Home maintenance checklist (Australia): what to do every month, season and year

Most expensive home repairs start as a five-minute job nobody did: a gutter that overflowed into the eaves, a smoke alarm with a dead battery, a relief valve that seized, termites nobody looked for. Here’s the full list of what to check around an Australian home, how often, and whether it’s a DIY job or one for a licensed pro. Every interval comes from the relevant regulator or manufacturer where one exists.

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Tick what your home has. The list below updates to just the jobs that apply to you. Tick jobs off as you go; your ticks are saved in this browser.

Your home has

Hot water tank (gas, electric or solar)Gas heater or gas appliancesAir-conditioningPool or spaRainwater tankSolar panelsTimber deckBig trees near the roofBushfire-prone area

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Every month

• Test every smoke alarmPress and hold the test button until it sounds. SourceDIY
• Check the pool gate self-closes and latchesFrom any open position, every time. Clear anything climbable away from the fence.DIY
• Glance at the solar inverterLook for fault lights or error codes, and compare generation with the same month last year.DIY
• Clean the rangehood filtersSoak metal mesh filters in hot soapy water; replace charcoal filters as the manual says.DIY

Every 3 months

• Test your safety switches (RCDs)Press the "T" button on each one in the switchboard; it should trip. If one doesn’t, call a licensed electrician. SourceDIY
• Clean air-con filtersMore often in peak summer or winter use. Check your manual.DIY
• Clear gutters and downpipesHomes near big trees fill fast. Blocked gutters overflow into eaves and walls.DIY

Every 6 months

• Vacuum smoke alarmsDust and insects stop them working. Use the brush attachment around the vents. SourceDIY
• Ease the hot water relief valveGently lift and lower the lever on the valve at the top of the tank so water flows, then stops. If it drips constantly or won’t flow, call a plumber.DIY
• Clear gutters and downpipesLate autumn after leaf fall, and early spring before storm and bushfire season. SourceDIY
• Check silicone and grout in wet areasCracked or mouldy silicone lets water behind tiles. Re-silicone early; it’s cheap.DIY
• Clean rainwater tank screens and first-flush deviceKeep leaves and debris out of the tank. SourceDIY

Every year

• Termite inspectionBy a licensed timber pest inspector. The Australian Standard (AS 3660.2) recommends at least yearly, and every 3–6 months in high-risk areas.Book a pro
• Replace smoke alarm batteriesOnly if they have replaceable batteries. Many people do it when daylight saving starts or ends. SourceDIY
• Check the roof from the groundUse binoculars for cracked or slipped tiles, rusted sheets and lifted flashing. Leave roof work to a pro.DIY check
• Air-con serviceBefore summer: coil clean, drain check and gas check by a licensed technician.Book a pro
• Clean and oil the deckOil when water stops beading on the boards. Check for loose screws and soft boards.DIY
• Bushfire season prepEarly spring: clear gutters, trim branches over the roof, remove leaf litter and flammable items near the house. SourceDIY
• Full pool fence checkGaps, height, climbable objects and gate hardware against your state’s pool safety rules.DIY check

Every 2–3 years

• Gas heater serviceAt least every 2 years by a licensed gasfitter, including a carbon monoxide spillage test. SourceBook a pro
• Check the rainwater tank for sludgeRemove built-up sludge from the bottom of the tank. Tank cleaning is confined-space work; use a professional tank cleaner. SourceBook a pro

Every 5–10 years

• Replace the hot water relief valveAround every 5 years for many systems. Check your manual. Licensed plumber.Book a pro
• Replace smoke alarmsEvery smoke alarm, at least every 10 years (check the date on the back). SourceDIY check

The five that matter most

If you only do five things, do these. They’re the ones that protect your family or stop a small problem becoming a five-figure one.

1. Test smoke alarms monthly, replace them every 10 years. Fire and Rescue NSW recommends a monthly test with the test button, vacuuming every six months, and replacing every alarm at least every 10 years. In Queensland, every home must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 1 January 2027. See Queensland’s smoke alarm laws.
2. Test safety switches every 3 months. Press the “T” button on each RCD in your switchboard. If it doesn’t trip, call a licensed electrician. It’s the device that stops an electric shock from killing someone.
3. Clear the gutters at least twice a year, and before bushfire season if you’re in a bushfire-prone area. Ember attack is the main way houses are lost in bushfires, and leaves in gutters are fuel. See how to clean gutters safely.
4. Book a yearly termite inspection. Termite damage usually isn’t covered by home insurance, and it’s invisible until it’s expensive.
5. Service gas heaters at least every 2 years. Energy Safe Victoria recommends a service by a licensed gasfitter, including a carbon monoxide test. CO is invisible, odourless and can kill.

Spring checklist (September–November)

Spring is when Australian homes get ready for storms, heat and bushfire season:

• Clear gutters and downpipes before the Fire Danger Period is declared, and trim branches overhanging the roof.
• Service the air-conditioner before the first heatwave, and clean the filters.
• Check the roof from the ground for tiles or sheets the winter weather moved.
• Check the pool fence and gate before swimming season.
• Check for termite activity. Termites are most active in warm, humid months. Look for mud tubes on foundations and hollow-sounding timber.
• Oil the deck once the weather is dry and warm.
• Change smoke alarm batteries when daylight saving starts (in states that have it), if your alarms have replaceable batteries.

Autumn checklist (March–May)

• Clear gutters again after leaf fall, before winter rain.
• Service gas heaters before you turn them on for winter, and check flues are clear.
• Test smoke alarms before heater season. Home fires peak in winter.
• Check weather seals on doors and windows to keep heat in.
• Clean rainwater tank screens so autumn leaves don’t wash into the tank.

DIY or a licensed pro?

Most of this list is DIY: testing, cleaning, clearing and checking. The rule of thumb is simple: if it involves fixed wiring, gas or plumbing connections, it’s licensed work. Pressing the RCD test button is DIY; replacing a faulty RCD needs an electrician. Easing the hot water relief valve is DIY; replacing it needs a plumber. Not sure about a specific job? The DIY legality checker covers the common ones by state, and what you can legally DIY explains the rules.

Working at heights is the real danger. Ladder and roof falls are one of the most common ways people get badly hurt doing jobs around the home. Use a stable ladder on firm ground, have someone hold it, and never work on a roof alone. If you’re not comfortable, gutter cleaning is cheap to outsource.

Why a schedule beats memory

The problem with home maintenance isn’t knowing what to do; it’s remembering. Six-monthly and yearly jobs are easy to forget, and a smoke alarm that stopped working in March won’t tell you. Pick a system that reminds you: a calendar with repeating events, a note on the fridge, or an app.

In Jib, every one of these can be a repeating job: set it to monthly, quarterly, yearly or anything in between, and Jib shows when it’s due and reminds you. When you tick it off, the next one is scheduled from that date. Snap a photo of the relief valve or the switchboard while you’re there, and next time you’ll know exactly where it is.

Frequently asked questions

How often should you clean gutters in Australia? At least twice a year, in late autumn and early spring. Do it more often if you have big trees nearby, and before bushfire season in bushfire-prone areas.

How often should smoke alarms be replaced? At least every 10 years. Check the manufacture or expiry date on the back. Test them monthly and vacuum them every six months.

How often should you test a safety switch? Every three months, by pressing the test button on each RCD, or more often if the manufacturer says so.

How often should you get a termite inspection? At least once a year by a licensed timber pest inspector, and every three to six months in high-risk areas, as recommended by Australian Standard AS 3660.2.

How often should a gas heater be serviced? At least every two years by a licensed gasfitter, including a carbon monoxide spillage test.

Sources

Every rule on this page is taken from these official sources. If a rule has changed, please tell us and we’ll fix it.

1. Fire and Rescue NSW, Smoke alarm maintenance guide
2. WA Building and Energy, Testing RCDs
3. NSW Rural Fire Service, Prepare your home
4. Energy Safe Victoria, Heating your home with gas
5. NSW Health, Rainwater tanks
6. Queensland Fire Department, Smoke alarms

This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules differ between states, councils and individual properties, and they change. Confirm with your state regulator or council before starting work, and if in doubt, get a licensed tradesperson.