Monthly Home Maintenance Tips
Here are a few helpful tips to assist you in maintaining your home. Do these things once a month for a higher degree of happy and healthy living for you and your family.
January - Carefully drain a gallon of water from your water heater periodically, to remove sediment from the tank bottom. Have a service technician replace the anode rod every 5 years.
February - Make sure bathroom and kitchen fans are the appropriate capacity. Run your fan during and after you shower and run the hood fan while cooking. This helps to reduce humidity, which over time damages building materials and promotes mold or mildew build up.
March - Check faucets for drips and all your plumbing for leaks. Repairing minor drips and leaks keeps your water bill down and reduces the potential for major water damage in the future.
April - Inspect your home's exterior. Check for paint that's cracking or peeling. Look for gaps in caulking around doors and windows. Examine foundation for cracks, or blocked vents.
May - Place smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on each floor of your home. Test your alarms when you change your clocks for daylight savings, and replace the batteries.
June - Remove weeds growing in cracks of patio's, sidewalks and driveways. Repair small cracks in concrete with caulk. Seal asphalt driveways every other year with an oil-based sealant.
July - Familiarize yourself with the main shut off valves for the water, gas and electricity sources. If you smell gas leave your house immediately and phone the gas company from your neighbor's house.
August - Inspect your deck at least once per year, including underneath the deck if possible. Clean all debris from the deck surface with a hose as leaves and plant matter can decay and cause mildew.
September - Prune shrubs and trees to keep them clear of the home's foundation, exterior walls and roof. Shrubbery that's too close to the house can promote the growth of mildew, mold and algae.
October - Clean out your roof gutters in the spring and in the fall, after most of the leaves have fallen. Make sure that all downspouts are clear and positioned properly to move drainage away from the foundation.
November - Clean lint from the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Have your dryer exhaust ducts inspected annually by a certified technician.
December - Replace disposable furnace filters monthly or clean reusable filters bi-monthly. A professional tune-up every year and duct cleaning every 5-6 years will reduce heating costs and keep your air cleaner.