The Ultimate Summer Home Maintenance Checklist 

It’s the start of a new month, and summer is nearly here, so you need to make sure you’re prepping your home for the coming season. Check out this list of monthly home improvement tasks, and a summer home maintenance checklist from Better Homes & Gardens.

Monthly Home Improvement Checklist 

Inspecting your home and completing monthly home improvement projects will keep your maintenance schedule on track and easier to manage. Follow this comprehensive home maintenance checklist each month to help save time and money:Checklist

• Clean the furnace filter to remove dust build-ups, make it easier to regulate your home’s temperature, and ultimately decrease energy bills.
• Check the water softener and replenish salt if necessary.
• Clean faucet aerators and showerheads to remove mineral deposits.
• Inspect tub and sink drains for debris; unclog if necessary.
• Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and all ground-fault circuit interrupters.
• Inspect electrical cords for wear.
• Vacuum heat registers and heat vents.
• Check that indoor and outdoor air vents are not blocked.
• Flush out hot water from the water heater to remove accumulated sediment.
• Clean the garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes, then flushing with hot water and baking soda.

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist 

When the sun is out and warm weather is finally here to stay, the last thing you should worry about is home maintenance. Use our quick summer home maintenance guide to get the hard work out of the way at the beginning of the season. Don’t worry if the weather is already heating up; most of these tasks are indoors:

• Oil garage-door opener and chain, garage door, and all door hinges.
• Remove lint from inside and outside washer hoses and dryer vents.
• Clean kitchen exhaust fan filter.
• Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays.
• Check the dishwasher for leaks.
• Check around kitchen and bathroom cabinets and around toilets for leaks.
• Replace interior and exterior faucet and showerhead washers if needed.
• Seal tile grout.
• Prune trees and shrubs.

Looking for checklist for other seasons? Check out Better Homes & Gardens complete home maintenance checklists.