I just received a shocking $2,000 quote to fix wood rot around my windows, and the contractor casually mentioned that it could have been avoided with some basic maintenance like caulking every few years. This has me thinking—I have no idea what home maintenance tasks I should be doing regularly or how often I need to do them. I usually keep up with the obvious things like mowing the lawn and changing HVAC filters, but what about other tasks like cleaning gutters, flushing the water heater, or caulking? When did you all figure out what maintenance was necessary for your homes? I'm hoping to learn from your experiences and avoid making the same mistakes.
3 Answers
Honestly, most people pick up this home maintenance knowledge through trial and error unless they have a background in it. I didn't have a clue either until I faced similar costly repairs; it's usually from experiences like yours that we all learn the hard way!
I've learned a ton from shows like "Holmes on Homes" and various YouTube channels. It's incredible how much you can learn just by watching others make mistakes.
As a maintenance electrician, I recommend setting up a home maintenance whiteboard to keep track of tasks. For example, write down installation dates for appliances and create a list of maintenance tasks you need to do regularly—like checking filters in your dishwasher or water heater. You can often find maintenance guides for your appliances online. This method has saved me lots of headaches!
Great ideas, but I might be too lazy to follow through with them.
Definitely a fan of organizing everything! I use a task manager app to schedule my home maintenance, so I don’t forget.
Here's a helpful checklist of home maintenance tasks that cover things like caulking and gutter cleaning. It doesn’t cover everything, but it's a good start! Just keep in mind you might not follow it to the letter—that’s what I do!
It’s a good starting point, but I have to admit, some of these tasks seem like a bit too much.
For sure, nobody's going to test smoke alarms every month like suggested! I'll stick to my own schedule.
Or having someone in the trades as a dad helps too!