Seasonal Home Maintenance Guide for Auckland Homeowners
We all know that one neighbour who always seems a step ahead. When it’s warm, they’re out mowing the lawn. When it’s cold, they’re clearing the gutters. As soon as it rains, they’re checking their cladding for warps or weathertightness issues. No matter the season, they’re on top of it—and it can be a bit mystifying when there’s so much to keep up with as a homeowner.
Their secret? A seasonal home maintenance checklist. It’s the smartest way to stay on top of what your home needs without getting overwhelmed. Want to be the neighbour everyone admires? Stick around for a simple checklist that keeps you on track all year.
Internal Maintenance Checklist
The first dimension of seasonal home maintenance is the inside of your home. There’s plenty you can do indoors to support your home’s overall health, even if it’s just taking a closer look at some key areas that are often overlooked.
Winter
- Test all your smoke alarms and replace any batteries (or replace them with long-life alarms that don’t need batteries).
- Check for drafts around windows and doors, and apply any draft stoppers necessary.
- Give your attic insulation a quick look to make sure it hasn’t shifted.
- Check for any encroaching leaks or dampness.
Autumn
- Clean and service your HVAC system.
- Deep-clean windows and sills to remove mould or mildew that’s built up over winter.
- Inspect your home for signs of pests entering (especially if it’s an old home).
- Clean behind your large appliances.
Spring
- Open windows each day to naturally ventilate damp spaces.
- Deep-clean carpets and curtains
- Get your plumbing checked out for leaks or corrosion (under sinks and behind the toilet are the worst offenders).
Summer
- Sort out your home admin (warranties, maintenance logs, and appliance service dates).
- Clean out your pantry to avoid ant season!
- Tackle any repainting or major internal renovation work while the days are bright and beautiful.
External Maintenance Checklist
Seasonal home maintenance for the exterior of your home is primarily preventative. It helps stop small issues from making their way inside and heads off bigger problems before they become expensive headaches. Many of these tasks can feel pleasantly routine—a productive way to spend a quiet Sunday. But if any job feels unsafe or beyond your skill level, it’s always best to call in a professional.
Winter
- Give your gutters a clean to avoid blockages during storms.
- Check out your external cladding for cracks, gaps, and warping.
- Look for loose tiles or metal sheeting with rust on the roof.
- Watch for any damage from storms or wild weather.
Autumn
- Clean out your gutters and downpipes.
- Prune your trees and bushes away from the house and roofline.
- Check out your outdoor painting or staining (autumn is the perfect time for touch-ups).
- Store or cover your outdoor furniture.
Spring
- Give your fences, gates, and retaining walls a look for weather damage.
- Re-seed any bare patches of lawn and prep your garden beds for planting.
- Clean your exterior windows and screens.
- Check your taps and hoses for leaks or rust.
Summer
- Wash and inspect your deck or patio, if you have one. Re-seal it if needed.
- Power wash the outside of your house to keep your cladding clean.
- Treat for summer pests like wasps, ants, and borers.
We hope this seasonal home maintenance checklist helps relieve some of the stress! Before we go, a quick note: if it feels like maintenance tasks are piling up, leaks are growing, and pests are making their way inside, you might have a larger issue at hand. Weathertightness issues can cause all sorts of additional maintenance tasks as a domino effect, so if you want that checklist chopped in half, take the time to have your home’s weathertightness assessed.
Stay On Top of What Matters with the SoundHomes Team.
Talk to the team at SoundHomes about how we can help you to weatherproof your home and cut your yearly maintenance checklist (and costs) in half. Get in touch for a free quote today.
