Routine Home MaintenanceBy doing routine home maintenance, consumers can save themselves thousands of dollars in major repairs. For example by making sure that the down pipe from the eaves trough is delivering water onto the lawn instead of around the foundation can avoid major leaks in your basement.

Routine Maintenance List

The following is a list of routine maintenance items that we consider important to help ensure that major repairs can be avoided, which will save you thousands of dollars. Of course each situation is different and should be evaluated in the context of your own home and weather environment. Here we go:

  • Routine maintenance should include the following kinds of things –
  • Check your eaves trough and make sure it’s clear of leaves
  • Check all of your windowsills to make sure they are not rotting and are well sealed
  • Repaint your window frames if necessary
  • Replace your air filter on your furnace
  • Make sure there is no debris around your air-conditioner
  • Trim all of your trees and shrubs
  • Add fertilizer spring summer and fall to your lawn
  • Remove all leaves and debris from the lawn and gardens in late fall and early spring
  • Check all exterior walls and the roof for any damage from the wind, rain or snow
  • Have your furnace checked on an annual basis
  • Change the oil in your lawn mower  and snow blower at least annually
  • Reseal wooden decks as needed whenever you see sealant chipping off or exposed wood
  • Seal your asphalt driveway at least every two years
  • Evaluate when you should replace the shingles on your roof

We could probably add more to this list, however we think we have captured the major issues that home owners need to deal with to ensure that they do not end up with a major expense. We will expand on one of them to give you more detail.

Clean all Leaves etc out of the Eaves Trough

This small maintenance step should be completed in the spring and the late fall. Basically you want to have all of the leaves removed from the eaves trough to ensure that the water flows easily and does not sit in the eaves trough. Heavy water sitting in the eaves trough will cause them to sage and even fall down over time. If you live in a cold winter environment, the water and leaves will freeze and block the flow of water when it does thaw. Water can back up under the shingles due to ice dams and cause leakage into your home causing all kinds of water damage. Keep the eaves trough open and clear will help to reduce this kind of issue from occurring.

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