Maintenance

Seasonal checklists and routine upkeep that prevent expensive repairs.

Person on a ladder cleaning leaves from gutters on a house in autumn
Maintenance

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist: 15 Tasks Before Winter

A practical fall home maintenance checklist for US homeowners: gutters, furnace filters, smoke and CO alarms, outdoor faucets, dryer vents, drafts and more.

Hands sliding a new pleated filter into a furnace filter slot
Maintenance

How to Change a Furnace Filter: Size, MERV Rating and Direction

Find your furnace filter, choose the right size and MERV rating, and install it facing the right direction, with tips on how often to change it.

Dryer pulled from the wall with a disconnected metal vent duct, brush and vacuum hose
Maintenance

How to Clean a Dryer Vent Safely (and Why It Matters)

Clean lint from your dryer, vent duct and exterior hood step by step to reduce fire risk and speed up drying, plus signs your vent is clogged.

Outdoor brass hose bib on a brick wall with an insulated faucet cover being fitted, a garden hose coiled on fallen leaves
Maintenance

How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Hose Bibs

Protect outdoor faucets from freezing: disconnect hoses, shut off and drain the supply, check frost-free sillcocks and add covers, with signs of a burst pipe to watch for.