Home Maintenance Tips That You May Have Overlooked

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Maintaining a home is an ongoing process, like most homeowners you may be on top of routine tasks like cleaning, and changing air filters but you may have maintenance tasks that go unnoticed.

Overlooking these small yet often significant issues can trigger some costly repairs. It can also reduce your energy efficiency.

Take a look at these home maintenance tips that you may not have thought about. These are essential for keeping your home in the best condition possible.

Inspecting and Sealing Window and Door Frames

Windows and doors play a vital role in making sure your home has a good energy supply. You may find yourself regularly cleaning the glass but it is not unusual that the frames and seals often go unnoticed.

Over time, the caulking and weather stripping around windows can wear out. They can also deteriorate around the doors as well. This is going to lead to drafts. You may even have increased heating or cooling costs.

When you start inspecting and resealing all of these areas at least once a year, you will see a marked improvement in insulation. You would have also prevented moisture infiltration, all of which could cause mold growth.

Additionally, properly sealed windows and doors are great for helping to keep pests out. This prevents unwanted infestations that can cause further issues for you.

Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

Many homeowners remember to clean the lint trap after every use. However, the dryer vent itself is often forgotten altogether.

A clogged dryer vent can reduce the efficiency of your dryer. It will also increase energy consumption and pose a fire hazard.

Lint buildup can also cause overheating and lead to fires if you are not careful. To prevent this, make sure you clean out your dryer vent. Try to do this at least once a year.

If you notice your clothes are taking longer to dry, you may want to do some checking to see if there are blockages. You can use a vacuum attachment or even a specialized brush to clear out the vent. This will ensure that there is proper airflow and reduce fire risk.

Flushing Your Water Heater

Water heaters accumulate sediment over time. This will be even more pronounced in areas where there is hard water.

This buildup is likely to reduce the efficiency of just about any heater. This can lead to rusting or you may even find pesky leaks. When you flush your water heater once or twice for the year you will get the best performance possible.

All you have to do is turn off the power or gas. You can then connect a hose to the drain valve. This will let the water flow out until it starts to run clear.

This simple maintenance step can get your water heater to stay up and running a lot longer. It will also significantly reduce your energy consumption as well.

Additionally, check the anode rod to see if you find any corrosion. You should then replace it if necessary, this can prevent rust from building up inside the tank.

Checking Your Attic and Crawl Spaces

Attics and crawl spaces are often overlooked. However, you have to pay special attention to these spaces. You may find yourself harboring issues such as mold, and pests.

Your insulation may face deterioration. Be sure to periodically inspect your attic for any signs of leaks, and rodent activity. You should also check for damaged insulation.

Similarly, you should check crawl spaces to see if there are moisture problems. When you have excess humidity this can lead to mold growth as well as wood rot. Tackle these issues head on from very early and you will save yourself expensive repairs down the line.

You should think about installing vapor barriers or dehumidifiers in crawl spaces. This will help you to keep the optimal moisture levels.

Testing and Cleaning Sump Pumps

A sump pump is your home’s best defense against any kind of basement flooding. Although this is the case it often remains out of sight and out of mind until a storm passes through.

To ensure your sump pump is functioning properly, you should test it by pouring water into the pit and making sure it activates correctly. When you clean the pump and get rid of debris from the pit you are going to see a lot less blockages.

Bear in mind that if your sump pump fails during heavy rainfall, you may have to face some water damage. This can be very costly. Think about installing a backup battery-powered sump pump. You can use this for extra protection in case there are power outages.

Sealing Gaps and Cracks in the Foundation

Cracks and gaps in your home’s foundation may seem like they are nothing to worry about at first. However, if left unchecked you can deal with some serious issues over time. You will see water seeping into these gaps.

The end result will be a lot of erosion and structural damage to your home. You will also find that these small cracks are going to be entry points for insects and rodents.

You should conduct an annual inspection of the foundation of your home. You can then seal all cracks to stop any further damage from happening.

If you notice persistent issues, then get professional help. This will assist with finding out if extensive repairs are going to be needed.

Inspecting Your Plumbing System

Slow leaks and hidden plumbing issues are going to lead to a lot of mold growth. You have to make sure that you are regularly doing an inspection. Take a look at your sinks, and around your toilets.

Check behind appliances as well so you can find corrosion very easily. These are little tasks you can ask a handyman to come in and do for you especially if you are elderly. Some handymen also know their way around a plumbing system as well which is an added bonus for your inspections.

Cleaning Refrigerator Coils

Your refrigerator works around the clock to keep food fresh, that’s a lot of work! When it has dirty coils it can make the unit work a lot harder. This will lead to higher electrical bills over time. You may also get more frequent breakdowns.

You can prevent all of this by simply pulling the fridge away from the wall and cleaning the coils. You can use a brush to remove the build-up. Do this at least two times a year.

Be sure to check the door seals to ensure they are airtight. When your seals are worn it will lead to some big fluctuations in the frigid temperature.

Maintaining Your Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters and downspouts can lead to serious water damage if left unchecked. Gutters and downspouts often don’t get checked until there is bad weather which exposes that there are issues.

Remember that leaves, dirt, and debris can accumulate in them. This will prevent proper drainage and it will cause water to overflow. This overflow will get onto your roof and foundation. To prevent unnecessary drama make sure that you are cleaning your gutters at least twice for the year.

Doing this in the fall and spring can prevent a lot of seasonal damage. Your home’s foundation and exterior will thank you for it. Additionally, you need to ensure that your downspouts are directing water far away from your home. This is the best way to avoid a flooded basement which can cause you more problems.

To avoid basement flooding, you should install gutter guards. These can also help minimize debris buildup. It will also reduce your maintenance duties as well.

Inspecting and Servicing Your Garage Door

Garage doors are frequently used but often overlooked when it comes to doing proper maintenance. Over time, you will find that the springs, rollers, and tracks are going to wear out on you.

The natural result of this failure is operational issues or safety hazards. You should make sure that you periodically inspect the hardware, as well as lubricate moving parts.

Make sure that you test the auto-reverse function. This is going to ensure that it stops when it detects an object. Regular maintenance is going to expand the life of garage doors by leaps and bounds.

Also, you need to make sure that your garage door opener has all the latest security features. This will stop all unauthorized access immediately.

Checking Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are essential for the safety of your home. However, there are many homeowners who forget to test them regularly. That is quite dangerous. These devices need to be tested every single month like clockwork.

Every ten years you should consider replacing the unit. This will ensure that it is always working properly.

A working detector can save lives. You should never forget that. Never neglect this critical maintenance task. You should consider updating to smart detectors as they can send alerts to your phone if they find an issue while you are away.

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