Just like automobile maintenance, regular home maintenance helps to prevent major damage and costly repairs to your biggest investment.
Why maintain your home?
Regular maintenance will help your home retain its value, which makes your home easier to sell. Routine maintenance also reduces the frequency of unexpected repairs. This offers both peace of mind and a more comfortable lifestyle.
Structural Maintenance
Structural maintenance covers a wide range of responsibilities. Insects, water damage, and rot are just a few concerns you may have when maintaining your home. Maintaining doors and windows can also help to reduce heating costs in the winter months. Here are some common tasks to help retain your home’s structural integrity:
- Eliminate contact between soil and wood siding, trim, railings, porches, etc. to prevent rotting and insect damage.
- All water that makes contact with the house or drips off of the roof should drain away from the house. Water that pools against the foundation can lead to water damage.
- Check your foundation walls for cracks or crumbled mortar.
- Inspect the inside of your basement for dampness or water stains. Repair any leaks found immediately.
- Check for damaged roofing, missing shingles, etc.
- Clean gutters in the spring and fall.
- Check caulking on door and window frames, as well as in showers and around counter tops.
- Clean out the tracks for any sliding doors and windows.
- Check siding for loose, warped, or damaged pieces. Also check for mildew.
- Check painted surfaces for chipped paint
- Replaced cracked or broken glass, check for holes in screens.
- Lubricate door hinges
Indoors
- Check for visible evidence or odor of mold
- Check carpets
Lawn and Garden Care
- Trim tree limbs and shrubs away from your roof and walls. Allow at least one foot of clearance between your home and any plants.
- Lawn care equipment should be drained of fuel in late fall or early winter and serviced as directed.
Utilities and Safety
- Install smoke detectors in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and at least one on each floor.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors outside each separate sleeping area on the wall, ceiling, or where specified on the CO alarm.
- Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms regularly, an replace their batteries every 6 months. (It helps to replace them when you change your clocks for daylight savings)
- Locate and mark all shut-offs for heating, electrical and plumbing systems
- Have the septic tank inspected, and if necessary, pumped.
- Make sure that all sinks, showers and tubs drain easily.
Cleaning
- Frequent cleaning of showers, toilets, and sinks goes a long way in preventing stains and mold issues