It’s all too easy to let those seasonal home maintenance tasks slip by without action, but if some tasks are left unaddressed for too long, they can snowball into serious and more costly issues. Staying proactive by creating a schedule of seasonal maintenance tasks to accompany your home cleaning schedule can help you preserve the safety, comfort and longevity of your home, while preventing the need for overly costly repairs for issues amplified by neglect.
If you’re not sure where to start, keep reading to learn what you need for an effective and efficient season-by-season home maintenance schedule.
First, identify existing issues and key contacts
Before we get into the season-by-season breakdown, it’s important to start with the basics. Every property will be a little different, so take a moment to evaluate your interiors, exteriors, and garden space to identify any immediate issues that need to be resolved by either yourself or a professional tradesperson.
Make a list of key contacts for your home maintenance needs, such as emergency plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, pest control, and other emergency services. And if you’re renting, add your property manager’s details to this list too, as they’ll undoubtedly be your first point of contact for general repairs.
Keeping this list of year-round concerns and the emergency services designed to address these concerns, can help homeowners establish a contingency plan that they can take action if needed.
Autumn home maintenance
Autumn is the perfect time to tackle home maintenance tasks that will help protect your home in the cooler months. Add the following tasks to your schedule for exterior maintenance:
- clean your gutters and downpipes,
- prune trees and shrubs,
- get your roof inspected for leaks or damage,
- check your deck or balcony for damage,
- seal any exposed exterior timbers (such as decks, balustrades, furniture, window and door frames),
- check outside lighting fixtures and replace any blown bulbs,
- get stormwater drains outside your property cleaned in late autumn (to help prevent blockages and potential flooding during the rainy winter months).
Inside the home, you should also make sure to get your heating or air conditioning units serviced so that they’re ready for winter. Seal draughts by installing weather seals around doors and windows to further support energy efficiency of your heating in winter.
Winter home maintenance
In winter, focus on keeping your home safe from the elements. If it’s likely that pipes could experience prolonged exposure to temperatures of -6℃ or cooler, consider getting them insulated to prevent unnecessary damage. A local plumber with experience in weatherproofing plumbing systems in alignment with your regional climate can help here.
After storms or heavy rain, be sure to also inspect exterior timber across your property for damage, and contact a professional if anything needs to be addressed. The same goes for your roof tiling and gutters as well. You don’t want cracks to go unchecked as they can rapidly result in water damage to your roof, ceiling, and walls.
Indoors, you might notice draughts or leaks throughout the cooler winter months. Address all these issues as soon as possible, potentially by re-caulking windows or replacing worn-out weather seals. Keep an eye out for mould in wet spaces (i.e. kitchens, bathrooms, laundries) plus across unsealed window frames as well, and remove any mould buildup as soon as you see it.
It’s also wise to prepare a winter emergency kit with essential items like flashlights, batteries (including portable phone chargers), warm blankets, non-perishable food and bottled water. These supplies can be used in case of power outages or severe weather events.
Spring home maintenance
Time for a good old-fashioned spring clean! Check your home for any signs of water damage and contact a licensed plumber to fix any leaks. Do a top-to-bottom clean of the home and check your appliances to ensure they’re all functioning correctly. If you have a fireplace, get it professionally checked and maintained to ensure it’s free from any potential hazards.
Do an overall home and safety check, too – you’ll want to check up on your smoke alarms, heating and cooling systems, security systems, solar panels and appliances, as well as assessing the home for any hazards that could impact young children or elderly family members.
Outdoors, spring is the perfect time to start pruning your plants, renewing mulch and adding fertiliser to be absorbed in anticipation of the harsher summer growing conditions. You’ll also want to get your gutters and downpipes cleaned again towards the end of spring. And if you have weatherboards, inspect them for any damage from the winter months, get them repaired if necessary and give them a clean with warm, soapy water and a soft-bristled brush.
Summer home maintenance
In the warmer months of summer, your top priorities will be keeping your home comfortable and energy efficient, while also preparing for potential hazards if you live in an area at high risk of bushfires. Indoors, if you hadn’t already done so in late spring, you’ll want to get your air conditioning system serviced or upgraded if necessary. Blinds and thermal curtains can reduce the amount of heat entering your home, while double-glazed windows have the dual benefit of keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
To best prepare for bushfire season, ensure there are no gaps in windows and door frames, keep gutters free from debris, update or maintain your garden in line with bushfire preparation guidelines, and make sure your roof is protected by sealing any gaps. Have a plan in place so that you’re ready if you need to evacuate.
Stay on top of our home maintenance year-round
In summary, it’s important to keep up with seasonal home maintenance. Start by identifying any pressing issues and making a list of key contacts, then create and follow a schedule of maintenance tasks based on each season. In autumn, start preparing for the winter months; in winter, focus on keeping the elements out. Use spring as an opportunity for a deep clean before summer, then make sure your home is comfortable, energy efficient and bushfire ready in the summer months.
Image: Digital Next
This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Digital Next
