Are You Listless When it Comes to Home Maintenance?

Home Maintenance We’re not telling you anything you don’t know when we remind you that your home is probably your single greatest investment. And it’s also no big surprise that regular maintenance of your home is one of the best ways to protect that investment. Still, many of us are a little bit “listless” when it comes to actually taking care of that maintenance.

Part of the problem is that most people aren’t continually thinking about maintenance. They have other things on their mind. But ignoring home maintenance can lead to some serious problems with your home. In order to avoid those problems you need to do regular maintenance. But what should you do and when should you do it? If you’re kind of “listless” when it comes to maintenance, be of good cheer: We’ve got your list right here!

Most home maintenance is somewhat seasonal. We don’t want to overwhelm you with a to-do list that’s longer than your kids’ Christmas list, so we’ll restrict this list to things you should focus on in the winter months.

Clean or replace furnace filters each month during the heating season. Check ventilation system (such as heat recovery ventilator filters) every two months.
Check your hot water heater manual and drain off a dishpan full of water from the clean-out valve at the bottom of your hot water tank to control sediment and maintain efficiency.
Vacuum your bathroom fan grill and your fire and smoke detectors (dirt can prevent them from functioning properly)
Vacuum the grill on your refrigerator and freezer and empty and clean drip trays.
Check the gauges on fire extinguishers (recharge or replace if necessary)
Check fire escape routes, door and window locks and hardware, and lighting around outside of house
Check your basement floor drain to ensure the trap contains water
Monitor your home for excessive moisture levels such as condensation on your windows (Too much moisture can cause significant damage create health problems)
Check your faucets for drips (Faucets requiring frequent replacement of washers may need to be repaired/replaced)
Run water in plumbing fixtures that aren’t used frequently (laundry tubs, spare bathroom sinks, tubs or shower stalls) to keep water in the traps
Test your plumbing shut-off valves to ensure they are working and to prevent them from seizing.
Examine windows and doors for ice accumulation or cold air leaks
Check your attic for frost accumulation.
Check the electrical cords, plugs and outlets for all your indoor and outdoor seasonal lights

Many of these things you can take care of on your own. If you run into something you’re not comfortable doing—or just don’t want to do—give us a call!