Denver Home Maintenance Calendar: Month-by-Month Guide for Colorado Homeowners (2026)
In This Guide
Owning a home in Denver means maintaining it against one of the most demanding climates in the US. 300+ days of intense UV at altitude, 150+ freeze-thaw cycles, 3-4 major hailstorms, 80+ mph winds, and temperature swings from 70°F to single digits overnight. Materials age faster, systems work harder, and neglected maintenance compounds faster than in milder climates.
This month-by-month guide is specifically calibrated for Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Boulder, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Westminster, Thornton, Castle Rock, Parker, and the broader Front Range. Not generic national advice. Colorado-specific tasks, Colorado timing.
Why Denver Homes Need More Maintenance
- UV at altitude: 25% more UV than sea level. Paint, sealant, roofing, and siding degrade faster. Everything exterior needs attention more frequently.
- Freeze-thaw cycling: Water gets into cracks, freezes, expands, and creates bigger cracks. This destroys concrete, stucco, caulking, and roofing faster than any other mechanism.
- Hail damage: Annual roof, siding, and gutter inspections are essential (not optional like in non-hail states).
- Dry air: Interior humidity drops to 10-15% in winter without a humidifier. This dries out wood floors, trim, furniture, and drywall tape joints.
- Expansive soils: Denver's clay swells and shrinks with moisture, moving foundations. Drainage management is a year-round responsibility.
January-February: Deep Winter
Exterior
- Monitor ice dams: Look for icicles forming at roof eaves. Large icicles signal poor attic insulation/ventilation. Use a roof rake to remove snow within 3 feet of eaves after heavy snowfall.
- Keep walkways clear: Denver code requires snow removal within 24 hours on sidewalks. Use ice melt sparingly on concrete (excess accelerates deterioration).
- Check exterior faucets: Even with frost-free hose bibs, disconnecting hoses is critical. A frozen pipe burst costs $5,000-15,000+.
Interior
- Run humidifier: Target 30-35% RH. Below 20%: wood floors gap, drywall cracks, skin dries, static shocks everywhere.
- Replace furnace filter: Monthly during heating season. Dirty filters make your furnace work harder and can cause heat exchanger failure.
- Test smoke/CO detectors: Press the test button. Replace batteries if more than 6 months old.
- Check attic: Look for frost on underside of roof sheathing (sign of inadequate ventilation). Look for light gaps (indicating missing insulation).
March-April: Spring Transition
Exterior
- Inspect roof after winter: Look for missing shingles, lifted edges, and ice dam damage. Binoculars from the ground work. This is important before spring storms begin.
- Clean gutters: Winter debris and leftover fall leaves clog gutters. Spring snowmelt needs clear paths. Cost: $150-300 professional cleaning.
- Check foundation grading: Winter freeze-thaw can settle soil around your foundation. Ensure 6 inches of slope over 10 feet away from the house. Add soil where it's settled.
- Inspect concrete and stucco: Fill cracks that formed over winter before spring moisture enters them. Polyurethane caulk for concrete, elastomeric caulk for stucco.
- Service sprinkler system: Denver usually allows activation in late April (after last hard freeze risk). Inspect heads, adjust coverage, check for winter damage to lines.
Interior
- HVAC maintenance: Schedule AC tune-up now (before summer rush). Cost: $100-200. Includes refrigerant check, coil cleaning, electrical inspection.
- Test sump pump: Pour water into the pit. Pump should activate and discharge correctly. Spring snowmelt is peak groundwater season in Denver.
- Check water heater: Flush sediment from tank water heaters annually. Denver's hard water accelerates sediment buildup. Adds years to water heater life.
May-June: Storm Season Prep
Exterior
- Hail season begins. Late May through September is peak hail season. Document your roof, siding, and exterior condition with photos NOW (before storm damage) for insurance purposes.
- Inspect and seal deck/fence: UV and moisture have attacked all winter. Clean with deck wash, apply stain/sealer. Cost: $200-500 DIY, $500-1,500 professional.
- Check window/door caulking: UV degrades exterior caulking in 3-5 years at altitude (vs 7-10 at sea level). Replace cracked or missing caulking. $50-200 in materials.
- Trim trees away from roof: 6-foot minimum clearance. Overhanging branches drop debris on roof, hold moisture, and scratch roofing in wind. Also reduces hail funnel effect.
Interior
- Test AC before you need it. Denver's first 90°F days often hit in June. Don't discover your AC is broken during a heat wave when every HVAC tech is booked.
- Change furnace filter (even if barely used in spring, pollen season clogs filters).
July-August: Peak Summer
- After every hailstorm: Document damage with photos within 48 hours. Check roof, siding, gutters, AC condenser, vehicles, and windows. File insurance claims within 60 days.
- Manage foundation moisture: Keep sprinklers 18+ inches from foundation. Overwatering near the foundation causes clay expansion and basement leaks. Underwatering causes clay shrinkage and settling.
- Inspect exterior paint: UV damage is most visible mid-summer. Chalking, peeling, and fading indicate repainting is due. Exterior paint lasts 5-8 years in Denver (not the 10-15 manufacturers claim at sea level).
- Check attic temperature: A properly ventilated Denver attic should be within 10-15°F of outside temperature. Hotter = inadequate ventilation, which accelerates shingle deterioration and increases cooling costs.
September-October: Fall Prep
Exterior
- Roof inspection: After hail season, have a professional inspect your roof. Free inspections from most roofers. File any storm damage claims now while evidence is fresh.
- Clean gutters: Fall leaves are the worst gutter clogger. Clean after leaf drop (late October in Denver). Clogged gutters cause ice dams in winter.
- Winterize sprinklers: Blow out sprinkler lines before first hard freeze (usually late October). Cost: $60-100 professional blowout. Frozen sprinkler lines: $500-2,000 to repair.
- Seal concrete: September-October is ideal for concrete sealing. Warm enough for sealer to cure, before freeze-thaw season begins.
- Disconnect hoses: Even frost-free hose bibs can freeze if a hose is connected. Disconnect, drain, and store ALL hoses before first freeze.
Interior
- Furnace tune-up: Schedule before heating season begins. $100-200. Includes burner cleaning, heat exchanger inspection, safety checks.
- Reverse ceiling fans: Clockwise direction pushes warm air down in winter. Small change, real savings.
- Test humidifier: Make sure it's working before you need it. Check the pad or filter and replace if scaled up (Denver's hard water calcifies quickly).
- Check weather stripping: Around doors and windows. Denver's wind drives cold air through even small gaps. $20-50 in weather stripping prevents $200+ in heating waste.
November-December: Winter Lockdown
- Set humidifier: Furnace running = humidity dropping. Start humidifier when you start the furnace.
- Check furnace filter monthly: Replace at least monthly during heavy heating use.
- Know your water shutoff: If pipes freeze, you need to shut off water in seconds, not minutes. Locate main shutoff and test the valve.
- Protect outdoor pipes: Insulated covers on hose bibs ($3 each). Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during extreme cold snaps.
- Check fireplace/chimney: If using a fireplace, annual inspection ($100-250). Creosote buildup is a fire hazard. Ensure damper closes fully when not in use.
Annual Tasks
| Task | Frequency | DIY Cost | Pro Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC tune-up (furnace + AC) | Yearly each | N/A | $100-200 each |
| Gutter cleaning | 2x/year | Free | $150-300 |
| Roof inspection | Yearly (fall) | Free (binoculars) | Free (most roofers) |
| Concrete sealing | Every 2-3 years | $50-100 | $200-500 |
| Exterior caulking | Every 3-5 years | $50-200 | $300-800 |
| Deck/fence sealing | Every 2-3 years | $200-500 | $500-1,500 |
| Water heater flush | Yearly | Free | $100-200 |
| Dryer vent cleaning | Yearly | $30 | $100-200 |
Cost of Maintenance vs Cost of Neglect
| Prevention | Cost | What Neglect Causes | Repair Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gutter cleaning (2x/yr) | $300-600/yr | Ice dams, fascia rot, basement leaks | $2,000-10,000 |
| Furnace tune-up | $150/yr | Heat exchanger crack, CO risk | $3,000-6,000 |
| Concrete sealing | $100-200/2yr | Spalling, full replacement | $5,000-12,000 |
| Sprinkler blowout | $80/yr | Frozen/burst lines | $500-2,000 |
| Caulking/sealing | $100-300/yr | Water intrusion, mold, rot | $2,000-15,000 |
Total annual preventive maintenance budget: $1,000-2,000/year for a typical Denver home. That prevents $10,000-50,000+ in potential neglect-related repairs. The math is clear.
Need help with home maintenance? Call Trustie Services at (720) 213-5521. We handle everything on this list across the Denver metro.
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The "Big 5" Denver Home Maintenance Tasks Most Homeowners Skip (And Pay For Later)
After servicing thousands of Denver homes, we see the same five neglected maintenance items causing expensive repairs. Here's what gets skipped and what it costs when it catches up to you.
1. Gutter Cleaning (Skipped Cost: $3,000-$15,000). Denver's cottonwood trees shed massive amounts of fluff and seeds in June, followed by leaf drop in October. Clogged gutters cause ice dams in winter that push water under your roof shingles and into your attic. We see 20-30 ice dam damage calls every January. Cost to clean gutters twice a year: $150-$300. Cost of ice dam water damage: $3,000-$15,000 including drywall replacement and mold remediation.
2. Furnace Filter Changes (Skipped Cost: $2,000-$8,000). Denver's dry, dusty air clogs furnace filters fast. A clogged filter restricts airflow, causing your blower motor to overheat. We see dozens of furnace failures every November from homeowners who haven't changed their filter since the previous winter. Filters cost $15-$40 and should be changed monthly during heating season (October through April). A new blower motor: $800-$1,500 installed. A full furnace replacement: $4,000-$8,000.
3. Foundation Drainage Maintenance (Skipped Cost: $5,000-$30,000). Denver's expansive clay soil is your foundation's worst enemy. Proper drainage means keeping soil moisture consistent around your foundation — not too wet, not too dry. Most Denver homeowners water their lawn but forget the foundation. Soaker hoses around your foundation perimeter, running 15 minutes three times per week during dry months, cost pennies. Foundation crack repair starts at $5,000. Full foundation stabilization: $15,000-$30,000.
4. Exterior Caulking and Paint Touch-Up (Skipped Cost: $2,000-$10,000). Denver's UV exposure (25% more than sea level) and temperature swings (-10°F to 95°F) destroy exterior caulk and paint faster than anywhere in the Midwest. Annual caulk inspection and touch-up around windows, doors, and trim takes 2-3 hours and costs $50 in materials. Water intrusion from failed caulk leads to rot, mold, and siding replacement — $2,000-$10,000 depending on damage extent.
5. Water Heater Flush (Skipped Cost: $1,200-$3,500). Denver's moderately hard water (120-180 ppm) builds sediment in water heater tanks. Annual flushing takes 30 minutes and extends tank life by 3-5 years. Sediment buildup insulates the heating element from the water, increasing energy bills 15-25% and eventually cracking the tank. A flooded basement from a burst water heater costs $1,200-$3,500 in water damage, plus $1,500-$3,000 for a new heater.
Want a professional seasonal maintenance inspection? Call Trustie Services at (720) 213-5521. We'll check all five of these plus a full exterior assessment — $99 for the inspection, applied toward any service you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
$1,000-2,000 per year for a typical Denver home. This covers HVAC service, gutter cleaning, seasonal prep, sealing, and minor repairs. The 1% rule (1% of home value per year) is a good guideline. For a $500,000 home: $5,000/year.
Key Denver-specific tasks: humidifier management (winter), hail damage documentation (summer), concrete sealing (every 2-3 years due to freeze-thaw), UV-related caulking/paint inspection, sprinkler winterization, and foundation drainage management due to expansive clay soils.
September or October, before heating season. Cost: $100-200 for a tune-up. Denver winters can see extended sub-zero stretches, and a furnace failure during a cold snap means emergency rates ($300-500+) and potentially frozen pipes ($5,000-15,000 damage).
Twice per year minimum: late spring (after tree pollen/seed drop) and late October (after leaf fall). Denver's freeze-thaw makes clogged gutters particularly dangerous because trapped water freezes and creates ice dams that damage fascia and cause roof leaks.
Late October, before the first hard freeze (typically mid-to-late October in Denver). Professional blowout costs $60-100 and takes 30 minutes. Frozen sprinkler lines cost $500-2,000 to repair. This is one of the highest-ROI maintenance tasks.
5-8 years for quality paint on Denver homes, compared to 10-15 years at sea level. Altitude UV degrades paint 25% faster. South and west-facing walls fail fastest. Use premium exterior paint with UV-blocking pigments for maximum longevity.
