Your home is likely the biggest financial investment you'll ever make, so it's important to look after it with regular maintenance. Knowing what upkeep is needed – and when –can be tricky, but if you let jobs build up, you'll be faced with an expensive and daunting task ahead of you.

With this in mind, we've put together a seasonal home maintenance checklist to help you keep your dwelling in tip-top condition and running smoothly throughout the year. Click or scroll on to find out more...

The best way to keep on top of annual house maintenance is to work out what jobs are best to get done during which seasons.

A home comes to life in spring, so use this time to have a thorough declutter, give everything a good clean and allow sunlight to stream through freshly washed windows. Whereas ensuring your house is cosy in time for winter means preparing heating systems and weatherproofing, just before the cold weather arrives.

Spreading the list of chores throughout the year will help your home stay efficient all year round. 

Ensure your kerb appeal remains superior with a front garden refresh. Wash down and repaint – if necessary – porch walls and clean glazed panels. Rub down wooden frames with sandpaper to get rid of splinters or flaking varnish and repaint with a weatherproof formula. Trim or prune trees and hedges. You could even give your front door an update – just be sure to follow an expert guide and purchase the right products for the job.

Roof windows and panels require a bit more maintenance than regular windows and are often hard to reach. Use lukewarm water and a drop of washing-up liquid to clean the interior with a telescopic brush, then hire an expert to clear them externally, ridding them of leaf litter, moss, algae and grime. Remember, conservatory roofs are not designed to be load-bearing, so will need specialist cleaning equipment. 

Spring is a prime time for thinking about a bathroom refresh. Sealant and grout are probably one of the most neglected bathroom aspects, yet faded, moulding and cracked areas not only affect the whole appearance of the bathroom but can lead to mould and even leaks. Instead of ripping out your old suite, inspect the grouting annually to check for decay and replace it if necessary. You can repair any holes with a grout pen.

Wash bathroom tiles with warm, soapy water and apply a specialist mould remover to really dirty grout. White vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are effective natural alternatives. Finally, replace any sealant that has begun to come away, as this will ensure your bathroom remains watertight.

Your garden needs constant maintenance to ensure it doesn't become an overgrown jungle. However, the structural elements should only need sprucing up once a year to maintain an attractive outdoor space. After the winter period, when bad weather can cause dirt, mould and even green algae to thrive, give your decking or patio a refresh with a jet washer. 

The pressure will blast away any stubborn grime, with no need for scrubbing or harsh chemicals. Just be sure to read the instruction manual, as in the wrong hands a power washer can be dangerous and could even damage your hard landscaping.

During the wet and cold winter months, your garden won't receive a lot of care or attention, which is why spring is the perfect time to give it some much-needed TLC. According to Perfect Lawn Care, your first grass cut of the year should be in early spring, either in the last week of February or the first week of March, depending on the weather and temperature.

"Aim to make the first mow just before the weather starts to warm up," they advise. Keep the mower blades high and just take the top off the grass. "This will stimulate the grass to grow and encourage it to thicken up, helping to keep out weeds and moss."

While it's less likely to be in use, summer is the perfect opportunity to check over your fireplace or wood-burning stove.

Call in the chimney sweep to clear out old soot and debris before they get booked up later in the year. Most people choose to do so at the end of summer or the start of autumn, so it is ready for the colder temperatures ahead. 

Summer is a good time to have your boiler serviced by an authorised inspector. "Just like a car, a boiler needs to be well maintained in order to keep it operating at its best," the experts at Worcester Bosch explain. "We recommend a yearly boiler service to help ensure that your boiler is running as efficiently and safely as possible." 

It's also worth noting that many house insurance policies stipulate that your boiler must be maintained annually, as a condition of your agreement. So, before you start it up for the first time later in the year, read the manual and carry out any maintenance instructions, such as topping up the water pressure. Then, for the annual service, you'll need to hire a professional.

Make sure warm air doesn't escape through windows during winter by double-checking that window frames are sealed and draught free. Identify air leaks and remove old caulking if it's coming away. 

Prepare and clean the area before applying fresh caulk at the joints. If needed, give wooden frames a touch-up of paint to protect them and keep them looking fresh and clean.

Inspect external walls, garden fences, steps and paths for decay and corrosion. Are there cracks or crumbling mortar that need to be filled? Small amounts of ready-mixed mortar repair cement can be picked up fairly cheaply from DIY stores – no cement mixer required!

If walls and fences are leaning, look for tree roots or climbing plants that are causing deterioration and have them professionally removed.

While it isn't exactly a fun job, keeping bathroom drains and pipes flushed clean of soap scum and clogged hair will ensure your pipework lasts. This task can be carried out throughout the year, but with all those extra summer showers, your pipes do take a hit in the hotter months.

Enlist a professional plumber or run drain cleaning gels through the system, according to the packet instructions. For a natural formula, use a solution of bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar and freshly boiled water. The results will speed up drainage and eliminate nasty odours.

Over time, when left exposed to the elements, your once pristine garden furniture will soon deteriorate and begin to look a little worse for wear. This is particularly true for wooden items. Since you'll be wanting to put your outdoor living space to good use during the warmest time of the year, summer is the perfect time to give your furnishings a makeover. 

If your set is made from wood, measure and cut new slats and install them using nails. Wood should be treated once a year with a wax-free preserver, to prevent fungi and rot. 

If your set is metal, follow this cleaning guide from Metal Furniture Doctor, or this expert guide will help you fix any broken wicker or rattan pieces.

As unpleasant as it sounds, carpet beetles will lay larvae in your lovely flooring. And, once hatched, these household pests will begin to munch their way through your carpets and soft furnishings – in fact, they will eat anything made of natural fibres.

According to Defon, "the larvae are particularly evident in the autumn when they wander in search of food and hibernation sites", so this is the perfect time to check your carpets for evidence of them. Signs of larvae include damage or holes in fabric items, thinning areas on wool rugs, damage to blankets and even shed larval skins in dark, quiet corners of the house.

There are a few maintenance jobs to carry out each autumn before you turn on the central heating for the first time. One of those is bleeding the radiators. The process is easier than you might think and simply releases air build-up and allows the radiators to fill with hot water.

Read our step-by-step guide to bleeding radiators, to keep your home warm and toasty. It will also help reduce your energy bills, as your radiators will be working more efficiently.

Gutters are an important resource for collecting and draining rainwater back into the ground. A blocked or broken gutter system will lead to water running down the house, causing brickwork damage, leaks, damp and mould. Before winter sets in, clear guttering of dead leaves, moss and general build-up.

Ideally, do the same in the springtime and scan for bird or small animal nests, but be sure to leave these undisturbed during breeding season. Inspect for holes, cracks or any loose brackets and fix them accordingly. A weatherproof patch and seal tape is a quick, low-cost solution.

While gutters are being cleared it is also a good idea to inspect the roof for loose or cracked tiles and check the flashing is watertight. Carry out an inside inspection – head into the loft and look for water rings and sunlight shining through.

Look out for animal or insect nests, too – bats in particular are highly protected in the UK and it's illegal to disturb or destroy their roosts. Get the professionals in if you need to. Never attempt to climb onto the roof and risk injury if you're not experienced.

Without a regular declutter, the garage could soon become a dumping ground that's too hard to tackle. Set a date each year to have a thorough clear-out.

Where you can, keep storage boxes off the ground to avoid them getting damp or use hardy plastic ones that are watertight.

Used for storing everything from garden tools to bicycles, sheds are valuable spaces. Yet they often get overlooked and can soon become viable targets for criminals and pests.

In autumn, repair any holes that animals could get through to build a nest, fix the roof to ensure it's weatherproof and organise your tools. Any outdoor games and furniture should also be covered and safely stored away for next year.

Make sure your house runs like a well-oiled machine by running checks on taps before they seize up. Turn stopcocks on and off and spray with WD40 or natural alternatives such as vegetable or coconut oil, if preferred.

It's imperative you can locate and close off your water valve in case of a leak or burst pipe. Finally, check door hinges and locks throughout the home and, again, apply lubrication to prevent squeak and stiffness, and remove any grime.

Ensure your home's electrical system is running safely and efficiently with a yearly check. You could schedule a professional check-up to deal with any niggling issues or to inspect your fuse box and electrical panel.

Throughout the year, be mindful of plugs, outlets and wires – do not force them and never overload sockets. Try not to leave appliances on standby, as this still uses energy.

Make kitchen appliances last by giving them a yearly review. Clean the refrigerator base grill to improve airflow, wash the door seals and replace any water filters every six months. Check the dishwasher filter for build-up and clean out water jets with a toothpick. Flush out washing machine pipes, empty the filter and clean door seals thoroughly. Have your oven professionally cleaned or give it a deep clean yourself, remembering to inspect those all-important door gaskets. 

Children, pets and cooking odours can take their toll on carpets and rugs. While regular vacuuming keeps surface dirt at bay, a deep clean once or twice a year will take the sanitising process a step further by washing fibres and removing deep-down dirt.

This will keep carpets looking and smelling fresh, which ensures they last longer and will keep any household pests at bay. The average hourly rate for a carpet cleaner is between £60 and £120, but you can also buy your own carpet shampooer or washers for not much more.

Throughout the year, painted walls can endure scrapes and nicks, especially in high-traffic areas such as hallways and open-plan living areas.

Using an eraser to rub away scuffs is a quick and simple hack. In addition, keep a handy space-saving container of paint labelled for each room, to cover patches and make walls like new. 

Before you can have a beautiful spring and summer garden, you need to put in some work during the winter months. "Winter is a great time for gardeners to take stock, tidy up, protect plants and plan ahead," Country File explains. The colder season is an ideal time to prune garden trees.

"Remove dead, diseased and damaged wood and eliminate any instances of branches crossing and rubbing against each other." Winter is also the perfect time to plant spring bulbs, so you can guarantee a beautiful garden in the coming months.

To keep your smoke alarms in good working order, the batteries should be changed once a year. Experts recommend testing them once a month, and again when the clocks change, by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds. After 10 years, it's best to invest in a new alarm. Do the same checks with carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers.

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