September Home Maintenance Checklist

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

• Every monthTest smoke and CO detectorsDetectors fail quietly — the only way to know one still works is to test it.
• Once a yearFlush the water heaterSediment settles at the bottom of the tank, insulating the water from the burner and corroding the liner.
• Once a year if you burn woodHave the chimney sweptCreosote builds up in the flue with every fire and is the fuel for chimney fires.
• Every 6 monthsInspect tub and shower caulkFailed caulk lets shower water into the wall cavity, where it rots framing and feeds mold invisibly.
• Every fallCheck weatherstripping and caulkGaps around windows and doors leak heated air all winter and cooled air all summer — usually the cheapest energy fix in the whole house..
• Once a yearService the furnace before winterA fall tune-up catches failing igniters, cracked heat exchangers, and blocked flues before the first cold night — and keeps most warranties valid..
• Every fallSeal pest entry pointsMice need a gap the width of a pencil.
• Every 3 monthsDegrease the range hood filterA grease-saturated filter stops capturing cooking exhaust and becomes a fire risk sitting directly over the burners..

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

Nearby: August · October · the full checklist