Do I need to be home for a maintenance visit?

Not always. Many homeowners give access instructions, and we confirm the details before the visit.

Can I bundle several maintenance tasks into one visit?

Yes. Bundling is how most customers book this work, and it's how the maintenance plans are set up.

What's the difference between home maintenance and the Monty's membership?

This page covers the work itself. The Monty's membership is how you schedule it on a regular cycle, starting at $19 a month.

Gutter full of fallen leaves along a roofline

Routine Maintenance

Home Maintenance Services

Monty's handles the recurring upkeep most homes fall behind on: dryer vents, gutters, smoke detectors, air filters and weather sealing. Book a single visit, or put it all on a maintenance plan and stop tracking it yourself.

What's included

Dryer vent cleaning
Gutter cleaning
Smoke detector battery and battery-powered unit replacement
Air filter replacement
Weather stripping and caulking
Seasonal home check

What's not included

HVAC servicing or repair
Electrical work, including hardwired smoke detector circuits
Plumbing repairs
Roof repairs

How often should you clean your dryer vent?

Most homes should have the dryer vent cleaned once a year, and busy households with daily laundry may need it more often.

Lint builds up in the duct between the dryer and the outside wall, where you can't reach it from the lint trap. That restricts airflow, so loads take longer to dry and the dryer runs hotter. Signs it's overdue include clothes still damp after a full cycle, a hot laundry room, a burning smell, or a flap outside that barely opens while the dryer runs. Monty's disconnects the dryer, clears the full run of duct to the exterior hood, checks the hood flap, and reconnects everything.

How often should gutters be cleaned?

Most homes need gutters cleaned twice a year, in late spring and late fall, and homes under heavy tree cover may need it more often.

Clogged gutters overflow at the fascia, and the water lands next to the foundation instead of going down the downspout. Over time that can rot trim, stain siding, and pool water against the house. Monty's clears the gutters, flushes the downspouts to confirm they drain, and points out loose hangers or leaking seams. Gutter cleaning typically costs $100 to $400, based on our cost estimator, depending on the height of the home, the length of the gutters and whether any sections need reattaching.

When should smoke detectors be replaced?

Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years from the manufacture date printed on the back, and test it once a month.

That's the guidance from the U.S. Fire Administration. Anything past 10 years should be replaced even if it still beeps when tested, because the sensor wears out over time. Monty's swaps batteries and replaces battery-powered smoke detectors on a schedule, so the dates don't slip. Hardwired detector circuits are electrical work, which Monty's doesn't do, so those need a licensed electrician.

What about air filters and weather sealing?

Most HVAC filters should be changed every one to three months, depending on the filter and on pets in the home, and weather sealing should be checked every fall.

Monty's swaps filters on a set schedule so you don't have to remember. Weather sealing means replacing worn door sweeps and weather stripping and re-caulking gaps around windows and exterior doors, which cuts drafts. Based on our cost estimator, weather stripping typically costs $150 to $600, from a few doors and windows up to the whole house.

What's the easiest way to keep up with home maintenance?

The easiest way is a Monty's home maintenance plan, which starts at $19 a month and puts this work on a schedule.

Plans include priority scheduling, preventive visits and service credits, so the dryer vent, gutters, detectors and filters get handled before they turn into repairs. This page covers the work itself; the membership page compares the four plans.