Preventative Home Maintenance List – Winter
HOUSE & HOME ULTRA LITE
by Da Vinci Remodeling, LLC
Preventative Home Maintenance List – Winter
The following is the House & Home Ultra Lite Winter Maintenance List. While the list looks long, most of the items can be completed fairly quickly and the real good news is that all the tasks are indoors. If you need help with this list or any other home maintenance, please call.
- Replace furnace filter(s): Changing furnace filters will improve air quality and enhance the efficiency and life of your home heating & cooling systems. Furnace filters should be replaced regularly (at a minimum four times a year and more preferably 6 – 12 times a year). Homes with pets should consider changing filters at least monthly. Make sure you use the proper type of filter for your furnace. Make a note of the type being replaced and purchase the same or as similar as possible. The wrong type of filter can limit air flow and possibly even freeze your air conditioning system.
- Vacuum refrigeration coils/condensers: Refrigerators, freezers, wine chillers all have coils & condensing units (usually behind a panel at the bottom of the unit – consult your models owners’ manual). Keeping these clean will reduce energy costs and prolong the life of the unit.
- Inspect for evidence of uninvited guests: Again, not your in-laws! We’re talking about mice, birds, squirrels, insects, etc. Check attic areas and crawlspaces. Look for droppings and possible damage done to wiring, insulation, siding, roofing, etc.
- Inspect stairs and railings for safety: Give railings a good tug to make sure they’re not loose.
- Inspect fire extinguishers: We think every home should have at least two (2) good, properly rated fire extinguishers. They should be checked that they are charged, readily accessible, and in good shape. Fire extinguishers that have been discharged should immediately be recharged or replaced. Fire extinguishers come with a warranty (typically 10 years). They should be replaced once the warranty expires.
- Kidde has some good diagrams and information on their website about types and placement of fire extinguishers. As a rule of thumb, remember to place fire extinguishers near exits – never in a room without an exit. In the event of a fire, your first steps should always be towards an exit. If you decide to fight the fire, you’re headed in the right direction. If you decide not to fight the fire, you’re still headed in the right direction.
- Clean dishwasher filters: Follow your model’s owner’s manual.
- Check major appliances for manufacturer recalls and/or consumer alerts: Most appliance manufacturers maintain a recall/alert page on their websites.
- Adjust cabinet doors, drawers and hardware: Keep them working correctly and looking sharp.
Slow plumbing - check the stopper
Clean sink “P-traps”: Prevent them from clogging at the wrong time. While you’re at it remove the sink stopper and clean it too. As you can see these things get petty disgusting and cause slow draining.
Clogged faucet aerator
Clean faucet aerators of debris and deposits: It’s amazing how much stuff clogs these things in a year’s time.
- Test all gas appliances for gas leaks: If you need help with this, give us a call, 303-507-0410.
- Drain sediment from hot water heater(s): You can get instructions for doing this off the internet. Be careful – the water can be very hot.
Shower caulk maintenance
Inspect caulking and grout in bathtub/shower enclosures and inspect toilets for proper operation/leaks: An ounce of prevention can save you thousands.
- Test all GFCI outlets for proper operation: You can purchase a simple tester at your hardware store for this task.
- Tighten all bathroom accessories: Do this before towel bars and robe hooks fall off the walls.
Update your House & Home Book:
If there was just one thing we could recommend to enhance the value of your home at resale, it would be to keep a chronological record of all the maintenance, repairs and enhancements made to your home. See “What’s the Best Return on Investment for Your Home”.
Just a few other miscellaneous items:
- Take care not to overload extension cords or electrical circuits at this time of year.
- Our weather has been very mild this year and we sometimes connect the hose to the spigot. Remember to disconnect the hoses. Don’t let your spigots freeze.
The Ultra Lite maintenance list is intended to inform DIY homeowners about general home maintenance. The list suggested above is by no means a complete list of items that need maintenance in a home. The list above is only a compilation of maintenance suggestions based on our experience in homeownership, homebuilding and remodeling.
If you need help with any of the fall maintenance list above or have questions, please feel free to call us at 303-507-0410. Also, remember to be safe when performing your home maintenance tasks.
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The next scheduled mailing of House & Home Ultra Lite will be the Spring Maintenance List targeted for March 19th.
Enjoy the Holidays and Your Home!
HOUSE & HOME SERVICES
by:Da Vinci Remodeling
303-507-0410
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2 comments
Nice little write up for preventive maintenance with pictures to boot!
Couple of items most folk do not even think about. Drain hot water tank for sediment and just cleaning out the drain traps.
Thanks Shawn. By the looks of the stopper in the picture – its apparent most folks don’t think of these things. Saved a very expensive call to the plumber.