Inspect the outside of your home. Prepare your air conditioning system for summer; consider repairing it. Check trees for interference with power lines. If your property has trees, have it inspected by a certified arborist, 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 safety hazard to you, your home and neighboring properties. Even if you don't use the fireplace regularly, the chimney still needs a regular check. A chimney transports hazardous gases from the chimney, wood stove, or oven out of the house, helping to keep indoor air breathable. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, your chimney should be inspected annually and cleaned periodically depending 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 made 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 snow, which could leave leaves and debris frozen in gutters, faucets and hoses.
Before the first freeze, drain and turn off the outdoor faucets so they don't freeze. Roll up your hoses and store them for the winter. Maintain your oven and its ducts. 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 that the heating vents are open and that nothing is blocking them. If you didn't clean or inspect your chimney in spring, call a chimney sweep now and do it before you start using the 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 culprit, so have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned annually by an HVAC specialist who specializes in dryer ducts or vents. To clean a wall, homeowners need to know the best care they can provide depending on the type of paint or wall coating.
Paint with a semi-gloss finish can tolerate a slight amount of cleaning with a damp cloth. A small amount of dish soap can help clean stains. Most types of wallpaper are. Paint with a flat finish usually does not tolerate moisture and will then show a stain.
In this case, people should plan to dust the walls at least once a month and prepare for the possibility that they may need to repaint after cleaning up spills. For example, a person who has severe environmental allergies or who smokes regularly may need to clean their ceilings and ceiling fans at least once a month. Like walls, ceilings need to be dusted and cleaned occasionally to remove stains. To clean the blades of a ceiling fan, people should turn it off and use a microfiber cloth to clean the blade.
If it's very dusty or dirty, they may want to wear a mask and goggles. Usually, windows and blinds should be cleaned at least once a month or more often. To begin with, people should get a clean microfiber cloth or paper towels. Cleaning the window and blinds with something dry helps remove dirt and makes cleaning easier.
After this step, people can spray a commercial cleaning solution or a vinegar and water solution directly onto the window. Letting it sit for a minute or two will help loosen the dirt. Afterwards, people usually just need to wipe it with a clean cloth. If they're particularly dusty or stained, homeowners may want to consider taking them out of the window and soaking them in a mild solution of dish soap and warm water.
Cleaning wooden doors is relatively simple and not much different from cleaning floors or walls. Homeowners can start by cleaning the entire door at least once a month, if not more often. A mild dish soap and water solution can help remove stains and stains. Solid wood doors can also benefit from a light coat of furniture polish.
The final step is to clean the door handles and apply lubricant to the hinges as needed. Bathtubs and showers require cleaning approximately once a week. Homeowners that have glass shower doors may want to clean them after each use. Otherwise, people can use a sponge and a small amount of dish soap to scrub walls.
Occasionally, walls may need additional cleaning with a solution that removes limescale. Once a week, people should take the bath mat and wash it with hot water. Shower curtains that can tolerate the washing machine should be washed once a month or sprayed and wiped with a cloth as needed. Cleaning concrete walls often requires more than water and a scrub brush.
Homeowners may want to start by using a hose to spray dust and debris from the wall. A small amount of water and soda for washing will help to loosen accumulated dirt and stains to remove them. Pressure washing may be an option, but homeowners should confirm that they know how to use the equipment safely before using it. When cleaning walls, people may also want to inspect the paint.
A coat of exterior paint lasts about five years and homeowners must repaint it if it chips or cracks. Professionals often use pressure washing to first loosen chips, so that the paint job lasts longer. The driveway is an essential part of a home's curb appeal and needs immediate attention. Spills from a leaking vehicle can create unsightly stains, and are harder to remove the longer they stay on their feet.
Homeowners may want to use cloth or sawdust to absorb spills as they occur. For embedded stains, a small amount of dish soap, water and an exfoliating brush will help release the oils. At this time, people should also inspect concrete or asphalt for cracks. Sealing these cracks can improve the condition of the inlet and extend its useful life for another few years.
Cleaning the ceiling requires extra care. Homeowners should wear protective equipment, choose a clear day with good visibility for the task, and ensure that a second person is available to help them get up and down. Roof shingles can be a breeding ground for algae, which can look like mold. The best way to remove it is to use a cleaning product suitable for shingles and a garden hose to remove debris.
While people are on the roof, they may want to inspect the surface for signs that shingles are missing or wearing out. For a slight build-up of soot in a wood-burning fireplace, chimney maintenance can be a reasonable DIY task. Homeowners who haven't cleaned the chimney for more than a year or who can't access it may want to consider hiring a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect. People may realize that the chimney needs to be cleaned once they notice a small buildup of soot on the back of the chimney.
They can clean it by placing a protective cloth and using a stiff long-handled brush to clean the soot. Before doing so, they must wear protective goggles and gloves and wear a suitable dust mask. Schedule time for monthly and seasonal maintenance tasks to keep your home sparkling and avoid mistakes and damage as first-time homeowners. Most of the necessary maintenance will be completed in the fall, but there are still some seasonal maintenance tasks left to prevent damage to your home during the winter.
Either way, start incorporating them into the annual maintenance of each home for the best regular maintenance. While it may be easy to control the climate inside your home and weekly cleanings are the norm, the outside is a completely different story. The type of exterior cladding of your home will determine maintenance needs, but most of these coating inspection elements can be applied to everyone. The west side of your home will have greater exposure to the sun during the hottest parts of the day, and that side will generally require more care and maintenance than the other sides.
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. Send it for an annual tune-up, where a small engine repair company can sharpen the blades, replace the spark plug and perform any other necessary maintenance. Follow a proper home maintenance checklist to keep your new home and appliances clean and extend the life of your new home and appliances. Homes require internal and external maintenance with regular cleanings and inspections to ensure everything is safe and functional.
Many aspects of home maintenance are seasonal, meaning homeowners should only do them at specific times of the year. With this checklist, homeowners will know how to perform essential maintenance on most aspects of their homes. Home maintenance is a skill that many first-time homebuyers learn after moving for the first time, and a home maintenance checklist helps you stay up to date. Clean, close and cover your pool for the winter, or call your pool maintenance company to do the work for you.
These home maintenance tasks will prepare your home for moving day so you can enjoy a clean and happy home. . .
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