Home Maintenance: Protect Your Most Expensive Investment

Most people are used to fact that cars need regular maintenance. Your house and your property needs some just as much attention. To help you start with your home maintenance tasks, here is a simple checklist.

MONTHLY HOME MAINTENANCE

• Test your garage door opener monthly to ensure that it reverses when it hits an obstruction or when its sensor beam is interrupted.
• Do a safety check on your garage door(s). Place it in manual form and then raise it. It must smoothly glide and remain open approximately 3 ft. from the floor.
• Test all GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets monthly. Press the test button and use a voltage tester to make sure the power goes off.

QUARTERLY HOME MAINTENANCE

• Replace furnace filters quarterly, or as recommended by the furnace manufacturer. This helps your furnace run efficiently, and reduces allergens and dust in your house.
• Clean leaves and debris from the condenser of a central air conditioner seasonally.
• Check the water heater if there is any leaks or rust showing.

YEARLY HOME MAINTENANCE

• Vacuum the clothes dryer’s exhaust duct at least once a year. If the duct is plastic, replace it (it’s a fire hazard). Rigid sheet-metal ducting is best.
• Once a year, vacuum the refrigerator coils underneath the appliance.
• Have the fireplace chimney inspected and cleaned annually.
• Inspect window and door caulking and weather stripping yearly.
• Replace the batteries in smoke detectors yearly. And remember, even recent hard-wired smoke detectors have backup batteries that must be replaced. If you have never checked yours, do so.
• Clean your oven. Technically, cleaning the oven takes a few hours. However, it would only take a few short minutes setting it up. Spring or fall are the best times, because you can just open your windows and let some fresh air in.
• Make sure to check the emergency flashlight. See if the batteries still are functioning. If the batteries don’t work, change them.
• Check your toilets or faucets. Check for any leaking water, or listen for running toilets that might need a new seal. Check your faucets for a leak. Leaking water can be expensive.
• Check your kitchen’s exhaust hood. Clean it if it needs cleaning and don’t forget to replace the filter.
• Fully drain (flush) your water heater. A water heater flush clears out sediment and minerals, such as calcium and lime, that could impede your heater’s performance.