Find your water and electricity controls. Check the water softener and heater. If your property has any trees, have a certified arborist inspect them, who can check for signs of disease or dead branches and detect problems before they worsen and kill a tree. The untrained eye could miss signs of damage, and a dead or dying tree poses a danger to your safety, home, and neighboring properties.
Even if you don't use the chimney regularly, the chimney still needs regular monitoring. A chimney transports hazardous gases from the fireplace, wood stove, or oven outside your home, helping to keep indoor air breathable. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, your chimney should be inspected annually and cleaned regularly based on how often you use it. Once the leaves fall, call your gutter company to clean and inspect them.
Any repairs that need to be done to gutters or downspouts must be done before winter arrives. Your workers should also inspect the roof for loose or broken shingles. Schedule work before heavy snowfall, which could leave frozen leaves and debris in gutters, faucets, and hoses. Before the first freeze, drain and turn off the outside faucets so they don't freeze.
Roll up the hoses and store them for the winter. Have Your Oven and Ducts Serviced. A clean system will be more energy efficient and an inspection will alert you to problems. Check and replace air filters, as needed.
Test the thermostat to make sure it works properly. Make sure the heater vents are open and nothing blocks them. If you didn't clean and inspect your chimney in the spring, call a chimney sweep now and do it before you start using your chimney or oven. Clothes dryers cause 2,900 fires a year, and many fires occur in the fall and winter, according to the U.S.
Fire Administration. Lint is a major cause, so you should have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned annually by an HVAC specialist who specializes in dryer vents or ducts. Inspect roof for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks. Spring is an important month for home maintenance.
They don't call it “spring cleaning” at all. Focus especially on the outside of your home, as you have just wintered and you are preparing for the summer heat and, in some parts of the country, brutal humidity. Performing some simple monthly maintenance tasks on your home can prevent costly repairs in the future. In many regions, autumn is the perfect season to tackle general home maintenance projects because the climate is generally dry and temperatures are moderate.
April rains bring May maintenance to check your drainage system and prevent water damage to your home. Use this home maintenance checklist to schedule your upgrades, repairs, cleaning and a handful of monthly seasonal tasks. Just like regular oil changes for your car keep your engine happy and healthy, keeping up with regular household maintenance tasks will save you from future headaches and wasted money. Home maintenance can seem like a daunting task, especially for a new homeowner who has never seen a boiler up close, let alone a depleted one.
But one of the things you may not consider is what happens after the sale is made, and that is the money you should set aside for home repairs and maintenance. To maximize your efficiency and perform all of these tasks, you may want to create a home maintenance schedule for yourself. When the sun comes out and the warm weather is finally here to stay, the last thing you need to worry about is home maintenance. A good rule of thumb is to budget between one and three percent of the purchase price of your home each year to cover typical homeowner maintenance.
If any of the home repairs and maintenance go beyond your skill level or lead to more complicated projects, consider hiring a professional to help you. .
