5 home maintenance tasks people forget (and how often to do them)
By The HouseKiper team · Published · 3 min read
Most of us remember to take out the trash and wash the dishes. The tasks that cause real trouble are the ones that only come around once or twice a year: nothing reminds you, nothing looks wrong, and then one day something breaks or, worse, catches fire. These five are the ones we see forgotten the most.
1. Clean the dryer vent
Lint builds up inside the vent hose and the duct behind the dryer, even if you empty the lint trap after every load. A clogged vent makes the dryer run longer, wastes energy and is a well-known cause of house fires. Once a year is a good rule; do it sooner if your clothes take more than one cycle to dry.
2. Vacuum the fridge coils
The coils at the back or underneath the fridge release heat. When they are covered in dust and pet hair, the compressor works harder and wears out earlier. A coil brush and a vacuum take ten minutes. Once a year is enough for most homes, twice a year if you have pets.
3. Change the smoke alarm batteries
Test your alarms every few months, and replace the batteries once a year, even if the alarm has not started chirping yet. Pick a date you will remember and do all the alarms in the house on the same day.
4. Clear the gutters
Clogged gutters overflow and send water down the walls and into the foundation. Check them every six months, ideally after the leaves fall and again before the rainy season.
5. Service the water heater
Sediment collects at the bottom of the tank and makes the heater less efficient and noisier. Flushing the tank and checking the anode and relief valve once a year keeps it running longer.
How to stop forgetting
The trick is not memory, it is a system. Write each task on a calendar with its own frequency, or let an app do the counting. HouseKiper builds that schedule from the features of your home and reminds you when each task is due.
What is the most dangerous home maintenance task to forget?
Cleaning the dryer vent and testing smoke alarms matter most for safety: a clogged vent can start a fire, and a dead alarm cannot warn you.
How can I remember tasks that only happen once a year?
Tie each one to a date you already remember, such as a change of season or a birthday, and set a recurring reminder for it.
Tasks mentioned in this article
- Clean the dryer vent duct · Once a year · How often to do it
- Clean the fridge condenser coils · Once a year · How often to do it
- Replace detector batteries · Once a year · How often to do it
- Clean gutters and downspouts · Every 6 months · How often to do it
- Water heater maintenance · Once a year · How often to do it
See them all in the full home maintenance checklist, fall checklist, first-time homeowner checklist, spring checklist, apartment checklist, summer checklist.