As a homeowner, your property is an investment. It’s important to protect that investment against unnecessary depreciation by performing routine maintenance to ensure things remain in working order. As we head into summer, it’s time to think about some of the routine springtime maintenance tasks you should be doing. Here’s a checklist for easy home maintenance.
Home Exterior
The exterior of your home is exposed to the elements all year. Perform a visual inspection of the exterior, looking for the following:
- Chipped exterior paint, cracked or damaged siding
- Cracks or signs of damage, insects or irregularities around the foundation
- Clear gutters and roof of leaves, pine needles or other debris
- Check gutters, down-spouts or rain chains to ensure good working order
- Loose or curling shingles on the roof
- Cracks in sidewalks, driveways or patios
- Inspect outdoor spigots
Exterior Landscaping
Maintaining a safe and attractive landscape around your home is also an important responsibility for homeowners. Take time each year to check the following:
- Properly prune trees (or call an Arborist)
- Look for damage to sidewalks or foundations from tree roots
- Inspect fences
- Check rock work/landscaping features, etc.
Home Interior
Check inside your home for a variety of potential maintenance needs, including:
- Ensuring all light fixtures are in proper working order
- Inspecting/cleaning appliances (vacuuming refrigerator coils and cleaning dryer vents)
- Checking under all sinks/faucets for sights of leaks or water damage
- Cleaning HVAC filters/having systems inspected
- Inspecting windows and screens for needed repairs
- Check alarms, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide sensors (change batteries)
Interior/Exterior Cleaning
While cleaning your home may not feel like maintenance, rest assured that it is. Maintaining the cleanliness of your home protects your investment in a variety of ways. For instance, regularly cleaning carpets will increase their lifespan, helping you avoid replacement costs before you should need them. Beyond day-to-day cleaning, here are some items to consider as part of your annual or semi-annual home maintenance schedule.
- Deep cleaning carpets (yourself or having professionally cleaned)
- Steam cleaning hard floor surfaces
- Cleaning and inspecting showers and tubs, including grout and fixtures
- Cleaning and inspecting all windows (from both interior and exterior vantage points)
- Thorough cleaning of kitchen appliances, range hoods, ovens and stovetops
There are several home inspection checklists available online to assist you with planning and scheduling all of the maintenance activities you’ll need to keep your home in proper working order and protect your investment. Remember to get professional help for any items you’re not comfortable performing for any reason. Checklists can be organized seasonally, monthly, weekly, or in any increment that works for you. The key benefit to having a checklist for easy home maintenance is ensuring all of the necessary maintenance is performed on a regular basis. Plus, having a list will help you “divide and conquer” all of the tasks – large and small – that comprise an effective home maintenance plan.
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