Managing Home Maintenance Costs

Everyone forgets to do the routine Home Maintenance Tasks around the home unless it is something that you have to do every day or perhaps once a week such as taking out the garbage. Usually something is neglected for some period of time and then it becomes a problem that requires a more expensive solution beyond simple cleaning. We will cover a number of situations such as apartment renters, apartment owners, condominiums and single family homes.

We will not cover routine things such as cutting the grass or taking out the garbage. Everyone knows that they need to do these things. What we are looking at are some of the things that should be completed on a quarterly basis, seasonally and even annually around the home to make sure that you continue to live comfortably, safely and inexpensively compared to something breaking down and causing a lot more damage.

These tasks are difficult to remember because they’re so infrequent, but keeping up on the maintenance will not only extend the life of your appliances, it will also help them run more efficiently. To remind yourself to do them, set up email reminders, use a to do list or just making a not e on a calendar. Many smart phones have to do lists or you can down load an app that will help you keep track of these items.

Home Maintenance Tasks That You Should complete Around an Apartment or Apartment Condominium

Whether you’re renting or you own a home, it’s easy to let repeated tasks of home maintenance slip your mind.

The tasks you’re probably forgetting for someone who lives in an apartment are:

• Flip the mattress (every three months).
• Replace batteries in your smoke alarm (every three months).
• Change your water filter (every two to six months).
• Change your air filter (every two to six months).
• Clean your fridge coils (once a year) and behind the fridge
• Wash the windows, at least on the inside
• Vacuum the vent pipe from the dryer once per year

Home Maintenance Tasks That You Should complete Around a Home

Whether you’re renting or you own a home, it’s easy to let repeated tasks of home maintenance slip your mind.

The tasks you’re probably forgetting for someone who lives in a home are:

• Check that the drain pan under the cooling coil mounted in the furnace is draining properly and is clean for all air conditioning systems.
• Lubricate circulating pump on a hot water heating system.
• Examine the forced air furnace fan belt for wear, looseness and noise.
• Have your furnace checked every year for faulty components and cleaning
• Vacuum return air vents and cold air return vents to remove any dust buildup
• Remove the grills on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
• Replace furnace air filters each month during the cooling and heating season.
• Ventilation system, such as heat recovery ventilator, filters should be checked every two months.
• Check to see that the duct work leading to and from the heat recovery ventilator is in good shape, the joints are tightly sealed in any depth installation of plastic duct wrap is free of tears and holes.
• Check smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms, and replace batteries.
• Clean portable de-humidifier, if one is used every week.
• Clean central humidifier every month.
• Turn off the water supply to the humidifier at the end of the season
• Check to see that the bathroom exhaust fans are operating properly. Check the airflow to make sure that air is being drawn into the vent and expelled.

Avoid Water Damage

• Check sump pump and exhaust line to ensure proper operation.
• Confirm sump pump has no line obstructions or visible leaks.
• Replace storm windows with window screens
• Ensure windows and skylights close tightly; repair or replace weather-stripping as needed.
• Insure all doors to the outside shut tightly, and check other doors for ease of use. Replace your weather-stripping if required.
• If there is a door between your house and garage, check the adjustment of the self-closing device to ensure it closes the door completely.
• Remove cover from the air-conditioning units and turn on power in the spring.
• Insure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall, so that water does not leak into your basement.

Remove Leaves

• Clean leaves from the eaves trough and roof and test downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the roof in the spring and the fall after the leaves have fallen.
• Install outdoor hoses and turn on indoor valves in the spring.
• Have well water tested for quality. It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six months.
• If you have a septic tank, measure the slide and scum to determine if the tank needs to be emptied during the summer. Tanks should be pumped at least once every three years.
• Remove winterizing landscaping material, for example, prepared gardens and if necessary protect young trees or bushes for winter.
• Set up all lawn furniture, inspect fences and gates for damages or movement due to frost in the spring
• Rake the lawn, remove all debris from the winter and add fertilizer once the ground is unfrozen
• Plant flowers, shrubs etc at the appropriate time for your area and climate.
• Place wire mesh over all potential openings that raccoons and other rodents can use to get into your homes attic. For more info click here

This partial list is a great start for all home owners and anyone who wants to take care of their home whether they rent or not. Good maintenance will ensure you have the lowest expenses over the long term.

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