For Homeowners

Fall Season

• Protect your frozen pipes. The winter weather is brutal on the home and property. The pipes can become frozen and cause major problems. The fall season is the best time to ensure the life span of your pipes.
• Test emergency generator. The generator provides power in emergency situations. Power outages occur quite in the winter months. The generator needs to be properly tested. The testing will ensure power when it is needed. The plug and all components should be tested for its effectiveness.
• Run all lawn powered equipment until the fuel is gone. Fuel that sits to long in equipment can ruin the equipment. Old fuel erodes the components of the equipment. After the fall season most or all equipment will not be used to the following year.
• Remove bird nests from chimneys and outside electrical fixtures - Bird nests in chimneys that are used in the winter months can catch fire. Smoke debris and debris such as bird nests will cause damage to your home and chimney.

Winter Season

• Remove screens and install storm windows. The upcoming seasons such as spring and summer bring out the worst storms. Your home and windows need to be protected before the winter cold settles in, is the perfect time to prepare your windows and home.
• Clean gutters and downspouts. Gutters and downspouts can become clogged with debris and gunk. These should be cleaned once a year. This will prevent clogging.
• Check all outlets. Non-properly working outlets will lead to a fire. Fire to a home is devastating outlets need to be thoroughly checked by an electrician to ensure they are properly working.

Spring Season

• Replace your furnace filter. The furnace filter provides quality performance for your home. A dirty filter cannot properly filter the dirt in the furnace.
• Check the water heater. Do you hate cold showers? Not many people are too fond of them. The water heater provides the water to be hot. Heated water is an essential to daily life. A professional may be required to ensure the appliance is properly working.
• Check for roof damage. The roof is an essential to your shelter requirements. The roof provides shelter from Mother Nature's weather conditions. The tiles on the roof can be worn or broken. The spring season provides good weather condition to repair any roof damages.
• Check the electrical system. A home's electrical system is a major component in running a smooth house hold. An electrician will provide proper techniques to ensure there is no damage. Do not do it yourself. If you are not trained, you could cause more damage and seriously harm yourself.
• Inspect the exterior siding. Many homes do not have siding. This applies to brick and other materials on the exterior of the home. Cracks in the exterior can mean foundation problems. A home with foundation issues is never good to have. The exterior of the home with in need of repairs should take place in the season of summer. Always repair exterior issues before the winter season.

Summer Season

• Check for water leaks. Pipes in the summer season can be leaking without warning. The leaking pipes need to be checked for cracks or holes. Leaking pipes can lead to unwanted floods. Floods can cause home and property damage.
• Inspect deck/patio. A wooden deck or patio will have damage from Mother's nature many weather conditions. The deck or patio can become worn and damaged. If the foundation of the deck or patio is damaged, it needs to be repaired. Damage to the wood can lead to harm to you or your family. The wood structure is not the only structure to be concerned about. Many home owners have concrete patios, which too can be damaged over time. Do not hesitate to repair any damages.

Further tips:

• Always consult a professional if the maintenance project is too large or complicated.
• Routine maintenance on your home will save you time and money.
• Plan ahead before beginning any project around your home.

In conclusion this article is to help any home owners with maintenance for their home. Every season one maintenance project should occur. This will save you time and money in the long run. The more maintenance done on a routine basis will keep your home looking new, which in return will raise your value dramatically.

- content contributed by Yahoo