Puerto Rico home maintenance checklist
Month-by-month numbers for San Juan
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Wind | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 83° | 72° | 3.2″ | 8.4 | — |
| February | 84° | 72° | 2.3″ | 8.7 | — |
| March | 85° | 73° | 2.2″ | 9 | — |
| April | 86° | 74° | 3.4″ | 9 | — |
| May | 88° | 76° | 6″ | 8.5 | — |
| June | 89° | 78° | 4.4″ | 9 | — |
| July | 89° | 78° | 4.9″ | 9.3 | windiest |
| August | 90° | 78° | 5.9″ | 8.6 | peak AC load |
| September | 90° | 78° | 6.3″ | 7.4 | wettest month |
| October | 89° | 77° | 5.9″ | 7.1 | — |
| November | 86° | 75° | 5.9″ | 7.5 | — |
| December | 84° | 73° | 4.2″ | 8.1 | — |
- Gutters: September is the wettest month here (6.3″) — clear them before it, not during.
- Air conditioning: August peaks at a 90°F normal high. Service in spring — a failure in August means a queue.
- Roof, fence and trees: wind peaks in July at 9.3 mph on average (8.4 mph year-round). Loose shingles, wobbly posts and dead limbs get found for you if you don't find them first.
The small jobs on this list are cheap. The failures they prevent are not:
- $25 AC filter, twice a season vs $450+ compressor call
- $150 HVAC tune-up vs $5,000+ replacement
- $150 gutter cleaning vs $3,000+ water damage
- $100 water-heater flush vs $1,500+ tank failure
Typical U.S. repair ranges — rough estimates, not promises. The risks shown are the ones San Juan's climate actually produces.
Spring.
Clean the gutters
Scoop out leaves and grit, then flush with a hose. Watch for water sheeting over the edge — that's a clog telling on itself.
Inspect the roof
Walk the perimeter with binoculars. Look for missing shingles, curled edges, or debris around vents and flashing.
Service the AC
Swap the filter. Hose down the outdoor condenser fins (power off first). Clear a two-foot radius of leaves and weeds.
Reseal exterior wood
Drop water on your deck. If it beads up, you're good. If it soaks in, time to clean, dry, and reseal.
Wake up the yard
Service the mower, reconnect hoses, rake beds. Plant things before the heat sets in.
Test the sump pump
Pour a bucket of water into the pit until the float lifts — the pump should kick on within seconds and send water well away from the house. No sump pit? You're on a slab — skip this one.
Build a hurricane kit
A week of water, batteries, a crank radio, cash, copies of insurance papers in a waterproof bag. Refresh in May.
Trim trees away from the house
Anything overhanging the roof, brushing siding, or near a power line — get it cut back before June.
Rinse exterior metal
Hose off door hardware, light fixtures, AC condenser, railings. Twice a year, more if oceanfront.
Inspect AC for corrosion
Pull the side panels. Look at coil fins and the cabinet base. Coastal-grade coatings extend life 5–10 yrs.
Mold patrol
Bathrooms, closets, and any wall against a cool surface. Bleach + ventilation; investigate the source.
Patch every screen
Window screens, lanai screens, vents — any tear gets patched. Mosquitoes move in fast.
Summer.
Check the irrigation
Run every zone, once. Watch for broken heads, geysers, dry patches, and spray hitting the siding.
Pressure-wash exteriors
Siding, walkways, and the deck, in that order. Use the widest nozzle that still does the job — narrow tips strip paint fast.
Check windows & seals
Run a hand around each frame. Cracked caulk gets a bead of fresh stuff; squished weatherstripping gets replaced.
Walk the pest perimeter
Pencil-width gaps at the foundation, sill plates, and where pipes enter. Seal with copper mesh and expanding foam.
Mow & water smart
Blade on the highest reasonable setting. Water deep and less often, early morning, twice a week.
Vacuum the refrigerator coils
Pull the fridge out (or pop the front grille) and vacuum the dust off the condenser coils. Check the door gasket with a dollar bill while you're there — it should grip.
Refresh bathroom caulk
Check the bead where tub and shower meet tile and floor. Any gap, crack, or black mold line: strip it out and run a fresh bead of silicone.
Stage your storm shutters
Pull shutters from storage, label panels by window, dry-fit hardware. If you use plywood, pre-cut it now.
Run the dehumidifier
Basement or crawlspace at 50% RH or below. Empty the bucket or run a condensate line to a drain.
Crawlspace check
Vapor barrier intact, no standing water, no bug trails. Encapsulation pays off in this climate.
Fall.
Clean the gutters (again)
Do this after the last leaves drop. Clear downspouts and direct them away from the foundation.
Stow the outside
Drain the mower fuel or add stabilizer. Cover or bring in the grill. Shake out and store patio cushions.
Flush the water heater
Hook a garden hose to the drain valve and flush until the water runs clear. Test the pressure-relief valve while you're at it — lift the lever, listen for the rush.
Walk the property after each storm
Look for lifted shingles, displaced fence panels, water marks on ceilings, and clogged storm drains.
Winter.
Check hoses & supply lines
Washing machine hoses, dishwasher line, ice-maker line, and the flex lines under every sink. Bulges, rust, or dampness mean replace — braided stainless, not rubber.
Safety.
Test smoke & CO detectors
Smoke alarm on every level and outside every sleeping area. CO alarm near every bedroom. Press the test button.
Fire extinguishers & escape plan
One ABC-rated extinguisher in the kitchen, one near the furnace, one in the garage. Pressure gauge in the green. Walk the escape plan with everyone.
Know the shut-offs
Water main, gas meter, and electrical panel. Everyone in the house should know where each one is and how to operate it in the dark.
Clean the dryer vent
Pull the dryer out, detach the duct, and clear the lint from the full run — machine to the outside flap. Clothes taking two cycles to dry is the warning sign.
Test GFCI outlets
Press TEST on every outlet with the two small buttons — kitchen, baths, garage, outdoors. Power should cut instantly; RESET brings it back.
Home maintenance golden rules
- Water is the enemy. Nine out of ten expensive problems start with water going somewhere it shouldn't.
- Small, often, beats big, rarely. A Saturday every season saves a month of regret later.
- Know what you can't do. Roofs, gas lines, main electrical — call the pro. No prize for bravery here.
- Write it down. Date the filter. Keep receipts. Future-you will thank present-you.
Official Puerto Rico resources
Straight from the agencies that set the rules here — worth a bookmark before you need them.
- Emergency management Negociado para el Manejo de Emergencias y Administración de Desastres (NMEAD) manejodeemergencias.pr.gov
- Cooperative Extension Servicio de Extensión Agrícola — Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez uprm.edu/sea
- State energy office Negociado de Energía de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Energy Bureau) energia.pr.gov
A checklist says what. These guides say why.
Ticking boxes keeps Puerto Rico homes running. Understanding the systems behind them is how you stop small problems before they get expensive.
Your home has 200+ things that need looking after.
This page covers the big-rock seasonal tasks. Your actual home has hundreds more — every appliance, fixture, filter, and warranty on its own clock. I am Home keeps track of all of it for you.
per home
free forever tier
reminders forever
- Every appliance on a schedule. Filters, belts, drain lines, warranty dates — all tracked per serial number.
- Smart reminders, not spam. Weather-aware: pings you before the first freeze, not on a random Tuesday.
- The full home record. Paint colors, model numbers, contractor contacts, manuals — searchable in one place.
- Hank, your AI handyman. Ask "why is the basement smelling musty?" and get an answer that knows your house.
Frequently asked
Do I need to winterize anything in Puerto Rico?
A 32°F night is not a normal event around San Juan, so the pipe-wrapping and spigot-draining routine that dominates northern checklists mostly doesn't apply. Spend that time on what the climate here actually does to a house: sun and heat on roofing and sealants, moisture and pests, and storm readiness. Keep one exception in mind — an unusual cold snap still reaches places that never plan for it, and the houses that suffer are the ones with no insulation on exposed plumbing at all.
How do I cut my AC bill in Puerto Rico?
San Juan averages about 70 days a year at or above 90°F, peaking around a 90°F normal high — the AC here runs long enough that maintenance pays back fast. Three free wins: change the filter twice a season rather than once, clear leaves and debris off the outdoor condenser, and check the attic — if it's over 140°F up there, ventilation is your problem, not the air conditioner. The paid win with the fastest payback is shading west-facing windows; an unshaded west window in July gains about as much heat as a small space heater.
How often should I clean gutters in Puerto Rico?
Twice a year is the working rule — late spring and late autumn — and San Juan's roughly 55 inches of annual precipitation is what makes it non-negotiable. At that volume a blocked downspout will find your foundation within one season. Add a pass after any big storm, and check that downspouts discharge at least four feet from the house — most water-in-the-basement calls trace back to that one detail.
When does hurricane season run in Puerto Rico?
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. In Puerto Rico, the practical prep window is May — pull shutters out of storage, top up the kit, and trim trees back from the house. Storms can land outside those dates; they mark peak likelihood, not a guarantee.
How often should I do home maintenance in Puerto Rico?
A weekend per season — spring, summer, fall, winter — handles about 80% of what matters. Layer in monthly safety checks (smoke and CO test, a glance at the breaker panel) and one yearly walk of the big shut-offs: water main, gas, electrical. The pattern that fails homeowners isn't doing too little; it's doing nothing for two years and then trying to catch up at once.
Can I do this checklist myself, or do I need a pro?
Most of it is DIY — gutters, filters, windows, sealants, irrigation, pest perimeter. Hire a pro for: anything on the roof past a quick eyeball with binoculars, gas-line work, the main electrical panel, and any plumbing repair that involves soldering or splicing into a main. There's no prize for bravery on those — the cost of a mistake is much higher than the cost of the call.