Seasonal maintenance checklist

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Protecting Calgary’s precious water resources is a shared responsibility between The City, local businesses, and all Calgarians.

There are many simple actions you can take to keep your home safe and water‑efficient. These checklists is a great place to start, and the Homeowner Water Guide provides more detail to help you get the job done.

Use these seasonal checklists below to find and fix leaks and keep your home water‑efficient all year long.

Spring checklist

Yard and Garden

  • Check the Watering 101 Guide to find out when to start watering plants, shrubs and trees.
  • Consult the YardSmart plant list before you plan what you plant this season.
  • Schedule lawn aerating and dethatching.
  • Once pollinators are done hibernating (when average night-time temperature is 10 degrees Celsius), clean debris from gardens and lawns.
  • Pull any weeds that may have grown, remove dead annuals and prune perennials.
  • Fertilize gardens and lawns with compost. Check City of Calgary compost pick-up dates and add them to your calendar.
  • Add mulch to your gardens. Check City of Calgary mulch pick-up dates and locations and add them to your calendar.
  • Set up or install your rain barrel.
  • Get your lawn mower serviced, sharpen the blades and set the cutting height to three inches to keep your grass healthy.
  • Check and repair watering cans and hoses.

Around your home

  • Clean and repair downspouts, and direct stormwater away from your house, ideally towards your garden.
  • Clean any debris from storm drains in the street near your home.
  • Check all outdoor water fixtures like fountains and ponds for leaks.

If you have an irrigation system

  • Check for water leaks from your outdoor tap and irrigation system.
  • If you have an automatic irrigation system, schedule to have your backflow prevention device tested by a certified cross connection tester.
  • Check your irrigation system for leaks and damage and misaligned heads during start up and make any necessary repairs. 
water irrigation

Fall checklist

Around the yard

  • Check the Watering 101 Guide to find out when to stop watering plants, shrubs and trees.
    • Consult the YardSmart plant list  any seasonal additions (e.g., bulbs).
  • Leave plant debris in beds over winter to help retain soil moisture and support pollinators and other beneficial insects.
  • mulch around perennials and trees to protect roots from frost.
  • Prune trees and shrubs
  • Let your lawn go dormant — stop watering and stop cutting.

Outdoor maintenance

  • Turn off the outdoor water supply to avoid winter leaks. Disconnect and drain hoses; store them indoors.
  • Winterize and shut down your irrigation system to prevent freezing and leaks (drain/blow out lines, shut the controller, protect the backflow device as required).
  • Clean and winterize your rain barrel (drain completely, disconnect the diverter, store upside down or indoors).
  • Optional: Insulate exterior hose bibs and exposed pipes to reduce freeze damage.

Indoor maintenance

  • Use your water meter to check for sneaky leaks every six months as part of regular home maintenance.
  • Check your sump pump for leaks or damage.
  • Clean the backflow valve in your basement (if present).
  • Consider replacing old appliances (dishwasher/washing machine) with high-efficiency models.
  • Consider replacing older toilets, faucets and showerheads with WaterSense-approved models.
  • Service your hot water heater, water softener and humidifier.
  • Use the Homeowner Water Guide for step-by-step instructions on fixing toilet and faucet leaks.

Check for leaks

  • Check for leaks in toilets, taps (faucets), humidifier, hot water heater, water softener and other water-using devices.
Toilet with food colouring to check for leaks

Fix‑a‑leak resources

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Homeowner water guides

Download these translated homeowner spring and fall checklists:

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