Roof: Inspect roof surface flashing, eaves, and soffits. Check flashings around all surface projections and sidewalls. Repair any water or pest damage.
Gutters and downspouts: Clean leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. Reattach gutters that have pulled away from the house, make sure downspout extenders are attached and drain away from the home.
Siding: Clean siding with a pressure washer to keep mold from growing. Check all wood surfaces for weathering and paint failure. If paint is peeling, scrape loose paint and sand smooth before painting.
Foundation: Check foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking, heaving, or deterioration. If there are large or displaced cracks in your concrete floor, slab or foundation call a foundation repair professional.
Landscape: Cut back and trim all vegetation and overgrown bushes from structures. Limbs and leaves can cut into your home’s paint and force you to have that side of the house repainted.
Fix cracks in your walks, driveway and the outside of your home: Cracks in asphalt, concrete or stucco don’t heal themselves. Fortunately, most of these repairs are fairly easy if done immediately.
Clean your dryer vent: Not all lint is caught in the lint trap; some makes its way into the dryer vent. A clear vent will save you money by reducing the time your dryer has to run. A plugged vent not only wastes money, but could also cause a house fire.
Check the washing machine fill hose: Look for cracks or bubbled out areas on hoses that could become leaks. A leaky hose under pressure can cause major damage in a short period of time.
Deck and porches: Check all decks, patios, porches, stairs, and railings for loose members and deterioration. Open decks and wood fences need to be treated every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain.
Replace the batteries in your smoke and CO2 detectors: You never know when you’ll need them. Sometimes, it’s a matter of life or death, so take the time to change the batteries now. Pick a date to do this maintenance (like daylight savings time) and test the units and replace batteries every year.