Home maintenance checklists

The most important maintenance to keep a home safe and running is cleaning the gutters each spring and fall, having the furnace and air conditioning cleaned and inspected twice a year, changing furnace filters monthly, clearing plumbing clogs, and checking for leaks and damaged pipes. A house is like a car: the more you keep it up, the longer it lasts. Each free checklist below lists what to check month by month for its season.

Seasonal checklists

MARCH TO MAY · PDF · 442 KBSpring Home Maintenance ChecklistFurnace filter and HRV, the sump pump, eavestroughs and downspouts, shingles, frost damage, and turning the outside water back on.Download free →
JUNE TO AUGUST · PDF · 438 KBSummer Home Maintenance ChecklistAir conditioning, roof flashing and chimney caps, garage door tracks, the septic system, and airing out a damp basement.Download free →
SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER · PDF · 208 KBFall Home Maintenance ChecklistExterior finishes and caulking, chimney dampers, furnace and HRV servicing, the dryer vent, and draining exterior water lines.Download free →
DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY · PDF · 204 KBWinter Home Maintenance ChecklistSnow on the roof, ice at the overhangs and vents, the furnace filter and fan belt, humidity, and keeping air intakes clear.Download free →

Free guides

FROM $200

Annual home check-up

Rather have an inspector go through the list? A check-up every two to three years catches deferred maintenance before it turns into big bills.

HOMEOWNER RESOURCES

Articles from Darren McClurg

On buying, selling and keeping an Ottawa home in good shape.