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.

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.

If a foul odor fills the room every time you fire up the vacuum or you've simply lost suction, it may be time to clean your vacuum filter. Depending on the type of filter and your vacuum's manufacturer specifications, you may benefit from cleaning your filters as often as every month.

Did you know you should empty your refrigerator's ice bin every week? This can help prevent clogs by preventing ice from fusing and forming larger pieces that won't fit down the chute and can damage the ice dispenser. However, if you use your ice maker very frequently, this may not be necessary.

Refrigerator deodorizers don't work forever. In fact, popular products like baking soda and activated charcoal should be swapped approximately every three months, or once they can't keep up with your refrigerator's odors. Some charcoal deodorizer products can be placed in the sun and then reused.

Nearly every homeowner knows you should clear your lint filter after every load of laundry, but what about a deeper clean? While regularly clearing out the lint filter helps keep it clean, you should occasionally check for buildup which requires a deep scrub. For some, this may be every six months to a year. However, those that use dryer sheets and fabric softener may need to do it more frequently.

Unlike most home products, a fire extinguisher is something you hope to never have to use before replacing it. Most disposable fire extinguishers should be replaced every 10 years, but you should always check your expiration date to ensure it's in date and ready for emergencies.

Lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, snow blowers and any other small engine tool that is used seasonally should be emptied of gas once they're no longer being used. Failing to do so will allow the gas to go bad, which can wreak havoc on the engines. Some tools specify the use of stabilizer or winterizer products that prevent the gas from going bad.

Fertilizer can make a major difference for your lawn and garden, but it only lasts for a season. Most fertilizers should be reapplied yearly to consistently provide the nutrients your plants need.

Ants? Again? Those bait stations you seemingly just placed around your house may have done the trick for a few weeks, but once the poison is gone, they'll be back. Every brand is different, but most ant bait stations and other pest control products should be replaced every three to six months, or more frequently depending on the severity of the infestation.

Bed sheets should be replaced a minimum of every two weeks, but will more likely need to be replaced weekly. If you're waiting until they're stretched out and uncomfortable, you're doing it wrong.

Many homeowners don't realize that a bathroom exhaust fan must be regularly cleaned to effectively clear humidity and odors from the bathroom. The combination of dust and moisture is a recipe for disaster and can quickly clog the fins of the fan. Promptly check your exhaust fan the moment you notice it struggling to remove steam after a shower.

While your grandma's prized cast iron pan may have found its way into your kitchen, the coating on nonstick pants is not meant to last forever. Eventually, it will lose its nonstick nature and even start to peel, leaving a chemical coating in your food. For cheaper nonstick pans, expect a two- to three-year lifespan, while premium nonstick pans will likely last you five to seven years.

While there's no written rule of how often you should have your HVAC system's refrigerant recharged, most systems will need it every two to five years. This will be more frequently required if the system develops a sizeable leak. Operating the system with low refrigerant can cause it to freeze up, leaving you without AC on the hottest days.