May home maintenance checklist

By Pau Cozar Navas · Last reviewed October 2026 · Tasks from the HouseByMonth calendar

May is the busiest spring month on the calendar, with work in every zone. In the South, lawns are growing fast and summer heat is close. Further north, May is the first reliable stretch of mild weather, and the far North finally gets its spring cleanup.

May tasks by climate zone

Climate zone	Tasks this month
Zone 1 (very hot) Miami, Honolulu, Key West	Aerate the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 2 (hot) Houston, Phoenix, Orlando, Dallas	Aerate the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 3 (warm) Atlanta, Nashville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles	Check basement humidity (if you have basement or crawl space) Set ceiling fans to summer mode Aerate the lawn (if you have lawn)
Zone 4 (mixed) Washington DC, New York City, St. Louis, Seattle	Start up and check the sprinkler system (if you have sprinkler / irrigation system) Check basement humidity (if you have basement or crawl space) Septic inspection (every 3 years) (if you have septic system) Test your well water (if you have private well) Set ceiling fans to summer mode Open the pool (if you have swimming pool)
Zone 5 (cool) Chicago, Denver, Boston, Salt Lake City	Schedule an AC tune-up (if you have central air conditioning, heat pump) Start up and check the sprinkler system (if you have sprinkler / irrigation system) Septic inspection (every 3 years) (if you have septic system) Test your well water (if you have private well) Open the pool (if you have swimming pool)
Zone 6 (cold) Minneapolis, Fargo, Burlington (Vermont), Helena	Schedule an AC tune-up (if you have central air conditioning, heat pump) Clean the gutters (if you have gutters) Inspect the roof
Zone 7 (very cold) Duluth, Caribou (Maine), Anchorage	Clean the gutters (if you have gutters) Inspect the roof
Zone 8 (subarctic) Fairbanks and interior Alaska	Test the sump pump (if you have basement or crawl space)

Not sure of your zone? Find it by ZIP code, or build your calendar to see only the tasks that fit your home.

What to focus on

In zones 1, 2 and 3, aerate the lawn if you have one. Late spring, when warm-season grasses are actively growing, is the best time in hot climates. Zone 3 also checks basement humidity and switches ceiling fans to summer mode, spinning counterclockwise to push air down.

Zones 4 and 5 restart the sprinkler system, open the pool, test well water and handle the septic inspection if it is due. Spring, once the ground thaws, is the easiest time for a septic visit; the septic guide explains the three-year cycle. Turn sprinkler water back on slowly and run each zone to catch leaks (sprinkler guide). Zone 4 also checks basement humidity and switches ceiling fans to summer mode. Zone 5 should also book an AC tune-up if the home has central air or a heat pump, and so should zone 6 (tune-up guide).

Zones 6 and 7 clean the gutters and inspect the roof after the snow season. Look for missing or damaged shingles, flashing problems and sagging from the ground or with binoculars. The roof inspection guide and the gutter guide both include ladder safety. In zone 8, the job is testing the sump pump before the late thaw.

Every month

Two checks stay on the list in every zone: test each smoke and CO alarm (alarm guide) and look at the HVAC filter, replacing it if it is dirty (filter guide).

See the April checklist, continue to June, or build your own schedule with the calendar.

Want every task on one schedule? Build your free maintenance calendar for your ZIP code and add it to your phone.