Home Maintenance for Property Owners

There’s plenty to keep you busy, whether it’s cleaning, painting, or adding your own personality to your new home. Maintenance often gets left off the list. A home maintenance checklist can help you get ahead of those pesky but essential to-dos and set yourself up with a manageable home maintenance schedule.

Why does house maintenance matter?

At first, you might think that because the house is new to you, everything is in working order. Your home inspection flagged any significant items in need of repair before closing day. But now that you live in the house, you may find overlooked repairs or minor issues the inspection didn’t catch.

Even if there are no glaring problems, it’s a good practice to take care of small repairs while they’re still small, and keep your home clean and protected so problems are less likely to develop. Skimping on house maintenance now can cost you more in the long run.

7 things to put on your home maintenance checklist after you move in

1) Look for safety issues. Every home should have working smoke detectors on each level, plus carbon monoxide detectors in the basement and at floor level on each story.

2) Review your home inspection report. Double-check the report and review any repairs completed by contractors. Make a note to revisit any items again as needed. For example, if the inspection flagged the water heater as close to the end of its useful life, do proper short-term maintenance but start saving for a new one as well.

3) Check the heating and cooling. Air filters should be replaced every six months to keep small particles from recirculating through the house. If any family members have indoor allergies, consider installing HEPA filters to clean the air of even the smallest irritants. You may also want to change filters monthly instead of every six months to help alleviate symptoms.

4) Check interior and exterior stair railings. Handrails are usually checked during an inspection, but the inspector may not tug on them the way a child would or like an adult slipping on a step. Give your railings a good shake and secure them if they are wobbly. Keep checking them on a regular basis to make sure they’re safe.

5) Test light switches. An inspector may overlook light switches, especially if there are a lot of them. If you hear sparking or sizzling sounds from a switch, this means it’s failing and should be replaced before it throws a dangerous spark.

6) Make sure appliances work. Give every appliance a good test to ensure it’s in working order: put together your first meal, fill the ice maker, and throw in a load of clothes to wash. Track down owner’s manuals, which may be hidden in a drawer; many are also available online. Modern appliances often have filters, gaskets, or tanks that need to be cleaned to keep them working properly.

7) Run the water. Your inspector should have turned on every faucet inside and outside the house to check for plumbing problems. Because plumbing fixtures have small parts like o-rings and pressure connections that hold pipes together, they can fail spontaneously. Run a good amount of water and watch the piping underneath for leaks. Water can cause a lot of damage, but you can keep it minimal if you catch it early.

Now that you’ve done an initial check of your home’s systems and safety, it’s a good idea to understand what your home warranty covers.

What does a home warranty cover and how does it work?

You can purchase a home warranty to cover all of your home’s main systems, such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. Most warranties also include the roof and windows. Or you can purchase a warranty that covers only listed appliances. If you have a warranty, look at the paperwork to see what it covers.

When a system or appliance that’s covered by your home warranty breaks down due to wear and tear, your warranty allows for repair or replacement at a fraction of the cost. You just call the home warranty company, who schedules an appointment with a contractor to do the work. You typically only pay for the service fee, or sometimes a deductible. Find out the differences between a home warranty and home insurance.

Regardless of whether you have a home warranty or not, you’ll still need to care for your home. Most warranties won’t cover repair or replacement if the problem was caused by lack of maintenance.

Seasonal maintenance in your home and yard

Both the exterior and interior of your home will benefit from seasonal cleaning and should be on your home maintenance checklist. You can take care of these tasks easily over a few weekends, often in just a couple of hours for each one. This investment of time and energy will prevent larger problems and keep your house clean and safe.

When you make a regular commitment to maintaining your home in good condition, you head off expensive surprises. Regular maintenance also keeps your investment ready to sell when the time comes. Most importantly, it allows you to enjoy your home while you live there and make the house truly a home.

Seasonal Maintenance Guides
Autumn Maintenance Checklist

Property Maintenance Guides
Guide to house roof leaks, repairs, maintenance and reroofing
How to clean and prevent graffiti on your property
14 things you should never flush down the toilet
7 things not to pour down your kitchen sink
How to unclog a dishwasher