· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Handyman Service
Most maintenance checklists are written for a generic climate. Ours runs on the Middle Tennessee calendar instead, starting with the spring storms and ending with frozen pipes, and we keep it to the jobs that stop damage rather than the ones that fill a page. Most of it fits into a single visit for general repairs.
Spring
Spring is tornado season here: the National Weather Service office in Nashville’s tornado climatology counts nearly two-thirds of Middle Tennessee’s tornadoes in March, April and May. Once the storms start, we look at the roof from the ground for lifted or missing shingles, clear the gutters of whatever the trees have shed, and make sure every downspout extension is still where it belongs. The Department of Energy’s building science notes on gutters and downspouts want an open downspout to let go of its water at least 5 feet out from the foundation, so a splash block the mower knocked sideways is worth putting back.
Have the air conditioning serviced before the first hot week, and ask for the condensate drain to be looked at while the technician is there. The EPA’s brief guide to mold and moisture asks homeowners to keep the drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing.
What should you check around the house in summer?
Look in the crawl space during the muggy months for condensation on ducts, pipes and the underside of the floor, and again after heavy rain for standing water. A Department of Energy profile of unvented, conditioned crawlspaces explains why vents do not always help: in humid climates the outside air drawn through them is often wetter than the air already under the house. Indoors, the same EPA guide sets the target at below 60 percent relative humidity, ideally between 30 and 50, and a hygrometer from the hardware store will tell you whether the air conditioner and any dehumidifier are keeping up.
Go over the exterior paint and caulk while the weather is dry enough to repair them. Where paint has peeled, press on the wood underneath; our post on rotted window trim and sills covers what happens next if it gives, and our caulk guide covers which sealant goes in which joint. Deal with carpenter bee holes before woodpeckers do. UGA Extension’s report on carpenter bees says woodpeckers on the eaves are more than likely after the larvae, and it advises treating first, then plugging the holes with dowel, wood filler or caulk several days later, once the bees have stopped using them.
- Spring: roof check from the ground, gutters, downspouts, AC service, condensate drain
- Summer: crawl space, indoor humidity, exterior caulk and paint, carpenter bees
- Autumn: heating and venting inspection, roof and gutters after leaf fall, hoses off
- Winter: exposed pipes, attic damp, ice at the eaves, sump pump
Autumn
The EPA’s carbon monoxide guidance says to have fuel-burning appliances inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season, and its list runs well past the furnace to gas water heaters, ranges, dryers, fireplaces and wood stoves. It also asks that flues and chimneys be connected, in good condition and not blocked, so we look at the venting on gas equipment whenever we are in a utility room. Clear the gutters again once the leaves are down. The weather service climatology shows a smaller second tornado peak centered on November, which makes a walk around the roofline after a fall storm as worthwhile as the spring one.
Take every garden hose off its faucet before the first hard freeze. Mississippi State Extension’s winterizing checklist says to drain the hose, roll it up and store it indoors, and UGA Extension’s note on winterizing outdoor pipes explains that sustained freezing can expand the water in an exposed pipe until the pipe bursts.
What should you check around the house in winter?
Check the attic for frost or damp on the underside of the roof sheathing, and have the cause found rather than waiting for spring, since the EPA guide names roof materials above the ceiling, where roof leaks or too little insulation are to blame, among the places mold hides. During a spell of freezing and thawing, note where ice builds along the eaves and look at that stretch of roof and attic once it melts.
Test the sump pump and its backup by pouring water into the pit and watching it switch on and off. Wrap any supply pipe that runs through an unheated crawl space or garage, fit covers over the outdoor faucets, and find the main water shut-off and make sure it turns before you need it. If the list has grown past what fits in a free Saturday, send it to us and we will work through it in one visit.
Sources
- National Weather Service Nashville (OHX), Middle Tennessee Tornado Climatology — Peak tornado season March to May with nearly two-thirds of the region’s tornadoes; secondary peak centered around November
- US Department of Energy, Building Science Education: Stormwater, Gutters, Downspouts — Downspouts terminating at least 5 feet from the foundation; water wicking through the foundation causing mold, rot and indoor air problems
- US EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home — Keep AC drip pans clean and drain lines flowing; indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50; clean gutters and slope ground away; mold in roof materials above ceilings
- US Department of Energy, Unvented, Conditioned Crawlspaces: Building America Top Innovation (2014) — In humid climates outside air is often wetter than crawl space air; research favoring closed, conditioned crawl spaces
- University of Georgia Extension, Carpenter bees are drilling away at wooden structures (2012) — Woodpeckers hunting carpenter bee larvae; treat first, plug holes several days later once activity stops
- US EPA, Protect Your Family and Yourself from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning — Inspect fuel-burning appliances at the beginning of every heating season; flues and chimneys connected, in good condition and not blocked
- Mississippi State University Extension, Winterize your home now — Drain, roll up and store garden hoses indoors; faucet covers; insulate exposed pipes
- University of Georgia Extension, Fannin and Gilmer Counties, Winterizing outdoor pipes and sprinklers (2020) — Disconnect hoses; sustained freezing can burst exposed pipes; wrap exposed pipes; know the main water cutoff
FAQ
A Seasonal Maintenance List for Nashville — questions
What is the most important seasonal task in Nashville?
We put gutters and downspouts first, and clear them in spring and again after leaf fall. The EPA advises cleaning and repairing gutters regularly and sloping the ground away from the foundation, and the Department of Energy says roof water left at the foundation can wick through it into the house, leading to mold, rot and poor indoor air.
When should I service heating and cooling here?
We book cooling in spring before the first hot week and heating in autumn before the first cold night. The EPA recommends a professional inspection of every fuel-burning appliance at the start of each heating season, including a check that flues and chimneys are connected, sound and clear, since that venting is how combustion fumes, carbon monoxide among them, leave the house.
Do I need to winterize a house in Middle Tennessee?
Lightly, but do the basics. Disconnect and drain the hoses, wrap exposed pipes in the crawl space and garage, cover the outdoor faucets, and know where the main water shut-off is and that it turns. Before closing crawl space vents for the winter, find out whether the crawl space was built to be vented or sealed. The Department of Energy’s research favors sealed, conditioned crawl spaces in humid climates, which is a different job from shutting the vents.
What home maintenance should be done every year?
Some jobs belong on every year’s calendar: clear the gutters in spring and after leaf fall, service the cooling in spring, and have every fuel-burning appliance and its venting inspected at the start of each heating season. Pull hoses off before the first hard freeze, and test the sump pump in winter.