Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

Long days and dry weather make summer the season for exterior work — washing, sealing, and the repairs you noted in spring.

• 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.
• 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.
• Every 6 monthsInspect washing machine hosesA burst supply hose floods a laundry room in minutes and is consistently among the most common causes of home water damage claims..
• Once a yearCheck toilets for silent leaksA worn flapper lets water seep from tank to bowl around the clock — silent, invisible, and often hundreds of liters a day on the water bill..
• Every 6 monthsClean bathroom exhaust fansA dust-choked fan can't clear shower moisture, and chronic bathroom moisture becomes ceiling mold and peeling paint..
• Every 3 monthsDegrease the range hood filterA grease-saturated filter stops capturing cooking exhaust and becomes a fire risk sitting directly over the burners..
• Once a yearWash siding and check paintGrime feeds mildew, and failed paint exposes bare wood — rot starts wherever water finds unprotected material..
• Once a yearFill driveway and walkway cracksWater in a crack becomes frost heave in winter — small cracks grow into broken slabs one freeze at a time..
• Every 3 months in seasonClean humidifiers and dehumidifiersBoth machines hold standing water, and standing water grows mold and bacteria that the machine then distributes through the house..
• Every 6 monthsCheck fire extinguishersAn extinguisher with a dead gauge is decor.

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