BTLR

The 52 Home Checks

One five-minute check a week. That is the entire secret to a home that never surprises you.

THIS WEEK: CHECK 30 OF 52
Flush the water heater a few gallons
Sediment is why water heaters die at 8 years instead of 12.
Get the printable list for your fridge, free.

Winter

January - March
01
Find your main water shutoff
A burst pipe gives you 60 seconds, not 60 minutes. Touch it, make sure it turns.
02
Replace the HVAC filter
A clogged filter makes the system work double and die young.
03
Test smoke and CO detectors
Batteries die quietly. Detectors only matter if they are awake.
04
Walk your water heater
Water in the pan, rust at the base, moisture at the valve: call while it is cheap.
05
Check exposed pipes in garage and crawl space
One freeze night pays for years of pipe insulation.
06
Press the test button on every GFCI outlet
Kitchens, baths, garage. Thirty seconds against a shock hazard.
07
Check the fire extinguisher gauge
Green means ready. If you do not own one, this week is buying one.
08
Open and close every window lock
Security and draft check in one lap of the house.
09
Look under every sink
A slow drip stains the cabinet floor weeks before it rots it.
10
Check door weatherstripping for drafts
A dollar of foam beats a winter of heating the porch.
11
Run water in unused drains
Guest bath traps dry out; that sewer smell is a free fix.
12
Vacuum the refrigerator coils
Dusty coils make the compressor grind toward an early grave.
13
Check ceilings and closets for moisture spots
Winter condensation shows up before mold does.

Spring

April - June
14
Clean gutters after winter
Water that cannot leave the roof finds a way into the house.
15
Walk the roof line with binoculars
Lifted shingles after winter storms are a $200 fix or a $2,000 ceiling.
16
Inspect exterior caulk, siding, foundation cracks
Cracks grow in only one direction.
17
Schedule the AC tune-up
Tune-ups are cheap in April and gold in July.
18
Check deck and patio for rot and loose boards
Railings fail at parties, not inspections.
19
Turn on irrigation and watch every zone
One broken head waters the sidewalk all summer.
20
Test smoke and CO detectors
Quarterly, always. This is the spring one.
21
Clean the dryer vent and lint duct
Lint fires are the most preventable fires in the house.
22
Check washing machine hoses
A burst hose floods a laundry room in minutes.
23
Test the garage door safety reverse
Lay a roll of paper towels under it. The door should retreat, not crush.
24
Check outdoor faucets and hose bibs
A winter-split bib leaks inside the wall, not outside it.
25
Look at your attic in daylight
Points of light in the roof deck are points of water in November.
26
Walk the foundation line for pests
Ant trails and mud tubes are cheaper to meet early.

Summer

July - September
27
Replace the HVAC filter
July is when filters earn their keep.
28
Check window and door seals
You are either cooling the house or the neighborhood.
29
Check attic heat and ventilation
A 140-degree attic cooks shingles from below.
30
Flush the water heater a few gallons
Sediment is why water heaters die at 8 years instead of 12.
31
Test the water heater pressure relief valve
Lift the lever, let it snap back. It should hiss and stop.
32
Trim vegetation off the house
Branches are highways for pests and sandpaper for siding.
33
Check toilet flappers with food coloring
Color in the bowl without flushing is money down the drain daily.
34
Look at your electrical panel
Warm breakers, buzzing, or rust: photograph it and call a pro. Do not open it.
35
Test the sump pump with a bucket of water
It has one job, on one day, and you want to know before that day.
36
Check bathroom caulk and grout lines
Water follows the gap behind the tile where you cannot see it.
37
Clean the range hood filter
A greasy filter above a flame is kindling with a fan.
38
Check your home documents
Inspection, insurance, warranty: could you find each in two minutes?
39
Test smoke and CO detectors
The summer one.

Fall

October - December
40
Clean gutters after the leaves fall
The autumn clog is the ice dam of January.
41
Schedule the furnace tune-up
Same logic as the AC: cheap in October.
42
Inspect the chimney and fireplace
Creosote does not announce itself.
43
Check weatherstripping on doors and windows
The fall pass, before the heating bills start.
44
Shut off and drain irrigation
The five-minute job that prevents next spring's hose bib repair.
45
Inspect the roof before the rainy season
The last calm look before weather tests it for you.
46
Insulate exposed pipes
The fall installment, for everything week 5 missed.
47
Replace the HVAC filter for heating season
Furnace edition.
48
Reverse ceiling fans to clockwise
Pushes warm air down; free heat you already paid for.
49
Check the fire extinguisher gauge
The holiday-cooking edition.
50
Test detectors, replace batteries
The annual battery swap, before candle-and-fireplace season.
51
Review your insurance declarations page
Ten minutes to know what is covered before winter tests it.
52
Walk your whole house like a buyer
One slow lap, notes app open. Everything you write down is January's list.
Or never think about this list again.

BTLR remembers all 52 for your exact home, tells you the one that matters each week, and tracks what you have done. 30 days free.

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