Well, you probably do some sort of home maintenance but it’s likely that you don’t follow a complete home maintenance checklist. There are so many jobs that homeowners forget about and some don’t even know about it. If this is the case, then these are some of the most important home maintenance tips which could be a headache if you neglect them later on.
With these home maintenance checklist tips, you are sure to cover most of your home and ensure that your home is well-protected. But you should know how to work well with tools in order to get the best results. These are the most important ones that are usually forgotten.
Not every home remembers their sump pump maintenance but it’s important to keep it in good working order all through the year. If you don’t then you can end up after a weekend trip with a basement floor covered in almost a foot of water.
You should shut down the power, check the motor, and ensure that the vertical float switch. Also, check if your pump is working at least a couple of times a year by dumping water into the basin. Otherwise, your motor and the surroundings would be flooded.
You should check if you are getting high water pressure in your faucets. Check the pressure-reducing valves, usually found near the main water shutoff valves but not all homes have them installed. While high water pressure can wreck pipes, appliances, and connections, it also creates a water hammer and wastes tons of water. Also, you can buy the simple pressure gauges that hook up to spigot or laundry tub at any home center.
You should clean sliding windows and vinyl replacement windows that have weep holes on the exterior bottom of the frame. These holes can drain away rainwater which would otherwise collect in the frame’s bottom channel. Weep holes can get clogged with a ton of bugs and debris that fill up the channel and spill over into the house.
In order to check if the weep system is working well, pour a glass of water into the track and spray the outside of the window with a garden hose. In case you do not see a steady stream of clean water exiting the weep hole, then you should poke a wire hanger into the hole and blow it out with compressed air. In case the flapper is stuck shut then you can remove it with a putty knife and replace it altogether.
A super irritating problem is squeaky floors whether you carpet or have a hardwood floor. In order to get rid of the noises under the carpet, you should use a stud finder to find a floor joist around the area of the squeak, and then you should use a drill to drive in a low profile trim screw through the carpet and pad into the solid wood. You should drive in more if it still makes noise.
For wooden floors, it’s a lot simpler. All you have to do is sprinkle some talcum powder on the cracks near the squeak. Then use a broom to spread the powder around and then get it down into the gaps and noises should stop.
Most hardwood floors would collect several scuffs from hard-soled shoe traffic. There is an easy way to get rid of it with a tennis ball. The felt-like surface on the ball would remove the scuffs as long as you rub it in over the mark. Well if you don’t want to get on your hands and knees then you should cut a small X into one side and poke the broom handle into it for buffing without using your back.
At times, your windows could stutter, skip, and stick when you try to open it for a bit of fresh air. You should not try to force the windows open when you notice that it is sticky. This can put stress on the window and cause damage over time. If you feel resistance next time, then you should spray a bit of silicone lubricant onto a rag and apply it to make light coats on the guides. This works well for plastic, metal, and wood.
In time, the faucet heads develop reduced flow and may even begin to release water in an uneven spray. This is due to the buildup of tiny grains of sand or other mineral deposits that clog the aerator. You should wrap some tape around the aerator to protect it and then twist it off. Simply wash out the debris and then let it soak it in vinegar for about an hour and scrub it off clean and then reassemble. Your water flow would resume its regular pressure.
Sediment can collect at the bottom of the tank of your water heater. This creates hot spots on gas-powered heaters that can damage the tank and cause premature failure. With the electric water heater, this sediment could build up and in time cause the lower heating element to fail completely. This is why you should drain the water heater to extend its life. As recommended, you should drain water heaters once a year to lower your energy bills
There’s only so much you can DIY on your own. For most things, you need professional help. A home warranty will ensure that your appliances and systems stay well protected all year long. All you have to do is pay the monthly or yearly premium of $350 to $500 and then ensure that you pay for the deductible which could anywhere between $60 to $100.
You should know what are the appliances and systems that are covered by a home warranty before you sign up. Also, you need to ensure that you get yourself a home warranty quote in order to ensure that you get to know the prices that you would pay and what services would be rendered. Don’t forget to read the reviews and compare home warranty companies.