October Home Maintenance Checklist

11 tasks for October — each with the reason it's on the list. Print it, stick it on the fridge, and cross things off.

• Every 90 daysReplace the HVAC filterA clogged filter makes the blower work harder, raises energy use, and lets dust bypass into the ductwork.
• Every monthTest smoke and CO detectorsDetectors fail quietly — the only way to know one still works is to test it.
• Once a yearReplace detector batteriesA chirping detector gets its battery pulled at 2 a.m.
• Every 3 monthsTest GFCI outletsGFCI outlets protect the wet areas of the house from shock, and their internal mechanism can fail while the outlet keeps delivering power..
• Every 2 monthsClean the dishwasher filterModern dishwashers trap food in a filter you're supposed to rinse — few people know it exists.
• Twice a year — before wet seasonsTest the sump pumpA sump pump spends most of its life idle and is only discovered dead during the storm that needed it..
• Every fall before first freezeShut off and drain outdoor faucetsWater trapped in an exterior faucet freezes, expands, and splits the pipe inside the wall — the leak only shows up the following spring..
• Every 6 monthsLubricate and test the garage doorThe garage door is the heaviest moving object in the house.
• Twice a yearReverse ceiling fan directionCounterclockwise pushes a cooling breeze down in summer; clockwise on low pulls warm air off the ceiling in winter.
• Every fall before first freezeWinterize the irrigation systemWater left in irrigation lines freezes and splits pipes, valves, and backflow preventers underground where you can't see the damage until spring..
• Every fallBleed radiators and check boiler pressureTrapped air keeps hot water out of the top of a radiator — the classic 'cold on top' symptom that wastes fuel all winter..

Press ⌘P (Mac) or Ctrl+P (Windows) to print this checklist.

Nearby: September · November · the full checklist