What home maintenance should I do each month?

A monthly routine should hit the things that fail quietly: safety gear, water, and airflow. NFPA says smoke alarms should be tested every month, and ENERGY STAR’s safe-home guidance says furnace filters should be changed on a regular schedule, often every three months depending on the filter and the home.

Use the same order every time. Start with alarms, then look under sinks, around toilets, by the water heater, and near the basement or laundry area for dampness. After that, check the HVAC filter, vents, garbage disposal, and drains. The point is not to do a full remodel of the house every month. It is to catch a small leak or a dirty filter before it turns into a bigger bill.

If you want the next layer of detail, read how to find a water leak in my house and how often should you change your furnace filter. A home maintenance checklist notebook can keep the same order in front of you each month.