A seasonal home maintenance calendar for Malta

Why a calendar helps in Malta

Malta’s year has a strong rhythm: a long, dry, dusty summer, an autumn that brings the first rain, a short but damp winter with storms, and a spring that often brings Saharan dust. Most of the jobs that keep a home in good shape fit neatly around that rhythm.

This calendar covers the jobs that matter most for windows, solar panels, chimneys and stoves, roofs and storage spaces. It is a guide, not a rulebook. Seafront homes, homes near building sites and older stone houses may need some jobs more often.

Autumn: September to November

Autumn is the busiest season for home maintenance in Malta. The summer has left a layer of dust on everything, the first rain is on its way, and the fires will soon be lit.

• Clean the solar panels. By September, panels have had months of dust, salt and droppings with no rain to rinse them. A clean at the end of summer brings output back up. See our guide on how often to clean solar panels in Malta.
• Book the chimney sweep or pellet stove service. Book in September or October, before the first cold evening and before sweeps get busy. If you have an open fire or wood burner, book a chimney sweep before lighting it.
• Check for nests. Chimneys left unused all summer can have birds’ nests in them. Never light a fire to burn a nest out.
• Clear roof drains and outlets. Flat roofs collect dust, leaves and debris over the summer. Clear outlets before the first heavy rain, so water can drain away.
• Clean the windows. A full clean after the summer dust and salt, frames and tracks included. Clean tracks and drainage holes help sliding doors cope with winter rain.
• Stock up on dry firewood or pellets, and store them off the ground in a dry place.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before the heating season.

Winter: December to February

Winter is short, but it is the season of storms, damp and fires.

• Use fires and stoves safely. Burn dry wood with a moisture content below 20%, keep a fireguard in front of open fires and keep a working carbon monoxide alarm in the room. See our guide to the best firewood for a wood burner.
• Mid-season sweep if you burn most evenings. January is a good time, before the coldest weeks.
• Rinse salt off seafront glass after storms. Winter storms can leave a heavy salt layer on windows, balustrades and frames in a single day. See our guide to removing salt from sea-facing windows.
• Watch for damp. Older stone houses and rooms that stay closed can get damp and mouldy. Air rooms on dry days and check behind furniture and inside cupboards.
• Check roof drains after heavy rain, and clear anything that has blown in.
• Keep an eye on solar output. Winter output is always lower, but a sudden drop on a clear day is worth checking. See our guide on why solar output is low.

Spring: March to May

Spring is the time to clean up after the winter and get ready for the long, bright months.

• Clean the windows. A full clean once the winter storms and spring dust episodes have passed. Spring is often when red rain and Saharan dust arrive, so wait until the haze has cleared. See our guide on how often to clean windows in Malta.
• Clean the solar panels before the longest days, so they are clean when they produce the most.
• Empty and clean the stove at the end of the season, and leave pellet stoves clean and empty if they will not be used for months.
• Spring clear-out. A good time to clear out the garage, roof washroom or storeroom before the summer heat makes it unpleasant. Our house and garage clearance service can take the bulky items.
• Check gallariji and timber windows for peeling paint and cracked putty after the winter. See our guide on cleaning Maltese balconies.

Summer: June to August

Summer is dry, hot and dusty, and it is also the season for moving house and renovating.

• Keep an eye on the solar panels. Dust builds up all summer with no rain to rinse it. Check your inverter app on clear days, and spot-clean bird droppings when they appear. See our guide on bird droppings on solar panels.
• Clean sea-facing windows more often. Summer onshore winds carry salt onto seafront glass.
• Fit or check the chimney cowl. An unused chimney is an inviting place for birds to nest.
• Clear the roof. Remove old items, timber and clutter that give pigeons shelter and make access harder.
• Clean or service air conditioning units following the maker’s instructions, since they run hardest in summer.
• Moving or renovating? Summer is the busiest time for moves and building work. Plan clear-outs and window cleans around them. See our house clearance checklist.

Extra jobs when they happen

Some jobs do not follow the calendar:

• After red rain or a Saharan dust episode: rinse windows and panels once the haze has cleared. Never wipe the dust dry. See our guide to red rain and Saharan dust.
• After building work next door: clean windows and panels once the dusty phase is over. See cleaning up after building work.
• After a storm: check roof drains, rinse salt from seafront glass and look for anything blown onto the roof.
• Before selling or letting: clear the property, clean the windows and tidy the roof. See preparing a property for sale and the landlord checklist between tenants.

A one-glance summary

• Autumn: solar panels, chimney sweep or stove service, roof drains, windows, alarms.
• Winter: safe fires, mid-season sweep if needed, storm salt, damp.
• Spring: windows, solar panels, stove end-of-season clean, clear-outs.
• Summer: dust and droppings on panels, seafront glass, chimney cowl, roof clear-out.

Let us take care of the specialist jobs

clear.mt arranges window cleaning, solar panel cleaning, chimney and stove cleaning and house and garage clearance across Malta and Gozo. You can book a single job or a regular schedule that follows the seasons.