Home Maintenance Checklist by Season: What to Do and When

The furnace filter you meant to change in September is still in there.

The smoke alarm chirps at 3am, and you can't remember when you last swapped the battery.

Home maintenance rarely goes wrong because a job is hard. It goes wrong because each job comes round so rarely that nobody remembers it's due. A checklist sorted by season, with each item on a repeating reminder, fixes most of that.

Why a seasonal list works better than one big list

A single list of forty house jobs is overwhelming, so it gets ignored. Splitting it by season does two things:

It matches the weather. You check the heating before it gets cold and the gutters after the leaves fall, which is when the job matters.
It keeps each batch small. Eight to ten jobs every three months is a weekend afternoon, not a project.

Some jobs don't fit a season at all. They run on their own clock, every month or every few months. Those go on separate repeating reminders, covered further down.

Spring checklist

Spring is for recovering from winter and getting ready for heavy rain and heat.

Walk around the outside of the house. Look for loose roof tiles or shingles, cracked render, and gaps around windows.
Clean the gutters and downpipes if they filled up over winter.
Test outdoor taps and hoses for leaks or frost damage.
Service the air conditioning before the first hot week, when every technician is booked.
Check window and door seals. Replace worn weatherstripping.
Look under sinks for slow drips or damp patches.
Clear dryer vents and the lint duct, not just the lint screen.

Summer checklist

Summer is the easiest time to do outdoor jobs and small repairs.

Repaint or reseal decking and fences while it's dry.
Check the attic or loft for signs of pests, leaks or poor ventilation.
Clean the fridge coils at the back or bottom. Dusty coils make the fridge work harder.
Trim trees and shrubs away from the roof, walls and power lines.
Check the grout and sealant around showers and baths.
Flush the water heater if the manufacturer recommends it for your model.

Autumn checklist

Autumn is the most important season. Most winter problems start with something skipped in October.

Book a heating service before the cold sets in.
Clean the gutters again once most leaves have dropped.
Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses so pipes don't freeze.
Bleed radiators if you have them, so they heat evenly.
Check the chimney or flue if you use a fireplace or wood burner.
Test the sump pump if you have one.
Stock up on de-icer, a snow shovel and spare filters before the shops run low.

Winter checklist

Winter is for indoor checks and watching for trouble.

Watch for ice dams and icicles along the roof edge.
Check for drafts around doors, windows and loft hatches.
Look at exposed pipes in garages, crawl spaces and outside walls. Insulate any that are bare.
Keep the outside vents clear of snow, especially boiler and dryer vents.
Plan spring jobs and get quotes for anything big while trades are quieter.

The jobs that don't follow the seasons

These are the ones people forget most, because there's no weather change to prompt them. Each one deserves its own repeating reminder.

Furnace and AC filters

Many filters need changing every one to three months, depending on the filter type, pets and how much the system runs. Check the box or your system's manual for the right interval. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and can push up your energy bill. The HVAC filter reminder page shows a few ways to set this up, including saving the filter size so you buy the right one.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Test them once a month by pressing the test button. Change batteries at least once a year, or as the manufacturer says. Alarms themselves wear out, so check the date on the back and replace units when they reach the end of their life. There's a ready setup on the smoke detector battery reminder page.

Water filters

Fridge filters, under-sink filters and filter jugs all have a lifespan, usually printed on the packaging. Once it passes, the filter stops doing its job and you won't notice. Set a water filter reminder for the interval on the box.

Other small repeaters

Clean the dishwasher filter: monthly.
Run cleaning cycles on the washing machine: monthly.
Clean the range hood filter: every few months.
Check fire extinguisher pressure: every few months.

How to set it up with Mindie

The easiest way to keep this going is to put each job on a reminder the day you think of it, so you never rely on remembering. With Mindie, you text it on WhatsApp like a normal message.

For the jobs on their own clock:

"Every 2 months on the 1st at 10am remind me to change the furnace filter, size 16x25x1"
"On the 1st of every month at 11am remind me to test the smoke alarms"
"Every 6 months remind me to replace the fridge water filter"

For the seasonal batches, one reminder per season is enough:

"Every year on 15 September at 10am remind me to do the autumn home checklist"

Then save the checklist itself as a list in the same chat:

"Save a list called autumn home jobs: book heating service, clear gutters, drain hoses, bleed radiators, test sump pump"

When the reminder arrives, ask for the list and work through it. Reply "done" when a job's finished, or "snooze 1 hour" if you're halfway up a ladder. If there's a job you always put off, nag mode keeps nudging until you mark it done.

If you'd rather see these jobs in your calendar, Mindie can add them to Google Calendar or Outlook too.

Keep a simple home log

A short record of what you did and when saves money later. When a plumber asks when the water heater was last flushed, or when you sell the house, you'll have the answer.

Keep it light. One line per job is enough:

"Note: changed furnace filter, 3 Oct"
"Note: gutters cleared by Tom's company, 12 Nov, paid in full"

Model numbers, filter sizes and the name of the electrician who did a good job are all worth keeping in the same place. Renters can use the same log to show what was reported to the landlord and when, and landlords managing several homes will find more on the landlords page.

If keeping the whole house in your head is wearing you down, the post on the mental load covers how to share it out. And for the yearly paperwork side of a home, like insurance renewals, see how to track renewal dates.

Reminders worth setting

HVAC filter reminder: A repeating reminder to change your furnace or AC filter, with the filter size saved.
Smoke detector battery reminder: A monthly alarm test, a yearly battery change and a heads-up when units reach the end of their life.
Water filter reminder: A reminder to swap fridge, tap and purifier filters on the interval printed on the box.
Water plants reminder: A watering schedule for indoor and outdoor plants, set once and repeated.

FAQ

How often should you do home maintenance?

Most homes do well with a short check every season, plus monthly and every-few-months jobs like filter changes and alarm tests. Big jobs like roof inspections and heating services usually need doing once a year.

What home maintenance is most often forgotten?

Furnace filters, dryer vents, smoke alarm tests and water filters top the list. They're easy to overlook because nothing visibly breaks until much later.

How much should I budget for home maintenance each year?

It depends on the age and size of the home and where you live. Many owners keep a separate pot of money for repairs so a broken boiler doesn't land on a credit card. A local surveyor or trusted contractor can give a better idea for your house.