Moving into your first home is an exciting time. Whether you want to clean, paint or add your personality to your new home, there is a lot to keep you busy. Maintenance is often removed from the list. A home maintenance checklist will help you stay ahead of these troublesome but essential To Dos, allowing you to set yourself up with a manageable home maintenance schedule.
Why is home maintenance important?
At first, you may think that everything will go well, as the house is new to you. Your home inspection has flagged important items that need repairs before closing. However, you live in a home and may find small issues that an overlooked repair or inspection has not caught.
Even if there are no obvious issues, it is a good practice to cherish small repairs while still small, keeping your home clean and making sure that you are less likely to experience problems. Skipping home maintenance can cost more in the long run.
7 Things to Put on Your Home Maintenance Checklist After You Move
1) Look for safety issues. Every home requires a working smoke detector at each level, plus a basement and floor level carbon monoxide detector for each story.
2) Check the home inspection report. Re-check the report and confirm the repairs completed by the contractor. Make notes to revisit the items again if necessary. For example, if your inspection flags your water heater as nearing the end of its useful life, you will do proper short-term maintenance, but also start savings.
3) Check the furnace and A/C. Air filters should be replaced every six months to prevent small particles from recirculating through the home. If your family has an indoor allergy, consider installing a HEPA filter to clean the air of the smallest irritants. You can also change the filters monthly rather than every six months to alleviate symptoms.
4) Check the railings on the inside and outside stairs. The railing is usually checked during the inspection, but the inspector may not pull the child to take a step or an adult to slide. Shake the railing well to keep it safe if it wobbles. Keep checking them regularly to make sure they are safe.
5) Test the light switch. Inspectors may overlook the light switch, especially if there are a lot of them. If you hear sparks or burning sounds from the switch, this means it’s failing and you’ll need to replace it before throwing any dangerous sparks.
6) Make sure the appliance is working. Provide all your appliances with proper testing and make sure it’s going well. Put together your first meal, fill up your ice maker, and wash and wash your laundry. Track owner manuals that may be hidden in drawers. Many are available online. Modern appliances often have filters, gaskets, or tanks that need to be cleaned to ensure that they function properly.
7) Run the water. Your inspector should turn on all faucets inside and outside the home to check for plumbing issues. Piping fixtures can cause spontaneous failure as they have small parts such as O-rings and pressure connections that hold the pipes together. Run a considerable amount of water and look down at the piping due to leakage. Water can cause many damage, but catching early can be minimized.
Now that we have done our first checks for your home system and safety, we recommend understanding what your home warranty covers.
What does a home warranty cover and how does it work?
You can purchase a home warranty to cover all the main systems of your home, including plumbing, HVAC, electricity and more. Most warranty also includes roofs and windows. Alternatively, you can purchase a warranty that covers only the listed appliances. If you have a warranty, check the documents to see what it covers.
If a system or appliance with a home’s warranty covered due to wear and tear collapses, the warranty allows for repairs or replacements at a fraction of the cost. You simply call the home guarantor company that schedules an appointment with the contractor to do the job. Usually, service charges are only or deductible. Check out the differences between home insurance and home insurance.
Whether you have a home warranty or not, you need to take care of your home. If the problem is caused by a lack of maintenance, most warranty will not cover repairs or replacements.
Seasonal maintenance in your home and garden
Both the exterior and interior of your home benefit from seasonal cleaning and should be on your home’s maintenance checklist. These tasks can be easily taken care of in hours in just a few hours. This time and energy investment will prevent bigger issues and keep your home clean and safe.
Falling property maintenance
Exhale the exterior pipes to keep them in winter. Drain and store hoses and drain sprinkler systems in the ground. Wrap insulation around the unheated garage pipe or connect it to an outdoor faucet. Remove leaves and other debris from downspouts and grooves. Check your windows and doors to check for gaps and cracks. Add or replace caulking or weather strips if necessary. Clean window and door screens. Fixes creaking external door handles and loose locks. Replace the carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries. Clean the carpet. Vacuum lint scraps from the dryer. Check for any worn cords and wires on lamps and other appliances, especially if the cords are not normally visible. Check for leaks in the water heater. Power wash windows and siding. Reapply the chipped outer siding. Repair or replace the siding if necessary. Inspect the roof for damaged, loose or missing shingles and leaks. Repair gaps and cracks in driveways, corridors and foundations. Schedule an expert to inspect your HVAC in late summer or early fall before you need to turn on the furnace regularly. Schedule a professional fireplace inspection to check for dangers and clean up fireplace smoke.
Winter Real Estate Maintenance
Covers the air conditioner unit. After a massive storm, seek damage to downs, ditches and roofs. Check the basement for leaks during thawing. Bathroom exhaust fans vacuum the grille sucked out into the outdoors. Vacuum freezer and refrigerator coils, empty, clean drip tray. Clean drains in bathtubs, sinks, bathtubs, showers and dishwashers.
Spring Property Maintenance
Remove debris and leaves from the drain facing downwards. Replace or repair caulking and weather peeling around windows, doors and mechanical lines that enter your home. Remove winter insulation from the outdoor faucet and check the sprinkler head. Fertilize the grass. Polish wooden furniture and dust lighting fixtures. Replace the carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries. Caulk around the bath, sink, or shower. Repairs deterioration. Vacuum lint scraps from the dryer. Drain or flush the water heater. Inspect the roof for damaged, loose or missing shingles and leaks. The chimney will be inspected for damage. Power wash siding and windows. Clean window interior and door screen. Repair the deck. Change the filters on the air conditioner unit and schedule a system service call. Schedule a specialized septic tank inspection (if you have one) and pump it up.
Summer Real Estate Maintenance
Pruning trees and shrubs. Remove the dryer lint from the outside and inside the hose and dryer vents. Vacuum fridge and freezer coils, empty, clean drip tray. A clean kitchen exhaust fan filter. Check for leaks around the bathroom cabinet and toilet base. Check the internal and external faucets and shower head washers and replace them if necessary. Seal tile grout for floors, countertops and backsplashes. Apply oil to the garage door chain, door hinges and garage door wheels.
Modify this list as needed to create a home maintenance checklist that makes sense for your home and location. Different climate zones have different seasonal demands.
When you regularly commit to keeping your home in good condition, you leave the expensive surprises. Also, regular maintenance will allow investments to be sold over time. Most importantly, you can enjoy your home while you live there and make your home truly home.
