Home Maintenance Checklist

• Clean the gutters valleys and make sure the downspouts are running freely.
• Remove ivy from house: it's a termite conduit and destroys the mortar between the bricks
• Put bleach down the floor drains in the basement, it prevents bugs and sewer gas from entering the home
• Paint all exterior flaking paint, check caulking around all exterior door annd window openings. Replace all worn and loose weather stripping.
• Make sure the storm windows are in the closed position for winter. Make sure that the screens have no holes in them for summer.
• Make sure the the baffles in the ductwork in the basement are in the correct position, for winter or for summer.
• Check that the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working, replace or just replace the batteries.
• For winter, make sure that all the garden hoses have been coiled up and put away, remove all the adaptors and make sure that the hose bibs are turned off  outside and inside the house and drained.
• Check that there is sufficient insulation in the attic. If not, now is the time to add more.
• Fix all leaky pipes, faucets and running toilets. You would be amazed at how much this costs in water and sewage bills.
• Clean the chimneys and flues, especially if you use wood burning fires and empty out the clean outs in the basement if your furnace or water heater vents up a chimney. Check the debris from these clean outs and if you find large lumps of brick, it's time to call a chimney expert because your chimney could be significantly damaged.
• Clean the furnace and air conditioning and buy enough filters for one per month until next year. Replace, clean central humidifier water panel. Check the carbon monoxide detector, make sure it is working or just buy a new one.
• If it is summer, make sure that the vents in the basement windows are open and if it is winter, close them.
• Clean out dehumidifier and make sure that it is draining properly.
• Check around the house and remove all the birds nests.
• Make sure that there are no holes in the soffits under the eaves. This is the front door for all sorts of rodents who will enjoy the warmth there in winter, and raise a family who will consider this home for ever. Once they are there it is very difficult to get them to move out permanently. I have found that most rodents do not like mothballs but it is much better to close up the holes so that you don't have to resort to mothballs!
• Drain the water heater and refill. This improves its efficiency.
• Vacuum lint and dust from heating/cooling vents or check our contractor list and have them done professionally.
• Clean out the vent for the dryer, blocked up dryer vent can easily cause a fire.
• Check all the smoke detectors and replace batteries.
• Buy a winter's supply of low temperature ice melter that is rated for use on concrete. Salt deteriorates concrete.
• Check out your blacktop, fill all the cracks and coat with blacktop sealer.
• If you have a concrete driveway, reseal the driveway in the fall
• Check your kitchen stove hood/filter, clean with a really good detergent. Greasy range hoods can catch fire.

Please add any ideas you have for this list. Everyone will appreciate the list.  All you have to do is add a comment!

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