Seasonal Home Maintenance: Your Complete Checklist for Every Season

Prevention Is Always Cheaper Than Repair

A $150 HVAC tune-up in the spring can prevent a $3,000-$5,000 compressor replacement in July. A $50 pipe insulation job in October can prevent a $5,000+ burst pipe repair in January. According to HomeServe, about 25% of homeowners have $500 or less saved for emergency home repairs — which means an ounce of prevention isn't just wise, it's financially necessary.

Regular maintenance extends the life of your home's major systems, catches small problems before they become emergencies, and keeps your family safe and comfortable year-round. Here's your complete seasonal checklist.

Spring Checklist (March - May)

Spring is recovery and preparation season — you're fixing any winter damage and getting your home ready for the heat ahead.

HVAC

• Schedule a professional A/C tune-up before the first hot day. A technician will check refrigerant levels, clean the evaporator coil, test the thermostat, and inspect electrical connections. This is the single most valuable preventive maintenance you can do for your cooling system.
• Replace or clean air filters (this alone can improve efficiency by 5-15%).
• Clear debris from around outdoor condenser units — maintain at least 2 feet of clearance on all sides.

Plumbing

• Check outdoor faucets and hose bibs for freeze damage — turn them on and look for leaks or reduced flow.
• Test your sump pump by pouring water into the pit. It should activate and drain quickly.
• Inspect your water heater for signs of corrosion, leaks, or sediment buildup. Flush it if it hasn't been done in the past year.
• Check under sinks and around toilets for slow leaks that may have developed over winter.

Exterior

• Inspect the roof for winter damage — look for missing, cracked, or curling shingles and any signs of moss growth.
• Clean gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters cause water to pool near your foundation, leading to basement leaks and structural damage.
• Check the foundation for new cracks. Small hairline cracks are normal; cracks wider than 1/4 inch or showing displacement warrant a professional evaluation.
• Power wash siding, driveway, and walkways.
• Trim tree branches within 10 feet of your home or hanging over power lines.

Electrical

• Test all GFCI outlets (kitchen, bathrooms, garage, outdoor) — press the "test" button, confirm it trips, then reset.
• Check outdoor lighting fixtures and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Visually inspect your electrical panel for any signs of corrosion, scorch marks, or unusual odors.

Summer Checklist (June - August)

Summer is peak usage season for your cooling system and outdoor spaces.

HVAC

• Replace A/C filters monthly during heavy use — a clogged filter forces your system to work harder, increasing energy costs and reducing its lifespan.
• If cooling seems weak, have a technician check refrigerant levels. Low refrigerant usually means a leak that needs repair, not just a top-off.
• Keep vents and registers clear of furniture, rugs, and curtains.

Plumbing

• Check for slow drains — summer brings increased water use (guests, kids home, more laundry).
• Inspect washing machine hoses for bulges, cracks, or weeping. Replace rubber hoses with braided stainless steel if you haven't already.
• Inspect your property for pooling water near foundations or downspouts — standing water breeds mosquitoes and can compromise your foundation.

Exterior

• Seal or stain your deck and fence if needed — the UV and rain exposure of summer is hard on exposed wood.
• Check caulking around windows and doors. Replace any that's cracked, peeling, or missing.
• Clean your dryer vent — lint buildup is a fire hazard and a top cause of residential fires.

Fall Checklist (September - November)

Fall is winterization season — everything you do now prevents expensive emergencies when it's cold.

HVAC

• Schedule a furnace or heat pump tune-up before you need it. A technician will inspect the heat exchanger (critical for carbon monoxide safety), test ignition, clean the burner, and check the flue.
• Replace filters and test the thermostat by switching to heating mode.
• Consider upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat — the DOE estimates they can save 8-10% on heating and cooling costs annually.

Plumbing

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses before the first freeze. Water left in a connected hose can freeze and crack the faucet or pipe behind the wall.
• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas (basement, crawl space, garage, exterior walls).
• Know where your main water shut-off valve is and make sure it works. If a pipe bursts, every second counts.

Exterior

• Clean gutters again after leaves have fallen — a single fall storm can undo your spring cleaning.
• Check weatherstripping on all exterior doors and windows. Replace if worn, cracked, or compressed.
• Inspect and clean your chimney if you have a fireplace. Creosote buildup is a leading cause of chimney fires — hire a certified chimney sweep for an inspection.
• Inspect roofing for loose or missing shingles before winter storms.

Safety

• Test carbon monoxide detectors — heating season is when CO poisoning risk spikes.
• Replace smoke detector batteries, even in hardwired units (they have backup batteries that need periodic replacement).

Winter Checklist (December - February)

If you've winterized properly in fall, winter is mostly about monitoring and responding.

HVAC

• Replace furnace filters every 30-60 days during heavy use.
• Keep all supply and return vents clear of furniture, rugs, and holiday decorations.
• Run ceiling fans in reverse (clockwise at low speed) to push warm air that collects at the ceiling back down into the room.

Plumbing

• During hard freezes (below 20°F), let faucets on exterior walls drip — moving water is harder to freeze.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to let warm air reach the pipes.
• If you lose water pressure during a freeze, you may have a frozen pipe. Never use an open flame to thaw pipes. Use a hair dryer, space heater, or warm towels — and call a plumber if you can't locate the freeze.

Exterior

• Monitor for ice dams along roof edges — these form when heat escaping through the attic melts snow on the roof, which refreezes at the eaves. Proper attic insulation and ventilation are the long-term fix.
• Keep walkways and driveways clear of ice (liability and safety).
• After heavy snowfall, use a roof rake to remove excess snow if accumulation exceeds 12-18 inches.

When to DIY vs. When to Call a Pro

Safe to DIY: Replacing air filters, clearing debris from around outdoor units, unclogging a simple drain with a plunger, caulking windows, changing smoke detector batteries, basic lawn care, cleaning gutters (if you're comfortable on a ladder).

Call a licensed pro: Anything involving gas lines, electrical panel work, refrigerant handling, roof repairs, structural concerns, water heater issues, or plumbing that goes beyond a plunger. The risk of injury, property damage, or making the problem worse isn't worth the savings.

On Traeos, you can browse licensed pros by trade and zip code, read verified reviews, and get transparent quotes — so when you do need a pro, finding a good one takes minutes, not days.