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When you are a homeowner, it can often feel like you spend the bulk of your time ensuring that your property is in tip-top shape. Keeping an eye out for things like water damage and the like can make it feel as though home maintenance is a full-time job. While in many ways this is true, you might actually be putting in more work than is necessary by not performing certain yearly home maintenance tasks.

There are certain times of the year when particular projects are going to need to be tackled. Things like preparing your backyard and garden for winter will obviously need to be handled in the fall, while you will have to wait until the snow thaws in spring to address any exterior siding repairs.

Furthermore, planning to do certain home maintenance projects once a year will help to give you more peace of mind and make it less likely that you will run into certain costly and unexpected repairs. Here are three such projects that you should do, or have done by a professional, once a year in order to keep your home running smoothly:

1. A/C Servicing

You rely on your air conditioning unit to get you through the hotter months of the year and to keep your house comfortable to be in. It can be incredibly frustrating and incredibly expensive to have to deal with a broken A/C unit right in the middle of spring or summer. 

In order to help prevent such a breakdown and to make sure that your unit is prepped and ready for the warmer months of the year, you should have your a/c serviced at least once a year. One of the better times to do this is at the start of spring, although the particular timing that you have this project done might depend on the climate in which you live.

2. Roof Inspection

Your roof is what protects your home from invaders like pests and birds as well as from water. It is important to make sure that your roof is in good shape so that you don’t end up with any unexpected guests in your attic or internal water damage.

When it comes to water damage, even the slightest bit of water is enough to encourage the growth of mildew and mold in your home. For this reason, inspect your roof once a year to ensure that your home is secure and protected from intruding water.

3. Chimney Sweeping

If your home has a fireplace and chimney that you use to burn real wood, then you should absolutely have your chimney swept once a year. The best time to do this is typically in the fall, as many people enjoy having a fire indoors on colder days and nights. 

Failure to have your chimney properly swept once a year can result in the buildup of soot, dust, and debris. Such things can catch fire from even a small spark, so make sure that you take care of this project if you plan on using your fireplace this year.