A Quick Checklist of Home Maintenance Tasks for a Trouble-Free Home
Home maintenance is probably the most important habit that every homeowner should develop. Timely and prompt identification of problems can save the homeowner lots of time and money, not to mention heartbreak. A home will likely be most people’s largest investment of their life. So it’s important to learn how to take care of it.
And despite their best efforts many homeowners just don’t know where to start. That’s why it helps to have a checklist of the most important home maintenance tasks that should be frequently performed by all homeowners.
Change the Air Filters
Changing the air filters is important because they keep dust and harmful contaminants from entering both the common areas where you will live and breathe and the climate control system itself. Filtering out these harmful contaminants keeps both you and the climate control system healthy
You’ll stock up on a few air filters to make this task easy. If you don’t know which filter your system uses, simply take that model number to filterbuy.com/ and search for a replacement filter. Make sure you order a few extras so you don’t need to buy every few months when it’s time to replace the filter. Once you receive your filters, simply swap them out with the old ones. Make sure to turn off the system before doing it to make it easier.
Inspect the Functionality of Climate Control
Make sure all of your climate control systems are working correctly. If you’ve gone a long time without changing the filter, you may have some dust built upon the inner workings of your system. This reduces the effectiveness and energy efficiency of the model.
Also, make sure your air conditioner is working correctly. You may need to hire a professional for this task. If you hear your outside air conditioning unit making weird sounds and bangs, it’s likely there’s a problem with the fan or the compressor. This will keep it from working properly. If everything seems to be okay on the outside but your climate control system isn’t cooling properly, then you probably need more refrigerant. And now it’s time to hire professionals. Don’t worry all of this will save you lots of money in the long run.
Clean the Drains
Drains get clogged up over time with organic matter such as hair and oil, and other factors can clog a drain such as tree roots on the way out of your house.
If after cleaning your water flow rate doesn’t improve, there may be some blockages further down the line. If this happens, you’ll need to hire a professional to come and inspect your drains. There may be an object blocking the drain, or you could have roots infiltrating the draining system. In both instances, they will need to be cleaned.
Inspect and Repair the Roof
Roof damage is an expensive problem. So it’s important to find this problem early on. There are two things you need to do.
The first thing is you need to visually inspect the attic space for water damage. This means looking for either obvious water damage and wood rot, or if caught early, roof damage will appear as a single line of water running down the sloped ceiling of the attic or signs of water damage on the insulation or flooring of the attic.
Next, you need to visually inspect the roof shingles and flashings. This means climbing up on top of the roof and looking at the condition of the roof and flashing. If you find shingles that are heavily worn or broken they will need to be replaced. If you inspect around the base of the attic fans, skylights, and or exhaust vents, and find that the tar or flashing has curled up then it will need to be replaced.
Install New Heating Elements for the Water Heater
Heating elements are the electrical component of a water heater that keeps the water hot. Water heaters utilize a heating element to produce the heat required to make that water so pleasantly hot. Electricity courses through the element and creates a lot of heat in the process. However, these elements can burn out. And sometimes they do it suddenly and it’s never at a convenient time. It’s best to replace them at least once a year to avoid problems.
Inspect the Sump Pump
The sump pump is the water out of your basement in the event of flooding. While your basement may not frequently flood it is very expensive and inconvenient if it does. That’s why a sump pump inspection is a very important thing to do. This machine is not often used but can save you thousands of dollars. Because of its infrequent use, it’s often not in working order when you finally need it.
Each sump pump has a float that rises with the water level and tells the sump pump when to turn on. Make sure you add enough water to lift the float if you want to test it. If it turns on, then everything is in working order and you’re protected from a flood. If it fails to turn on, it could be any one of the many different problems.
Carefully inspecting and maintaining your home has the potential to save you a ton of money while also making you a more well-rounded person. You’ll always feel good about the time and money you invest in home maintenance. So don’t be shy and get started today.
