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                                                        (Comstock Images/Getty Images) Home maintenance is always a pain for most homeowners. It can be a nuisance and costly, but certain things need to get done each year to ensure the safety of your home and family. Here is a list of maintenance you should be performing on your homes each year. 

If you have cats or dogs (or both!), I hope for your sake you've got a leather sofa, because we all know that pet hair clings to fabric. Alas, leather furniture is expensive, so most of us are left on our hands and knees, with a roll of tape, going over every inch of each surface, and praying that— just this once —we get it all. That's no way to live. So here are a few tips and alternatives to preserve your energy and mental fortitude:

Hardwood floors are more complicated to keep intact than you may have thought. Use these tips to keep them looking polished for years. Find out all the tips here .

Winter weather is pretty and fun until 1.) white snow becomes brown slush and 2.) your wood floors are covered in salt dust. Salt dust is what I call the white stains your shoes leave after walking through a driveway or sidewalk which has salt on it to prevent ice from forming. The salt is great, the salt dust is not. And, if you don't clean the stains quickly enough, they could permanently damage wood floors. Find out how to protect your floors here .

Ready for the snap, crackle, and pop of a roaring fire? Here's everything you need to know. Fireplaces are one of the most sought-after home features, but using one can be intimidating, and you’ve probably got questions. Here’s a quick guide to get you and your fire started this fall.

You will improve your home’s function and safety when you replace certain indoor and outdoor items regularly. Simply add these 16 home improvement tasks to your calendar, and you’ll stay on top of necessary and beneficial home updates.

You can cope with the soppy mess of a basement flood cleanup. Here’s how.

Fall is upon us. Are you and your home ready for the season? If you’re not sure, you’re in luck. We’ve put together the ultimate fall home maintenance checklist to help you make sure that you have all your key maintenance tasks covered. Read on here to see if you have anything left to do. If you complete all the tasks on this list, you can rest easy knowing that your home will stay safe and dry all season long. https://freshome.com/fall-home-maintenance-checklist/

Termites just might be a homeowner's worst nightmare. While they're tiny, they can wreak big-time havoc on your home. In fact, termites alone cause over $5 billion in property damage annually, according to the National Pest Management Association. What's worse is that homeowners insurance does not cover the destruction these ravenous critters can leave behind. Find out how you can prevent this by reading these tips here .

Once the obvious things are cleaned away, do you forget about the rest of the room? Take a look at seven places here you're forgetting to clean.

Drains and garbage disposals are vulnerable home features. To make things easier on our drains and save on plumbing repairs, smart homeowners leave a few items for the trash. To ensure you’re not calling a plumber anytime soon, do no the put the following 10 items down your drain found here .

If you have some high end, expensive pieces of wood furniture, this post is for you . When extravagant wood is care for properly, it is even more beautiful and can last for generations. Follow these tips to ensure your gorgeous, and likely pricey wood finishes remain in pristine condition. Image via www.thefurnitureconnoisseur.com Be Environmentally Conscious When it comes to the environment your furniture is in, you want to remain consistent. Keep furniture out of heavy sunlight so the furniture does not fade. Also, the temperature should remain consistent to avoid the wood from warping, so steer clear of radiators or air conditioning blowing directly onto furniture. Watch How You Dress Your Furniture You want to be sure you're aware of what is going on your furniture. Some woods are more sensitive than others, but  a good rule of thumb to follow is if you think it could scratch it, it will. Even fabrics should be rotated and switched out from time to time. Most...

I wish the only thing you needed to prep your home for fall is to light a bunch of pumpkin spice candles. While yes, that is a crucial part of getting ready for the change of seasons, there are more important (and not exactly fun) preparations that come with being a homeowner. Consider this everything you need to know before your house transitions from hot summer days to cool fall nights ... and eventually freezing temperatures. Find out all 9 things you should do to your home before fall here .

Cleaning out your rain gutters can be a dreadful hassle, but there are a few helpful tips that you can use to make the task as painless as possible. Wear rubber gloves. protective eye wear, and a long-sleeved shirt. Use an appropriate ladder that is stable. Have a buddy nearby to ensure safety and move the process along more quickly. Rake your roof first so that the next time it rains it doesn't just clog up your gutters, again. Don't waste your money on a fancy gutter scoop. A plain-Jane plastic cup or kids shovel will do the job. Metal scoops can cause damage.  Dump your gunk onto a plastic tarp below you to alleviate hassle and save your lawn. Once you clean them out, flush the gutter with a garden hose. Record the date that you decide to clean them out so that the following year you don't get too far behind, making the task a little easier. image via  http://www.neiltortorella.com At the end of the day, cleaning out your gutters will pay off. It doesn...

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With temperatures dropping way below 0 ° F, freezing pipes can become a worrisome  issue that some may face depending on insulation, water flow and overall construction of a home. Watch the video posted below to learn about how you can avoid your pipes from freezing and bursting this winter. Image via www.amerifirst.com

The end of the year is quickly approaching, and November is already here! Get a jump on these November maintenance to-dos, and then start thinking about Thanksgiving! Image via www.amerifirst.com

Colonial style houses are without a doubt some of the most beautiful homes. Their simple, yet elegant structure has a historical feel that you can't get anywhere else. Nonetheless, they can start to get outdated if they aren't kept up well. If you have a Colonial house that you would like to spruce up, check out some of these ideas for the exterior of your house that will add flair while maintaining that timeless classic look. BEFORE Image via www.finehomebuilding.com AFTER Image via www.finehomebuilding.com Sources www.finehomebuilding.com

With winter on its way, your yard could probably use some attention. The good news is if you get a jump on it now you'll be all set to settle in an relax for the winter. Skim through these helpful reminders to refresh your memory on winterizing your lawn. Image via www.lawncare.org Deal with Your Plants Remove annuals and mulch perennials after the first hard freeze. If necessary, you may want to move around your perennials. Just be certain that you don't break any roots. Also, if you haven't yet, bring in any house plants that were enjoying the warm weather. Remove Leaves A few leaves left over in your lawn won't hurt much, but a pile of leaves is a different story. If you leave a big pile of wet leaves in your yard and visit the same spot come spring, you'll be sorely disappointed at what you see. After the snow and cold have gotten to it, the grass underneath with rot and kill that area of your lawn. Remove all leaves the best you can. Mow & Aer...

Can you believe it? It's already October. Get a jump on this month's maintenance early so you have plenty of time left over for hot cider, hay rides, and pumpkin carving! Image via www.amerifirst.com Sources www.amerifirst.com