What should be on a yearly home maintenance checklist?

A good yearly checklist does three things: keeps the safety devices working, keeps water out and moving away from the house, and keeps the heating and cooling running efficiently. Most of it is checking, not fixing. The items below are arranged by when they make sense in Virginia's seasons, with a short monthly list at the top. Print it, or put the dates in your calendar.

Every month

Smoke alarms. The U.S. Fire Administration says to test every smoke alarm monthly, replace the batteries at least once a year, and replace the whole alarm every 10 years.^[1] Its guidance adds that alarms with a sealed 10-year battery still need the monthly test, and are replaced as a whole on the manufacturer's schedule.^[1] While you are at it, check coverage: it recommends smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level, including the basement, and interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.^[1] The date of manufacture is usually printed on the back of the alarm.

Carbon monoxide alarms. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says every home should have a carbon monoxide alarm in the hallway near the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area.^[2] Test them on the same day as the smoke alarms.

The HVAC filter. ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist tells homeowners to inspect, clean or change the filter in a furnace, heat pump or central air conditioner once a month.^[5] A clogged filter makes the system work harder. See how often to change a furnace filter.

Spring

Book the cooling check-up. ENERGY STAR suggests having a contractor check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall,^[5] before the busy seasons. One item it lists is the condensate drain: "A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house."^[5]

Gutters and drainage. Fairfax County's soil and water conservation district advises that gutters should be cleaned at least once a year, and more often with trees close to the house,^[6] and that the ground around the house should slope away from the foundation walls, ideally a 5% grade for ten feet.^[6] Watch the downspouts in a steady rain: water should leave them and run away from the house, not pool against the foundation. See how often gutters should be cleaned.

Windows, doors and caulk. ENERGY STAR notes that drafts, visible gaps around trim, and peeling paint around window and door frames are signs of air leaks.^[12] It says caulk is for gaps a quarter inch or less,^[12] so larger gaps need backer rod or foam first.

Summer

Humidity. The EPA recommends that you keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent.^[11] Basements and closed rooms are the places to check with a cheap humidity meter. Condensation on windows, pipes or walls is a sign of high humidity.

Leaks under sinks and around fixtures. Look under every sink, behind toilets and around the tub and shower for drips, soft floors and stains. If wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak or spill, mold in most cases will not grow,^[11] so a leak found early is a cheap one.

Fall

Book the heating check-up. The CPSC advises that you have the heating system, including chimneys and vents, inspected and serviced every year by a trained technician,^[2] and the U.S. Fire Administration agrees: "Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional."^[3] Before the first cold night, clear space around the furnace, space heaters and fireplace. Its rule: "Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources".^[3]

The dryer vent. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, failure to clean was the leading factor in home clothes dryer fires from 2018 to 2020, at 31%.^[4] Clean the lint screen every load and have the vent duct cleaned out. A dryer that takes longer and longer to dry a load is a sign the vent is clogging.

Gutters again. Under heavy trees, the fall leaf drop is when gutters clog. Second-storey gutters are a ladder job best left to someone equipped for it; see how to clean gutters safely from a ladder.

Outside faucets before the first freeze. Loudoun Water advises that you shut off and drain the pipes to outside faucets and hose bibs,^[10] and to insulate pipes in any unheated or drafty areas.^[10] Disconnect garden hoses so water cannot sit in the faucet. While you are there, know where the main shutoff valve is, label it, and make sure everyone in the household knows how to close it.^[10]

Winter

Radon test. The Virginia Department of Health notes: "Indoor radon usually reaches its maximum concentration during the coldest winter months."^[8] It says the lowest livable level of the house should always be tested,^[8] with the test device placed at least 20 inches above the floor and away from outside walls, fans, windows and damp rooms such as bathrooms.^[8] Do-it-yourself radon test kits are sold in stores and online, and every radon test device must be approved by the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) or the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP).^[8]

Keep the heat on. Loudoun Water advises that you keep the thermostat set no lower than 55F, whether you are home or away.^[10] A house left cold over a holiday trip is how pipes in outside walls freeze. See how to know if pipes are frozen.

Once a year, any time

• Walk the outside of the house and look for cracked or missing caulk, peeling paint, soft wood at sills and door bottoms, and mulch or soil piled against siding.
• Tighten loose cabinet hinges, door hinges and towel bars before they strip.
• Check that interior doors close and latch, and note any that start sticking. A door that sticks every humid season is usually moving, not failing; see why small repairs keep coming back.

Leave the house first

These are emergencies, not jobs to book.

• If you smell gas, leave the house immediately; do not use your phone, light a match or switch on anything electrical, and call your gas supplier or 911 from a neighbor's house.^[7]
• If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately, leave the home and call for help from a neighbor's home, then call the fire department to find out when it is safe to go back in.^[2] The early symptoms are like the flu without the fever: headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness.^[2]

Stop and call a pro if

• A fuel-burning appliance shows soot, an unfamiliar burning smell or more moisture than usual on the inside of windows.^[2]
• The job needs the roof, a two-storey ladder, wiring or the inside of a gas appliance.
• A leak has soaked a ceiling, floor or wall, or you find mold over more than a small patch.
• A radon test result of 4 pCi/L or more, the level at which the EPA recommends that a home be fixed.^[9] Reducing radon is work for a mitigator, and the Virginia Code requires radon mitigators working in the Commonwealth to be certified by NRSB or NRPP.^[8]

Getting help with the list

A handyman can work through the non-licensed items in one visit, and a licensed HVAC business handles the system check-ups. See what a handyman costs in Virginia, browse small repairs, find handyman businesses around Blacksburg, or read the other handyman answers. When you have a list, describe it once and local businesses quote it.