If you are like me, in order to get anything done, I need a little direction. I received this checklist in the mail and found it extremely useful and was able to have a starting point at inspecting and maintaining my home. I hope you find it as useful as I did! I'll start with the easier ones and work down to the harder ones! 
Change your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. No, not tomorrow, right now! I'm waiting! :) - If you have a fireplace or woodstove, schedule to have the chimney cleaned once every year. It will remove the creosote that causes chimney fires. Consider installing a chimney cap to protect your chimney from water, debris, and critters if needed. Inspect it as well to make sure there is no damage that needs to be fixed. Don't forget to put one of those carbon monoxide detectors you just put a new battery in near your fireplace or woodstove.
- Clean out the clothes dryer vent. If you are getting your chimney cleaned professionally, that person can do this chore as well. My dryer was 30% more efficient after it was cleaned 7 years after I moved in the house. This is especially important if your vent is a long way from your dryer!
- Have a professional check your heating/air conditioning systems. It's better to do this before you need it fixed, especially in the summer-trust me on this!
- Flush out your drain-waste and vent system.
- Clean your carpets, upholstery, drapes/curtains, and air ducts every 12 to 18 months.
- Drain the water heater every 6 months by turning off the power source and drain it completely until it is cleared of sediment.
- Inspect caulking around exterior doors and windows and replace as necessary.Right not is a great time to do this. I did this last year before winter and it made a HUGE difference.
- Check grading for proper sloping away from foundation walls and inspect for cracks and moisture repair if needed.
- Clean and seal your deck. This can add years to your deck's life.
Clean out your gutters. This one thing in itself can really save your house from excess runoff rain water eroding the soil around the foundation which in turn can cause water to run into your basement or crawl space. Yes, I've had this happen as well. When living in a townhome, our neighbor had a great big tree and some of the branches were right over our gutter. Until we finally trimmed the branch, the leaves constantly clogged our gutter up and we finally did something about it when our basement flooded due to the clogged gutter which in turn eroded our soil around our foundation. - Check your pipes for rust or white lime deposits that may indicate a leak is starting and replace if necessary.
- Check for leaking around the outside hose bibs and install insulation around outdoor water pipes to protect from freezing.
- Check the roof for warping, aging, moss, and cracking of shingles. While doing this, inspect flashing around chimneys, skylight and vents.
- Check the outside of your house for deterioration. Check the joints between brink and stone making sure there is no separation. Look for lifting or peeling paint on wood or areas where the wood grain is separating. Look for peeling paint on trim like fascia boards, windowsills and sashes that could allow water in to form mildew and fungus on the interior of your home behind curtains, blinds and window covering.
Well, I think that covers the big stuff. Don't wait until something bad happens like I do to take care of these things. I've got a number for a great roofing company, a chimney sweep as well as a company that cleans carpets should you need one. Just send me an email and I'll get it to you. People tend to wait until they are getting ready to sell their house to take care of these things and then they wished they had done it sooner so they could have enjoyed their house more. Even if you did one or two of these items a month, it's better than not doing them at all!
For more information on maintaining your carpets in Oakland County, Michigan visit www.CarpetCleaningExcellence.com