The Ultimate Home Maintenance Schedule

Stop being the homeowner who waits around for things to break before addressing an issue and take charge of your home's maintenance schedule today. Things like HVAC return filters, bathroom exhaust fans, lint filters and even lawnmower gas should be cleaned or changed regularly. To help you keep up with it, we've put together the ultimate home maintenance schedule.

When the air in your house is being circulated through an air conditioner, it pays to clean out the filter regularly. If it’s been a while, brace yourself, these hardworking filters can accumulate quite a coating of dust, pollen and debris. For HVAC units, change the filter every three months. Two months if you have pets. And every 30 days if you have allergies. For window units, shake out dust and wash the filter. Allow the filter to dry completely before placing back in the air conditioner so it doesn't mold.

It's gross to think about but you share your pillow with dust, dirt, oil, dead skin cells and dust mites. Pillows should replaced every three years or as often as every six months for allergy sufferers. Pillows should be washed every three months. Down alternative pillows can go into the washing machine, while down feather pillows need to be dry cleaned. Looking to extend the life of your pillow? Buy a zippered cover and wash every three weeks.

If you’re waiting for the smoke/carbon monoxide detector to beep before you change the batteries, you may be putting yourself and your family at risk. Set an alarm on your phone, put it on the family calendar or pick a holiday as the yearly reminder to change those critically important batteries.