dryer vent · Yearly · every home
The duct behind the dryer and the outside flap — lint build-up is a fire risk. - Vacuum the refrigerator coils · Yearly · every home
Behind the kick plate or at the back. Unplug first. - Check the fire extinguisher · Yearly · every home
The gauge needle should be in the green; replace if it's past its date or was used. - Seal the deck or fence · Every 2 years
When water stops beading on the wood. - Septic tank inspection and pumping · Every 3 years
Every 3–5 years depending on the tank and household size. - Check the water heater anode rod · Every 3 years
Replace it when it's worn down to the wire — it keeps the tank from rusting. - Descale the tankless water heater · Yearly
Flush with vinegar through the service valves. More often with hard water. - Test the well water · Yearly
Bacteria and nitrates every year; ask your county health department for a kit. - Service the generator · Yearly
Oil, filter and spark plug before storm season or winter. - Test the security system · Yearly
Test each door and window sensor, replace sensor batteries, check the monitoring contact list.
Get these on a schedule — free
Questions
- What home maintenance should be done every month?
- Clean the dishwasher filter and the garbage disposal; check the water softener salt; clean the washing machine gasket and filter. Pool and hot tub owners have weekly water checks too.
- What should I do to my house in the fall?
- Clean the gutters after the leaves drop, service the furnace, drain the outdoor faucets before the first freeze, winterize sprinklers, have the chimney swept, and switch ceiling fans to clockwise.
- What maintenance is done once a year?
- Flush the water heater, clean the dryer vent, vacuum the refrigerator coils and check the fire extinguisher.
Updated 2026-10-11.