Tips to Care for Your Home All Year Long

Seasonal Home Maintenance in Chicago

These tips for seasonal home maintenance in Chicago will help you take care of your home all year long will keep you organized and protect your largest asset. Whether you have a single-family home, a condominium, or a multi-unit building, there are things you need to do to protect your investment.

You can input them as recurring events on your calendar or there’s an App for that.

Fall Home Maintenance in Chicago

Prepare your home and yard for cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and more hours spent indoors.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage.

Rake and shred leaves to use as mulch or dispose of them. Chicago residents can call 311 to request separate bagged leaf collection from October 17 through November 30. More info HERE

• Remove, clean, label and store screens
• Close or install storm windows.
• Remove hoses from spigots and drain and store indoors, coiled and flat.
• Store outdoor furniture and cushions.
• Remove hose from outdoor spigot and store hose.
• Test snow blower and have it professionally serviced if necessary.

Indoor Tasks:

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks back in the fall.
• Check windows and doors for weather-tightness and install weather stripping where it’s needed.
• Have furnace professionally inspected.
• If needed, set traps for rodents.
• Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
• Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine and cosmetics.
• Inspect and clean chimney

Winter Home Maintenance in Chicago

Enjoy energy-efficient warmth and the fruits of your home-maintenance labors. Use this time of the year to thoroughly clean and care for your home’s interior while taking a few precautionary measures on the outside.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Walk around your home’s exterior and check the crawl space vents located at the foundation. Close any that are open.
• Protect your central air conditioning unit with a cover, and remove and store window air conditioners.
• Clean and store garden tools.
• Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spot.  

Indoor Tasks:

• Change or clean furnace filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine how frequently the filters should be replaced.
• Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
• Maintain clean drains by adding one-half-cup baking soda followed by one-half-cup white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.
• Check the caulk and grout around the tub and sinks, grout or apply caulk as needed.
• Seal stone surfaces such as marble and granite.

Spring Home Maintenance in Chicago

Focus on freshening up your home and protecting your property against the season’s strong winds and rains.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage.
• Touch up peeling or damaged paint. Watch our video for ideas on troubleshooting exterior paint problems.
• Wash all windows, inside and out.
• Install screens on windows and doors.
• Clean outdoor furniture and air out cushions.
• Service your lawn mower.
• Fertilize your lawn.

Indoor Tasks:

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks forward.
• If your basement has a sump pump, test it by dumping a large bucket of water into the basin of the sump pump. This should activate the sump pump. If it does not switch on or if it’s not pumping water, it may need to be serviced by a professional. Also, check for and remove any debris and make sure there are no leaks.
• Wash and change seasonal bedding.
• Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
• Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine and cosmetics.

Summer Home Maintenance in Chicago

Complete the following projects to keep your yard lush and your home cool.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Walk around your home’s exterior and slide open crawl space vents at the foundation.
• Prune trees and shrubs.
• Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent with a long, flexible brush.
• Uncover central air conditioner and install window air conditioners.

Indoor Tasks:

• Change or clean heating, ventilating and air conditioning filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine whether you need to change filters more frequently.
• Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
• Maintain clean drains by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.
• Drain or flush water heater.