Planning a 20-Year Homeowner’s Maintenance Checklist
You can expect some significant exterior maintenance after 20 years. In addition to exposure to the elements, home materials simply have a limited lifespan. We’ve got a list of primary parts of your home to inspect, repair or replace for a 20-year-old home. Our list assumes your home is in reasonably good condition and you’ve kept up with basic maintenance. Since every home is different, this isn’t intended to be a complete list, but you can use it as a guide to plan.
We’re focusing on maintenance for a 20-year-old home, but some items, including smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, as well as fire extinguishers, require inspection every year or more frequently. They’ll require replacement long before the 20-year point, but this is a good time to make sure you haven’t missed any expired devices.
Home Maintenance Budget for a 20-Year-Old Home
Consider budgeting at least 3 percent of the value of your home for the work, since you may be facing some major repairs. You may need to budget more or less depending on how well the home has been maintained over the years and any environmental or geographical factors that might affect your home.
20-Year Exterior Home Maintenance Tasks
A 20-year home maintenance checklist looks challenging, but you probably don’t need to do everything immediately. Often simply walking around your home exterior will help you prioritize tasks. If you’ve kept up with regular maintenance, you might be able to check some off immediately.
Priority 20-Year Exterior Maintenance
Most of these tasks focus on safety and keeping moisture out of your home.
- Have your roof inspected for damage and missing or loose shingles or panels.
- If the home has the original shingle roof, plan for replacement soon.
- Have gutters checked — aluminum gutters may need replacement.
- Have the deck inspected for wear and safety; a wood deck or deck frame may be due for replacement soon.
- Check your windows for leaks, damage and wear to decide if you need to replace them.
- Replace wood fencing or inspect vinyl fencing to see if it’s nearing the end of its lifespan.
- Have your foundation inspected.
- If you haven’t had the crawlspace or basement checked recently for moisture problems, set up an inspection now.
- Have your crawlspace insulation and moisture barrier checked for potential replacement.
- Ensure water drains away from your foundation during rainfall.
Optional 20-Year Exterior Maintenance
Optional exterior maintenance might be upgrades or simply touch ups to existing elements to maintain curb appeal and help you enjoy your outdoors.
- Replace or repaint exterior shutters to give your home a new look.
- Upgrade the edging around planting beds.
- If you’re replacing a deck, consider expanding it or even screening it in and adding an outdoor ceiling fan.
- Consider lawn alternatives for some or all of your yard to reduce maintenance and water usage.
- Give your porch a makeover with new railings, new furniture and new lighting.
- Choose a new color for your front door.
20-Year Interior Household Maintenance Tips
After 20 years, some of your home’s internal components might need replacement. As with exterior maintenance, you probably don’t need to do it all at once. Prioritize tasks to improve safety and protect your investment.
Priority 20-Year Interior Maintenance
These items primarily focus on safety and functionality.
- Be ready to replace an original heating and cooling system.
- Expect to replace any original major appliances for efficiency and to minimize the risk of damage from leaks.
- Have an electrician inspect your outlets and switches — particularly those with extra functionality, like ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets and dimmer switches — as well as the breakers for your home.
- Begin replacing and upgrading kitchen and bathroom faucets, including those in the bathtub and shower.
- Check expiration dates for fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, replacing any that are out of date.
- Have your basement and attic insulation checked to ensure it’s in good shape and has the correct R-factor.
- Replace the shutoff valves for your sinks and toilets to prevent leaks and maintain functionality.
Optional 20-Year Interior Maintenance
A 20-year-old home will benefit from some optional upgrades, particularly if you haven’t made many changes recently. Styles have changed over two decades so you may need to catch up. You can also simply make your home more enjoyable and more comfortable. Here are some ideas.
- Replace furniture for comfort and to keep your interior in style.
- Replace your cabinets or, for a smaller upgrade, consider repainting or replacing the doors and drawer fronts or hardware.
- Replace your countertops or refinish them.
- Remodel your fireplace and mantel.
- Upgrade your light fixtures and lamps.
Don’t have time to do it yourself? See how Lowe’s can help with your interior and exterior installations.
Planning for Future Maintenance
As your home ages, its maintenance needs will, of course, increase. If you’re not already, start planning and budgeting for the work. If some of the major maintenance items above, like the roof, deck, etc. don’t need replacement now, expect that expense in the next few years. In addition, you may need to start thinking about replacing:
- Exterior siding
- Circuit breakers
- Garage doors
- Kitchen cabinets
- Shower enclosures and bases