Yellow car driving through snowy neighborhood

A go-to winter home maintenance checklist for homeowners

What are the steps to winterize a house? Your home maintenance schedule can depend a lot on your climate, but at a minimum, it’s a good idea to change air filters and clean gutters at this time of year. For most homeowners, following our winter home maintenance checklist will cover all the basics.

Regularly tending to home maintenance can not only preserve the aesthetics of your home. It can also help to protect against severe (and pricey) damage.

How to winterize your house: a 12-step maintenance checklist

Winterize your house at the end of fall using this home maintenance list:

Task	Time estimate	Description
Change air filters	20 minutes	Regularly replacing air filters can improve your home's air quality and reduce strain on your HVAC system. It’s generally recommended to replace air filters every 90 days.
Clean your chimney or use a chimney balloon	20 minutes	If you plan to use your fireplace, schedule a professional chimney cleaning. If you don’t plan to use your fireplace, purchase a chimney balloon, also called a fireplace blocker, to seal your chimney to prevent drafts.
Flush sediment in the water heater	30 minutes	Flush your water heater to improve its efficiency and lifespan; see instructions here. Regular maintenance will extend the life of your water heater.
Replace batteries and test fire alarms	30 minutes	Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly to protect your family. Replace smoke detector batteries twice a year and smoke detectors every 10 years.
Turn off outdoor faucets	30 minutes	Prevent pipes from freezing and bursting by draining and shutting off outdoor water supplies; use outdoor faucet covers for added insulation. To learn how to winterize a sprinkler system, read more here.
Bring in or cover outside furniture	1-2 hours	Pack up patio furniture, garden tools and grilling accessories. If storage space is limited, drape a tarp or waterproof canvas over furniture in a sheltered spot in the yard.
Clean out gutters	1-2 hours	Clear gutters of debris to prevent water damage to your roof and foundation. Cleaning out build-up ensures water flows away from the walls of your home.
Hang heavier drapes	1-2 hours	Denser drapes can help insulate your home and reduce energy costs. Thicker drapes can also reduce noise pollution from outside.
Inspect insulation	1-2 hours	Check your attic and walls for adequate insulation to reduce heating costs. Use Energy Star guidelines to see where your home may need more insulation.
Install weather stripping	1-2 hours	Seal gaps around doors and windows to prevent drafts and improve energy efficiency. Install door sweeps on the bottom of outside-leading doors and put weather-stripping in sashes and cracks.
Schedule a professional HVAC inspection	1-2 hours	Hire a professional to inspect your HVAC system to ensure it's running efficiently. Regular inspections can optimize your HVAC's performance, ensuring it provides consistent heating.
Caulk around windows	2-4 hours	Seal any gaps around windows to prevent drafts and energy loss. Caulking can also help prevent moisture damage and mold growth.

This winter, add “check in with your loan officer” to your list. An annual mortgage review may turn up new opportunities to save on your monthly expenses.

Creating a home maintenance schedule you can stick to

Performing regular home maintenance may not be the most exciting part of homeownership, but it’s likely to pay the biggest dividends. Annual home maintenance costs can swing widely based on factors like the age, size and value of a house. Currently, the average homeowner spends nearly $6,000 annually on maintenance and repairs. Routine home maintenance can help to curb some of these expenses.

Here’s how to create a home maintenance schedule that works for you:

Break it down by season: Group tasks that are specific to each season, like inspecting insulation in the winter and power-washing in the summer.
Set reminders: Use a calendar or app to schedule reminders for recurring tasks. Allot extra time to budget for and complete bigger projects, like major repairs and upgrades.
Do small tasks together: Knock out minor projects, like cleaning filters or caulking windows, during the same weekend for efficiency.
Budget for maintenance: Allocate funds for upkeep. Generally, it’s a good idea to set aside from one to three percent of your home’s value for annual repairs.

To make your schedule even more effective, consider tracking warranties and service agreements on your home maintenance list. Many items, like appliances, HVAC units and roofing materials, come with warranties that can save money on replacements. Guild customers receive the complimentary Househappy home concierge service at closing, which can track and store home-related records and documents.

Your home’s in good shape. What about your mortgage?

Have you checked in with your loan officer lately? If not, now’s an ideal time to review your mortgage. You might have accrued enough equity to make repairs or renovations. Or maybe there are new opportunities to save. Request a mortgage check-in to make sure your loan continues to work for your life.

The above information is for educational purposes only. All information, loan programs and interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans subject to underwriter approval. Terms and conditions apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deduction. Guild Mortgage is not affiliated with Househappy.

By Guild Mortgage|Published On: November 27th, 2024|Categories: Lifestyle, Resources|Tags: customer education, home maintenance, home repair, homeownership, lifestyle|

About the Author: Guild Mortgage

Founded in 1960 when the modern U.S. mortgage industry was just forming, Guild Mortgage Company is a nationally recognized independent mortgage lender providing residential mortgage products and local in-house origination and servicing. Guild’s collaborative culture and commitment to diversity and inclusion enable it to deliver a personalized experience for each customer. With more than 4,000 employees and over 250 retail branches, Guild has relationships with credit unions, community banks, and other financial institutions and services loans in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Guild’s highly trained loan professionals are experienced in government-sponsored programs such as FHA, VA, USDA, down payment assistance programs and other specialized loan programs. Guild Mortgage Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guild Holdings Company, whose shares of Class A common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GHLD.