Home Maintenance
Inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good maintenance practices are the best way to protect your investment in your home. Whether you take care of a few tasks at a time or several all at once, it is important to get into the habit of doing them. Establish a routine for yourself, and you will find the work is easy to accomplish and not very time-consuming.
Home Maintenance
Inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good maintenance practices are the best way to protect your investment in your home. Whether you take care of a few tasks at a time or several all at once, it is important to get into the habit of doing them. Establish a routine for yourself, and you will find the work is easy to accomplish and not very time-consuming. A regular schedule of seasonal maintenance can put a stop to the most common — and costly — problems, before they occur. If necessary, use a camera to take pictures of anything you might want to share with an expert for advice or to monitor or remind you of a situation later.
While most maintenance is seasonal, there are some things you should do on a frequent basis year-round:
| Make sure air vents indoors and outdoors (intake, exhaust and forced air) are not blocked by snow or debris. | |
| Check and clean range hood filters on a monthly basis. | |
| Test ground fault circuit interrupter(s) on electrical outlets monthly by pushing the test button, which should then cause the reset button to pop up. | |
| If there are young children in the house, make sure electrical outlets are equipped with safety plugs. | |
| Regularly check the house for safety hazards, such as a loose handrail, lifting or buckling flooring, inoperative smoke detectors, and so on. |
Spring
| After consulting your hot water tank owner’s manual, carefully test the temperature and pressure relief valve to ensure it is not stuck. Caution: This test may release hot water that can cause burns. | |
| Check and clean or replace furnace air filters each month during the heating season. Ventilation system, such as heat recovery ventilator, filters should be checked every two months. | |
| Have fireplace or wood stove and chimney cleaned and serviced as needed. | |
| Shut down, drain and clean furnace humidifier, and close the furnace humidifier damper on units with central air conditioning. | |
| Switch on power to air conditioning and check system. Have it serviced every two or three years. | |
| Clean or replace air-conditioning filter, if applicable. | |
| Check dehumidifier and drain — clean if necessary. | |
| Turn OFF gas furnace and fireplace pilot lights where possible. | |
| Have well water tested for quality. It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six months. | |
| Check smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms, and replace batteries. | |
| Clean windows, screens and hardware, and replace storm windows with screens. Check screens first and repair or replace if needed. | |
| Open valve to outside hose connection after all danger of frost has passed. | |
| Examine the foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair as required. | |
| Ensure sump pump is operating properly before the spring thaw sets in. Ensure discharge pipe is connected and allows water to drain away from the foundation. | |
| Re-level any exterior steps or decks that moved as a result of frost or settling. | |
| Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding that could be an entry point for small pests, such as bats and squirrels. | |
| Check eavestroughs and downspouts for loose joints and secure attachment to your home, clear any obstructions, and ensure water flows away from your foundation. | |
| Clear all drainage ditches and culverts of debris. | |
| Repair and paint fences as necessary — allow wood fences to dry adequately before tackling this task. | |
| Undertake spring landscape maintenance and, if necessary, fertilize young trees. |