Protect your home through regular maintenance

No matter the season, we've got you covered with home maintenance tips. We can help you spot problems with your home before they become costly repairs.

Adopting a regular home maintenance schedule offers many benefits for you and your house.

First, preventive maintenance can fix issues before they become major problems in need of time-consuming, costly repairs. Second, it makes your home a safer place for family and visitors. Finally, a well-maintained house will look great and should maintain value over time.

Certain maintenance tasks — such as changing air filters every month and testing smoke alarms — are important year-round. Others are best done at certain times of the year.

Spring home maintenance tips

The weather's nice, plants are growing and flowers are blooming. It's time to get outdoors and get things done around the house.

Take care of your landscaping by fertilizing your lawn, mulching flower beds and rooting out dead or unwanted plants. Depending upon your climate and spring showers, begin regular watering cycles for your lawn and plants. Be sure tree branches aren't overgrown, getting too close to the roof or power lines.

Check your gutters and drains and clear them of any leaves and other debris. Walk all the way around your home and look for leaks or damage to the foundation, exterior and roof. Inspect the exterior paint for chips, water damage or mildew and make small touch-ups as needed.

Spring is also about indoor cleaning. Consider giving carpet a deep cleaning, ceiling fans a nice dusting and all rooms a fine scrubbing. It's also a good time to declutter and get rid of unused items from closets and kids' rooms.

Since the heat of summer is coming, be sure to have your air conditioning unit inspected, too.

Summer home maintenance tips

Summer is all about family barbecues, fun in the pool, long days in the sun and warm nights on the patio. Before it becomes too hot, there's still time for some outdoor maintenance.

You can restain your deck, clean the patio and power-wash the driveway to keep your home looking its best. Turn on the sprinkler system and make sure all the sprinkler heads are working right and delivering maximum water coverage to your lawn. If you have pests, such as ants or wasps, it's a good time to take care of those, too.

Fall home maintenance tips

After all the activity of summer, fall is the season to organize and prepare for the winter chill.

If you have a fireplace, get the chimney inspected and cleaned, so it will be ready for colder months. Have a professional inspect the heating system and service it, if necessary. If you have window-unit air conditioners, cover or remove them.

Bring in your patio and lawn furniture to protect them from the elements. Store and organize your garden tools and hoses in the garage. Look at your exterior windows and doors to make sure the caulking and weather stripping are intact.

Finally, go in the attic and check if the ventilation system is working right and the insulation still secured. Look for any leaks or other visible damage to the underside of the roof.

Winter home maintenance tips

It's cold outside, so there's no better time to tackle indoor projects and maintenance.

Wipe down your window interiors, clear the drains in your sinks and tubs, and empty and clean your refrigerator. Inspect your plumbing and water heater for any small leaks. Examine your washing machine hoses for wear, and make sure your dryer vent is lint-free.

Before the first freeze, make sure you put insulated covers on your outdoor faucets, so the pipes won't rupture.

Finally, while you're bringing down the holiday decorations from the attic, take a few minutes to check the area for signs of insects, rodents and moisture damage.

Routine home maintenance saves time and money later

Home maintenance isn't always fun or easy, and you'd no doubt rather be enjoying yourself than working on your house. However, a regular maintenance plan is a smart way to boost your home value and its safety now and in the future.

The USAA Advice Center provides general advice, tools and resources to guide your journey. Content may mention products, features or services that USAA Federal Savings Bank does not offer. The information contained is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to represent any endorsement, expressed or implied, by USAA or any affiliates. All information provided is subject to change without notice.