Free guide · for homeowners
The Year-Round Home Maintenance Calendar
Simple checks, season by season, that stop small problems becoming big bills
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How to use this calendar
Looking after a home is much easier when you do a little often. This calendar breaks the year into small, simple jobs. Most take ten minutes. Each one comes with a short reason, so you know why it matters.
You do not need to do everything. Start with the monthly checks and the yearly must-dos. They prevent most of the expensive problems we see.
Every month: the 10-minute check
Pick the same day each month, such as the first Sunday, and walk round your home.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm | Alarms only save lives if they work. |
| Look at your boiler pressure gauge | Low pressure can stop your heating and hot water. Most boilers like 1 to 1.5 bar when cold. Check your manual. |
| Look under sinks and around the toilet for drips | Small leaks rot floors and cupboards without you noticing. |
| Run taps and showers you do not use often | Keeps water fresh and stops pipes and seals drying out. |
| Clean extractor fan covers in the kitchen and bathroom | Dirty fans do not remove steam, which leads to damp and mould. |
| Look for new cracks, damp patches or black mould | Spotting changes early makes them cheaper to fix. |
Spring (March to May)
Winter is over. Now is the time to check for damage and get ready for warmer months.
Spring checklist
- Check the roof from the ground. Winter storms can move tiles. Use binoculars or your phone’s zoom. Never climb up.
- Clear gutters and downpipes. Winter debris causes overflow and damp walls.
- Turn your outside tap back on and check for leaks. Frost can split pipes over winter.
- Check fences, gates and decking. Look for loose panels, rot and slippery boards. Fix them before you use the garden more.
- Look at window and door seals. Gaps let in water and draughts.
- Check the sealant around baths and showers. Replace it if it is cracked, black or peeling.
Summer (June to August)
The dry, warm months are the best time for outside jobs.
Summer checklist
- Treat fences and decking. A coat of stain or preserver protects wood from rot.
- Check the outside walls and pointing. Crumbling mortar lets water in.
- Clean and check drains and gullies outside. Clear leaves and silt so heavy summer rain can drain away.
- Book your boiler service. Engineers are less busy in summer, so it is easier to get a slot before winter.
- Paint outside woodwork. Paint protects window frames and doors from the weather.
- Look in the loft. Check for daylight through the roof, damp patches, droppings or wet insulation.
Autumn (September to November)
Get your home ready for the cold and wet.
Autumn checklist
- Turn your heating on for a test run. Better to find a problem in September than in the first cold snap.
- Bleed your radiators. If they are cold at the top, trapped air is stopping them heating properly.
- Clear gutters after the leaves fall. This is the most important gutter clean of the year.
- Turn off and drain your outside tap. Use the inside valve if you have one. This stops the pipe freezing and splitting.
- Lag exposed pipes. Pipes in the loft, garage and outside walls need foam lagging to stop them freezing.
- Check your loft insulation. Good insulation keeps heat in and bills down.
- Find your stopcock and check it turns. You may need it quickly if a pipe freezes and bursts.
Winter (December to February)
Keep your home warm, dry and safe through the coldest months.
Winter checklist
- Keep the heating on low if you go away. A little heat stops pipes freezing.
- Open the loft hatch in a very cold spell. It lets some warm air reach pipes and tanks in the loft.
- Watch for condensation. Wipe wet windows each morning and open them for a short time to let moist air out.
- Use extractor fans when cooking and showering. Leave them running for a few minutes afterwards.
- Keep furniture slightly away from outside walls. A small gap lets air move and helps stop mould behind sofas and wardrobes.
- Check your boiler pressure more often. Boilers work harder in winter and pressure can drop.
Damp and mould: how to prevent it
Most mould in homes is caused by condensation. Everyday life puts a lot of moisture into the air, from cooking, showers, drying clothes and even breathing. When that moist air meets a cold wall or window, it turns to water.
- Use extractor fans, or open a window, when you cook or shower.
- Put lids on pans.
- Dry clothes outside if you can. If not, use a room with the window slightly open, or a tumble dryer that is vented outside.
- Keep your home at a steady, gentle temperature rather than very hot then very cold.
- Do not block air bricks or trickle vents at the top of windows.
- Wipe small spots of mould with a mould cleaner, following the instructions on the bottle.
Important: Damp that keeps coming back, damp that spreads, or a damp patch that is wet to touch may be a leak, rising damp or a gutter problem, not condensation. Get it looked at.
Once a year: the must-dos
| Job | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Boiler service by a Gas Safe registered engineer | Keeps it safe, efficient and often keeps the warranty valid. |
| Gutters and downpipes cleared | Stops overflow, damp walls and rot. |
| Roof and chimney checked from the ground | Small repairs now prevent big leaks later. |
| Bath, shower and sink sealant checked | Water behind tiles causes hidden damage. |
| Stopcock tested | A stuck stopcock is no use in a flood. |
| Loft checked | Finds leaks, pests and damp early. |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms checked against their expiry date | Alarms have a working life. Replace them by the date on the back. |
How to bleed a radiator
- Turn the heating off and let the radiators cool.
- Hold a cloth under the small valve at the top corner of the radiator.
- Use a radiator key to turn the valve slowly anticlockwise, about a quarter turn.
- You will hear a hiss as air comes out. When water starts to drip, close the valve.
- Check your boiler pressure. If it has dropped, top it up following your boiler manual.
Warning signs not to ignore
- A smell of gas, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounding. Get out and call 0800 111 999.
- Yellow or orange flames on a gas appliance, or black marks around it.
- Sockets or switches that feel warm, smell of burning or crackle.
- A fuse box switch that keeps flipping off.
- Water stains on ceilings, or a ceiling that sags.
- Cracks in walls that are wider than a coin or that are getting bigger.
- Damp or mould that keeps coming back.
- A boiler that keeps losing pressure.
- Drains that gurgle, smell or back up.
If anyone is in danger, call 999.
Keep a simple log
Write down what you checked and when, even if it is just a note on your phone. Add photos of anything that looks wrong, so you can see if it gets worse. Keep receipts and certificates for any work in the same place. When you sell your home, a tidy record of care helps buyers trust it.
Let Propfix do it for you
Life is busy. If you would rather not keep track of all this, the Propfix Home Club does it for you. From £9.99 a month, you get a yearly home check, your boiler service booked every year, priority booking and 10% off labour on every repair job. It is a service, not insurance, and you can cancel any time.
Spotted something on this list that needs fixing? Send us a few photos using our free quote form and we will send you a clear, fixed price. Or call 01895 444 999. A real person answers. We cover Harrow, Ruislip, Uxbridge, Watford and nearby.
