Pick your home and see exactly what is due this month. Each check tells you the repair it saves you from, and you can send the reminders straight to your phone.
We will show only what applies to your home. You can fine-tune the details after.
If you own a condo townhouse, the corporation usually looks after the outside. Check your declaration before you book a contractor.
Twice a year, a few minutes of switching things over protects your pipes, your AC and your basement.
Tap what you are seeing. You will see how urgent it is and who to call.
Behind on all of this? Start with these. They cover the big risks: water, heat and your roof.
The little things that quietly turn into expensive ones.
Every check, all year, grouped by season. This is the complete list the planner above is built from. The planner personalizes it to your home.
5-minute monthly habits Every month
Four quick looks that catch leaks and strain early.
Look at the furnace filter
A strained blower and a furnace that overheats and shuts off.
Slide it out and hold it to the light; grey and dusty means replace it. Your filter may last up to 3 months, but a quick monthly look tells you when it is actually dirty. 1-inch filters usually last 1 to 3 months, and 4-inch media filters 3 to 6 months. Carrier
Peek under sinks and toilets
A slow drip rotting the cabinet and subfloor unseen.
Look for drips, stains or a swollen cabinet floor. Check around each toilet base.
Glance at the water bill
Paying for a leak you cannot see.
A sudden jump usually means a running toilet or a hidden leak. Start with the toilet leak test.
Clean the range hood filter
A strained fan motor and grease buildup that can catch fire.
Soak it in hot water with dish soap, rinse it, and let it dry.
Top up the softener salt
Hard water scale building up in pipes, fixtures and the water heater.
Keep the salt above the water line in the brine tank.
Quarterly quick checks Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct
Small indoor checks that stop moisture and leaks.
Clean the bathroom fans
Mould on the ceiling and peeling paint.
Vacuum the grille, then hold up a single tissue square; it should stick. Run the fan during showers and about 20 minutes after.
Toilet leak test
A worn flapper quietly running up your water bill.
Add a few drops of food colouring to the tank and do not flush. Colour in the bowl after 15 minutes means it is time to replace the flapper, an inexpensive part.
Clean the dishwasher filter
A clogged drain pump and standing water.
Twist out the filter at the bottom of the tub, rinse it and put it back.
Fan coil or suite heat pump filter
Weak heating and cooling, and a drain pan leaking into the suite below.
Ask management whether the building does this. If it is yours, replace the filter and check the drain pan is clear.
Clean the HRV filters Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov
A clogged unit and damp, stale air that fogs your windows.
Open the HRV or ERV box, slide out the filters, vacuum or wash them, let them dry and put them back. CMHC
Leak check, twice a year Mar, Sep
The four checks that stop most indoor water damage before it starts.
Washer hoses and water lines
A burst line pouring water until someone shuts it off.
Check the washer hoses and the dishwasher, fridge and toilet lines for bulges, cracks or rust at the fittings. Replace rubber washer hoses every 3 to 5 years; braided stainless is better. Write the install date on them.
Exercise the shutoff valves
A seized valve that will not close during a leak.
Close and reopen the small valves under each sink and toilet.
Tub, shower and sink caulking
Water behind the tile rotting the subfloor.
Look for gaps or cracks in the caulking and grout. Recaulk at the first gap.
Test the sump pump
Finding out it failed in the middle of a storm.
Pour a bucket of water into the pit. It should start, pump and stop. Test the battery backup too. CMHC and Mississauga
Lubricate the garage door May, Nov
A burnt-out opener and broken rollers.
Put garage door lubricant on the rollers and hinges. If the door jerks or grinds, or the opener strains, call a technician. Springs are always a technician job.
New year house check Jan
Know your house before something goes wrong.
Find and turn the main water shutoff
Minutes of water pouring while you search for it.
Find it (usually where the water line enters the basement), tag it, and turn it once so it does not seize. In a condo, find your suite's valves, often behind an access panel or in a closet. CMHC
Write down the big-ticket ages
An emergency replacement at the worst time and price.
Note the ages of the furnace, AC, water heater and roof in your House File, and start budgeting before they fail. Enercare puts a central AC's life at about 15 years. The House File
Check the HRV core and ducts
A system that slowly stops moving air.
Once a year, check the core and ductwork as your HRV manual describes. CMHC recommends checking the ductwork yearly.
Know what is yours to fix
Paying for repairs you did not know were your responsibility.
Read the maintenance and repair section of your declaration once. In-suite plumbing, appliances, and anything you upgraded are usually yours.
Check your condo deductible cover
A big bill if a leak from your suite triggers the corporation's deductible.
Ask your insurance broker whether your unit policy covers the corporation's deductible.
Look into the attic Feb
Mould on the roof boards, which can mean replacing them.
From the hatch, check that the bathroom fan ducts are connected and run outside, there is no frost on nail tips, there are no dark stains on the wood, and the insulation is evenly spread. Cold weather is when frost shows up.
Water heater check Feb
Paying for repairs your rental covers, or a tank that floods the basement.
If it is rented, call your provider for service; Enercare's rental plans include maintenance and repairs, with some exceptions, so check your own provider's terms. If you own it, flush it and test the relief valve. Either way, look for rust or water at the base and note its age. Enercare
Vacuum the fridge coils Jun
An overworked compressor.
Pull off the bottom grille, or move the fridge out, and vacuum the coils.
Check door and attic hatch seals Dec
Moist air leaking into the attic and causing frost, mould and ice dams.
Look for gaps, light or drafts around exterior doors and the attic hatch. Replace worn weatherstripping.
Sewer line camera scope May, every few years
Tree roots backing sewage up into the basement.
Older clay and cast iron sewer pipes are common in homes built before about 1980. A plumber runs a camera down the line.
Check the backwater valve Apr
A stuck valve that cannot close when the sewer backs up.
Open the access cover, clear any debris, and make sure the flap moves freely. CMHC and Mississauga
Winter switchover Oct, Nov
Do this before the first hard frost.
Shut off and drain outdoor taps
A pipe splitting inside the wall, found in spring when the basement floods.
Remove every hose and close the shutoff valve inside the house. Open the outside tap to drain it and leave it open. Do this even on frost-free taps, and add a foam cover on older taps. CMHC
Blow out the irrigation system
Split lines and cracked sprinkler heads in spring.
Book a professional blowout and close the system's water supply.
Cover the AC: top only
Debris in the coils and rust. A new AC costs about $4,000 to $6,000 installed.
Clear the leaves out of the unit. Put a breathable cover over the top only and keep the sides open. Never wrap it in plastic; it traps moisture and invites rodents. The Frost Line
Never cover a heat pump
A heat pump that cannot heat your home.
It runs all winter. Clear the snow around it after every storm and let it defrost on its own. Lennox
Window wells: clean and cover
Snow and meltwater leaking in through basement windows.
Scoop out the leaves, check the drain at the bottom, and put the covers on.
Insulate pipes in cold spots
Frozen and burst pipes.
Add foam pipe insulation in the garage, crawlspace, cold room and along outside walls.
Clear the sump discharge line
A frozen line pushing water back into the pit.
Make sure the outside hose or pipe is free of leaves and slopes away to drain.
Downspout extensions on
Meltwater soaking the foundation during winter thaws.
Every downspout should carry water away from the house. Leave the extensions in place all winter.
Book your AC or heat pump service Mar
A breakdown in the first heat wave, and a long wait.
Book now, before the May rush. Service central AC every 1 to 3 years (CMHC says every 2 to 3). Service heat pumps yearly, since they run all year.
Look for signs of mice Mar
Chewed wiring and ruined insulation.
Check the garage, basement and kitchen cabinets for droppings. Find the way in and seal it.
Spring switchover Apr, May
Wake the house up for the warm months.
Turn the outdoor taps back on
A tap that cracked over winter leaking into the wall.
Open the inside valve, then check the basement wall behind each tap for drips.
Switch the humidifier to summer
A damp pad growing mould all summer.
Turn it off, close its water valve, set the damper to summer (closed), and clean the unit.
Uncover and clear the AC
An AC starting the season choked with debris.
Remove the cover, clear about 60 cm (2 feet) around the unit, and check it still sits level.
Start up the irrigation
Water soaking the foundation all summer.
Watch the first run for leaks, and for heads spraying the house.
Spring walk-around Apr, May
Once the snow is gone, a 20-minute walk around the outside.
Soil slopes away from the house
Rain running toward your foundation.
Top up any spots that settled over winter. Walkways and interlock should not tilt toward the house.
Downspouts carry water away
Water pooling at the foundation.
Carry water at least 1.8 to 2 m out where possible (CMHC 1.8 m; Toronto 2 m for sump discharge; Mississauga at least 1 m). Toronto and Mississauga
Window well drains are clear
Water rising against basement windows.
Scoop out any debris so the drain at the bottom can work.
No new foundation cracks
Small cracks letting water in.
Look at the parging for new or wider cracks. If one is growing, see Something wrong above.
Roof and eavestroughs look intact
Small roof problems becoming ceiling repairs.
From the ground, look for lifted, curled or missing shingles, troughs pulled loose by ice, and shingle granules at the downspout outlets.
Outside upkeep May, Jun
Keep water and rot away from the house.
Clean eavestroughs after the maple seeds
Overflowing gutters dumping water at the foundation.
Maple seeds clog the troughs in May and June. Clear them once the seeds have dropped.
Keep soil and plants off the walls
Rot, insects, and walls that cannot dry.
Keep soil and mulch at least 15 cm (6 inches) below the siding or brick line. Trim shrubs about 30 cm back from the walls.
Check the deck
Rot spreading into the deck and the house wall.
Look for soft or loose boards, wobbly railings, and rot at the board bolted to the house.
Clear terrace and walkout drains
Water pooling on the membrane and leaking into the unit below.
Clear leaves and debris from every drain, and know who maintains the membrane.
Balcony drain and door seal Apr, May
Water damage in your suite and the one below.
Clear the balcony drain, check the door seal, and report any cracked window caulking to management in writing.
Test run the AC Jun
Finding a problem when every technician is booked.
Run it on a mild day before the first heat wave. If you get cool air within a few minutes and no odd noises, you are set.
Basement dehumidifier on Jun
Mould, musty smells and damp drywall.
Keep basement humidity under 60%. Empty it often, or run its hose to a floor drain. CMHC
Clean the dryer duct Jul
A dryer that wears out sooner, and a lint fire.
Clean the duct all the way to the outside flap, and make sure the flap opens and closes. Rigid metal duct beats foil or plastic. If you use dryer sheets, wash the lint screen with soap. In a condo, ask whether the building has a booster fan. Older Ontario Fire Marshal data
Check outside caulking Jul, Aug
Rain getting into the walls where you cannot see it.
Look around windows, doors, outdoor taps, vents, and anywhere pipes and wires go in. Recaulk any gaps.
Book your heating service Aug
A no-heat call on the first cold night.
Book before October. Buy furnace filters and a humidifier pad while you are at it.
Clear the window drain slots Aug, Sep
Rain backing up into the wall under the window.
Vacuum the window and patio door tracks, and clear the small slots at the bottom of vinyl frames.
Heating prep Sep, Oct
Get heat working before you need it.
Furnace service and a test run
Finding a problem on the first cold night.
Have a TSSA-registered contractor service it, and ask them to check your other gas appliances too. Put in a new filter, then run the heat once before the first cold night. TSSA and Health Canada
Check the furnace drain line
A furnace that shuts down, and water on the floor.
High-efficiency furnaces drain water through a small tube or pump. Make sure it flows freely.
Switch the humidifier to winter
A crusty, mouldy pad that does not work.
Put in a new pad, open its water valve, and set the damper to winter (open).
Service the combi boiler or tankless
Scale buildup shortening the life of an expensive unit.
Book an annual service and descale with a licensed technician.
Service the boiler
Cold rooms and a strained boiler.
Book an annual service, and bleed the radiators at the start of the heating season.
Service the gas fireplace
A fireplace that will not light, or a venting problem.
Book an annual service with a TSSA-registered contractor.
Sweep the wood fireplace chimney
Creosote buildup, which can start a chimney fire.
Have the chimney swept yearly. You will also need a WETT inspection for insurance, and when buying or selling. Health Canada and WETT
Pest-proofing Oct
Close the doors animals use before they move in for winter.
Seal the gaps mice use
Chewed wiring and pest control bills.
Seal gaps around pipes, AC lines and the dryer vent, and replace a worn garage door bottom seal. A gap the size of a dime is enough.
Check roof vents for animal damage
Torn vents, shredded insulation and wildlife removal bills.
From the ground, look at the roof vents, soffits and chimney area for chewed or pushed-in spots.
Trim branches off the roof
Scraped shingles, clogged gutters, and a path onto the roof for animals.
Cut back branches touching or hanging over the roof. Hire an arborist for anything big. The Tree Line
Clean eavestroughs after the last leaves Nov
Ice dams, and gutters overflowing all winter.
Clear the troughs once the trees are bare, then finish your winter switchover.
Run the full checklist. These are exactly the items a buyer's home inspector writes up, and they turn into price negotiations.
If you are planning to sell, I am happy to walk through this list with you.
Add the reminders to your phone, print the year, or get the printable planner by email.
Enter your name and email and your printable 12-month planner is ready right here, to print or save as a PDF for the fridge. This guide is free to read here, always, and the interactive planner above is never gated.
Your planner is ready. Tap below to print it, or save it as a PDF from the print screen.
Log the date and cost of every service and keep the invoices. It helps with warranty claims and insurance claims, and when you sell. The system for it is its own guide: The House File.