Owning a home is a serious responsibility, but regular maintenance allows you avoid major problems. Check up on your exterior, appliances, heating and cooling, plumbing, security, and electrical systems on a regular basis. This routine can prevent failures, save your money and keep your home in a good state.
Photo: depositphotos. Home Air Filter Replacement
Check and, if needed, clean or change all the filters in your home once in a few months. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning filters should be changed every 2-3 months. If the filter is dirty, change it out, otherwise inspect it again next month. Hood filters should be cleaned every month. Kitchen sink disposal can be cleaned in many ways, such as chemical cleaners. Renew the furnace filters as recommended by the furnace manufacturer. Your washing machine and dishwasher also require work; clean filters and check hoses and at least every couple of months. Clean the condenser of the air conditioner every season. Inspect and clean fireplace chimney before you start using the fireplace.
Photo: depositphotos. Chimney sweep cleaning a chimney
Inspect your fire extinguishers and smoke detectors. If you or members of your family don't know how to use a fire extinguisher, read the manual. Fire extinguisher must be easily accessed, check the pressure and look for the signs of wear and tear. Smoke detectors require battery changes every several months. Press the “test” button to ensure that the detector works properly.
Check the water pipes in showers and toilets. Sometimes the pipes in the hard-to-reach places can leak and no one notices it for weeks until it's too late. If the pipe has a leak, call your plumber. Test of the pressure relief valve of the water heater can prevent corrosion. It will also help your heater run more efficiently. Check all the wires in your home and replace them as needed. Clean the refrigerator's coils. The fridge consumes a significant amount of your home's power, and when the coils get dirty it requires more energy.
Test the garage door opener every month to make sure that the safety system works. This system prevents accidents and doesn't let the door close when it hits an obstacle or when its sensor beam is interrupted.
Conduct seasonal maintenance. In spring make a “spring cleaning” focusing on the exterior part of the home. Check the windows for cracks or fractures. Refresh the wall paint, examine the roof. Repair everything that was damaged during the winter. Summer is a perfect time for interior renovation. Check all the rooms for insects and rodents, clean the ventilation system, garage and yard. Fall is a time to finish all the summer home maintenance projects and getting ready for winter. Prepare your heating system for the cold weather: make sure all the heating vents are open and not blocked by anything. Winter is the time to spend working with the interior of your home. Deal with ice dams and icicles so no one can be hurt because of them. In winter you can finally start working with your basement and attic.
Photo: depositphotos. Construction worker holding house model
Maintaining your home becomes an easier task if you do it gradually all the time. In this case problems do not have any chance to accumulate and grow into a catastrophe. Regular maintenance can save you time and efforts.
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