Owning a home is all about doing stuff – seemingly all the time! That’s because you’ll want to have a nice place to live in, as well as wanting to protect your investment, and it’s part of the responsibilities you sign up for when you own a property instead of renting (when you rent, your landlord will handle most, if not all, of the home maintenance issues).
Of course, you’ll remember to mow the lawn, take out the bins, and maybe even change the air filter once in a while, but what about the less obvious maintenance tasks? We’re talking about the ones that get ignored until something breaks, leaks, or costs you a small fortune to fix.
A little preventative maintenance goes a long way in keeping your home running smoothly and avoiding costly surprises, and with that in mind, here’s the ultimate checklist of home maintenance tasks you may well be forgetting, but really shouldn’t. Read on to find out more.
Inspect Your Roof
The thing with your roof is that it’s generally a case of out of sight, out of mind… until water starts dripping from your ceiling! Your roof takes a beating from the weather every day, so regular inspections can save you a big headache later on.
When you’re checking the roof, you’ll want to look out for missing, cracked, or curling shingles, and you’ll also need to check for dark spots, moss, or even algae growth because those are signs of moisture damage. And don’t forget to inspect your chimney flashing and vents for leaks too because they can be a massive problem in that area.
If there’s been a storm or a lot of rain or snow, that’s another time when you should make a point of checking the roof – a quick visual check is a good start, as you’ll be able to see any obvious damage, but you’ll also need to get up to the roof for a proper look (especially if the weather’s been really bad), so be careful if that’s something you’re planning to do.
If you’re not quite sure what to look for or you don’t want to run the risk of a nasty accident, many roof companies offer inspections, and that’s a good route to go down. It’s far better to catch small issues early than it is to have to deal with a full-blown roof replacement later if it can be avoided.
Clean Your Gutters
Gutters are actually one of the most neglected parts of a home, but they’re also a big potential problem waiting to happen. When they clog up with leaves and debris, water overflows and that can cause damage to your foundation, flooding in your basement, and – once again – roof leaks. None of these things are great, and if you don’t know they’re happening, they can really be an expensive and problematic thing to have to fix.
That’s why the best thing to do is to make sure you make time to clean your gutters at least twice a year – do it in spring and autumn and you should be fine for the rest of the time (although if the weather has been particularly bad, that’s a good time to do an extra check; you can do it when you’re checking your roof, as we mentioned above).
When you’re visually checking your gutters, you can see if there are any loose or sagging sections and get them fixed before the whole thing falls down and stops working. Plus, make sure the drain pipes or downspouts are actually directing water away from your property – it could be that it’s going the wrong way and causing more damp issues, and fixing it and changing things around can protect your property massively.
Another good idea is to invest in some gutter guards because they can help to reduce buildup and they’ll make your life a lot easier – there’ll be less ladder climbing to do!
Flush Your Water Heater
If you’ve started to notice that your hot water is taking longer and longer to heat up or perhaps it’s got a strange smell (or even both!), it could be because of the minerals and sediment that have collected at the bottom of your water heater over time, which makes it less efficient.
To get this problem dealt with, you’ll need to drain and flush your water heater once a year – that’s going to clear out the sediment and help your water heat up more quickly (which isn’t just more convenient – it’s also better for your energy usage, and you’ll pay less while being kinder to the planet). While you’re doing that, it’s wise to check for leaks or rust spots – it could be your tank needs to be placed, and although that’s a big and potentially expensive job, it’s also a necessary one, and ignoring the problem won’t help (it really will just make things worse).
Another job to do that’s linked to all this is to check the pressure relief valve, which is a little device that basically stops your water heater from blowing up, so it’s clearly important! As with everything on this list, if you’re not confident in doing the job yourself, the best thing to do is to get in touch with professionals who know exactly what to do and can deal with it easily and quickly – yes, you’ll have to pay, but you’ll also get the job done right, which is great for peace of mind and safety.
Check For Hidden Leaks
We’ve mentioned leaks a lot in this blog, and the reason for that is that they’re a menace – water damage really is terrible, and not something you’ll want to have to deal with if it can be helped, so checking for leaks is vital. And that means also checking for hidden leaks because not all leaks are obvious. The fact is that some slow drips can waste gallons of water and, of course, lead to mould, rot, and very high utility bills, which no one is going to be happy about.
To start with, take a look under your sinks for any signs of moisture or water stains – that’s a pretty good sign that something’s wrong. Then you’ll need to check your ceiling and walls, and if you see any signs of discolouration, you’ll need to look further into the problem because that’s another sign of a leak somewhere. And you’ll want to check behind your toilet and round appliances like washing machines and dishwashers (anything that uses water, basically) in case anything’s leaking there.
Although a small leak might not seem like much of a big deal now, give it time… it can turn into a total nightmare that costs lots to fix and totally disrupts your home as well.
Test Your Sump Pump
If you’ve got a basement, you’ve probably got a sump pump (hopefully, anyway – if not, it’s time to get one installed) because that’s going to help prevent flooding should the worst happen and the weather or a leak in your home makes things difficult. But what if that sump pump failed when you need it most? Then you’re looking at water damage and a lot of stress – no thanks.
That’s why it’s best to test the sump pump twice a year so you’ve got peace of mind that it’s working as it’s meant to before you actually need it (and hopefully you won’t need it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry). To test it, pour a bucket of water into the sump pit and see if the pump kicks in – it should. Then check that the discharge pipe and clear and draining properly, and finally clean out the pump’s intake screen as that’s going to stop it getting blocked, which isn’t going to help matters. In the end, a working sump pump means peace of mind, and when it starts to rain heavily, you won’t have a sudden panic or a lot of bailing to do.
Service Your HVAC System
Your heating and cooling system basically works hard all year without you really thinking much about it – unless it goes wrong! But even if you’ve never had a problem before, these units won’t last forever, especially if you don’t take good care of it. Neglecting maintenance can mean higher energy bills, poor air quality, and expensive repairs – the things you want to avoid, in other words.
To get the most out of your HVAC system, it’s best to change the filters every one to three months, and always get a professional to turn up your system once a year (twice if you really want to be sure). And when you’re dusting, make sure you dust the vents to keep them clear so they can do their job properly.
If you’ve spotted that your energy bills are getting higher, it could be your HVAC system that’s to blame if it’s not working efficiently, and getting it checked out or even just changing the filters can make all the difference.
