Fall Home Maintenance Checklist and Schedule

Prepare your home for the coming cold of winter. The fall house maintenance checklist below will ensure your home for the subzero temperatures by taking a look at the heating systems, water systems, and energy efficiency. Depending on your house and region, some tasks may have a greater value. Some may not not be applicable at all. Try to focus on what is relevant to you. The fireplace is an absolute must for maintenance and inspection. Buildup from smoke of the chimney from smoke. It happens to be a highly flammable byproduct and can start a chimney fire with an ignition source. A lot of small chimney fire occur without the homeowner even realizing! Gas burning fireplaces burn much cleaner and should only require an inspection each year. But, a wood burning fireplace needs to be inspected and cleaned each year. Check the flashing around the chimney if you perform the sweep from the roof (i.e. top-down method). The brick and mortar should be inspected for cracks, too At the fireplace do a quick inspection and cleaning. Visually check for cracks and smoke marks. Cracks should be repaired by a professional. Smoke marks could indicate blockage in the chimney (e.g. bird’s nest). Remove smoke marks with a vinegar and water. Keeping a home well sealed can tremendously improve the heating efficiency. The most common spots for air leaks around the windows and doors. Visually check the caulk seal around the outside edge of every window for gaps. Use a putty knife to remove the damaged seal and insert new caulk. Cracks will reappear if the caulk is applied too thinly. Inspect the weatherstripping around the perimeter of the doors. Replace any damaged areas with new material. Replace the entire seal, if required. Feel for drafts by running your hand around the edge of each door. If the weatherstripping is in good shape and there is still a draft, there might not be enough material to bridge the gap. It is possible to layer the strips on top of each other to seal larger gaps. For homes in colder climates, one of the most important tasks is winterizing water systems. Not all homes are in an area that requires winterization. Sprinkler systems and pools are two systems that should be winterized for any area where the temperature hovers near freezing or lower. All sprinkler systems need to have the timers shut off, pressure valves opened, and drain any components near or above ground. Most often the pressure vacuum breaker is caught by a freeze and breaks. This component prevents water from entering the water supply and causing contamination. It is above ground and any plastic parts inside the metal housing are susceptible. It is easy to drain by using the drain valves. To winterize a pool you'll need to setup a specific chemical program. The general outline is balancing the chemicals, removing loose or moving parts, lowering the water level, and draining the pumping system. The pumping system might not have to be drained but pool antifreeze (i.e. not the same as the chemical for solution for cars) should be added to the water. Also, many homeowners will add algaecide to help keep the pool clean. Homes is colder climates must winterize faucets, but any homes in mild climates should be fine. The water supply should be shut off to start. Then pull off any attachments or vacuum breakers. Open up drain valves and leave the faucet in the open position for the winter. The most important task for colder climates is servicing the furnace system. It is generally best to have a professional service this system. Furnace maintenance includes blower motor lubrication, burner cleaning, sensor checks, and carbon monoxide measurements. In between service calls be sure to regularly change the filter every couple months. Both the heating and cooling systems utilize the air filters so this will be a year-round task. Luckily, it is an easy DIY job and cheap. Make sure to schedule fall maintenance on your calendar so your home is ready for winter.

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning solutions are an integral part of keeping every home clean. There are cleaning mixture for general surfaces, glass, tubs, shower heads, dishwashers, and so much more. All these commercial chemicals add up to extra costs and a lot of bottles that need to be stored. A good alternative is to make your own homemade cleaning solutions. There are several advantages to making your own concoctions. You generally only require a few different chemicals to make a homemade cleaning solution so there are fewer items to store. The cost of these combined products is often times less expensive than buying the store product. Spending less money is always good! And if you are a pro green supporter, using fewer products leaves less of a carbon footprint. Lastly, being able to make a cleaning solution from common household products can be very convenient. Tub Surface Cleaner Tub and shower surfaces are infamous for gunk that is difficult to clean. The buildup is a result of minerals in the water. Hard water carries lime and calcium traces that slowly collect on surfaces. Water softeners help to relieve the problem, but there will still be cleaning! To create this cleaning mixture start with half a cup vinegar and heat for one to two minutes in the microwave. Dump the vinegar into a spray bottle and mix with ½ a cup of dish soap. Swirl the bottle just long enough to mix the vinegar and soap together. Spray on the surfaces of the tub or shower and wait for one to two hours. After waiting, scrub the surfaces with a sponge and water. The surfaces should clean right up and look much brighter. Clog Fixer Every household has had to deal with clogs. The best method is to prevent the problem before it occurs. Flush a one to two cups of vinegar down each month to clean buildup and watch what you flush down the drain. Items that are particularly bad are coffee grounds, and soap scum. If you do get a clog and can not it with a snake, try a solution of vinegar, baking soda, and boiling water. First, drop a half cup of baking soda down the drain. Chase up the baking soda with two cups of vinegar. After the letting the mixture fizzle, flush it down with 1/2f a gallon of boiling water. Try using a store bought product if the homemade solution fail to clear the clog. Call a plumber if that fails, too. General Purpose Cleaner For all-purpose purpose cleaning, or if you can not find a specific cleaner, use this mixture. Again, it is made from easy to find everyday household ingredients. Gather baking soda, vinegar, and water. Dump ¼ bup of baking soda into an empty spray bottle. Then, pour in a ½ cup of vinegar. These two will fizzle together. Lastly, pour in 2 cups of water. Heat the water if you plan to use the mixture for immediate use. Make sure to label the bottle so there is no confusion about the solution in the future. Summary There are plenty more mixtures out there to help you keep your house clean. The main thing to focus on is the common ingredients: vinegar, baking soda, and water. Typically, at least one of the three are found in a homemade cleaning solution. These solutions should help you for all the cleaning scheduled for your house.

Budgeting for Home Maintenance

House maintenance is undoubtedly an important part of being a homeowner. But how much should your budget for home maintenance each year? How much will it cost for each individual servicing? It really depends on each house. Factors include location, number of appliances, size, etc.

Maintenance Costs

The cost to maintain each appliance or system differs, but it is good to determine the approximate amount for each task. For example, a common task for most houses is to have the air conditioner serviced. This task will costs about $50-150 per unit for a good cleaning and system check. Having the air conditioner maintained each year will extend the life and promote good energy efficiency.

What other tasks should your consider including? Here is a list of items to get you started:

• Dishwasher spray arm cleaning
• Chimney sweeping
• Vent filter replacement
• Furnace servicing
• Garage door opener lubrication
• Garbage disposal cleaning
• Smoke detector test
• GFCI test
• Humidifier cleaning
• Microwave cleaning
• Oven and hood filter cleaning
• Pool maintenance
• Refrigerator coil cleaning

There are many more tasks to consider but this checklist will get you going in the right direction. Note that some of these tasks should cost very little while others will require a professional and higher costs.

Rule of Thumb Budget

If you don't have time or just don't feel like compiling a list of all the home maintenance costs then just use the rule of thumb for budgeting. Set aside 1-2% of your home's value each year. For example, set aside $2-4,000 per year for a $200,000 house. This will give you plenty of cash to handle all maintenance and cover repairs.

Scheduling Maintenance for Property Managers

Property Managers have plenty to do without having to worry about having to keep track of scheduling home maintenance for all units. House maintenance is absolutely essential to stay ahead of problems. Preventive tasks are much cheaper than repairs.

Professional vs Tenant DIY Maintenance

Easy DIY Maintenance

Some maintenance is best if handled by tenants that can handle DIY tasks. It is not time effective to drive to all properties simply to change furnace air filters. It is a good idea to provide the resources for the tenants with the understanding that the task will be completed as scheduled.

Professional Services

Other maintenance is best done by professionals. A task done incorrectly can result in costly repairs. For example, air conditioner maintenance is typically best handled by professionals. Although this task is within the capabilities of good DIY home owners, it is tough to vet tenants for each task. It is best to leave work in the grey area to professionals.

Summary

It is good to realize the importance of home maintenance for property managers and schedule it ahead of time. It is best to use an online service, like Home Maintenance Tracker.

Preventive Fireplace Home Maintenance

For any home that uses the fireplace, maintenance is a must. Every year a professional, or a savvy DIY home owner, should clean the creosote from the chimney. Putting off this task on your calendar can has disastrous effects.

Importance of Fireplace Maintenance

Chimney fires occur every year and many without the household even knowing! (according to Chimney Safety Institute of America). And while these smaller fires might pass by unnoticed, the damage that is done to the tile liners will have a lasting effect.

The majority of these fires are fueled by the buildup of creosote on the walls. Over time the fires will slowly add layers or creosote from smoke passing up the chimney.

Prevention

The best idea is to call a professional sweeper. They will use a special brush from the roof to scrape off the creosote buildup. At the bottom a bucket will catch the debris and be removed. It is possible to do this task yourself but be sure you get the proper brush and to exercise caution on the roof.

Summary

Don't put off essential maintenance until it is too late. You will save a lot of money by preventing problems and avoiding repair costs. To learn more check out this article on Fireplace Maintenance in the Summer or Chimney and Fireplace Maintenance.

House Maintenance Calendar

Scheduling Maintenance on the Calendar

Everybody is busy in everyday life and so often house maintenance falls to the wayside. On top of that many tasks are not as apparent. Also, despite some of these being fairly simple DIY choirs some owners rely on professional service companies for all home maintenance. By scheduling tasks on the calendar and following tips you can keep your home in tip top shape and save a bundle in the long run.

Maintenance Calendar

Before scheduling anything first put together a checklist of tasks that need to be completed. Think about all the different appliances, fixtures, and areas of your house. Write down all the tasks you can and use online resources, like Home Maintenance Tracker, to help give you ideas.

Reminders

Use the checklist to assign work on the calendar. This calendar could be put on the family calendar at your house or use online tools. Google calendar is a useful tool for anyone with a Google account. You can schedule events and set frequency to repeat each year and multiple times a year. Another useful tool that is more tailor to this topic is HMT (Home Maintenance Tracker). You fill out what items you'd like tracked around your house and it sets up a recommended maintenance schedule.

Resources

Now that all your maintenance is scheduled it is time to determine how you'll complete each choir. Use resources, like HMT, for tips and DIY examples to determine if you'd prefer to do it yourself or call a professional. You can certainly save a bundle by doing the work yourself, but the work has to be done correctly. If you feel it is too complex or you are unsure, call a professional.

Importance of Home Maintenance

There is a lot going on with the daily hustle and overlooking home maintenance is easy to do. But getting those tasks completed and completed right is very important for several reasons. If it is difficult for you to keep track try using Home Maintenance Tracker or following the home maintenance blog for checklists and calendars.

Value and Savings

House Value

Keeping your house in tip top shape improves the value of it when it comes to resell it on the market. The curb appeal will be much more impressive if everything looks kept up. Plus, inspectors will go through everything with a fine tooth comb to try to find any faults.

Preventive Maintenance

Staying ahead of problems with preventive tasks means lower costs. Repairs will at least bare the cost of materials. If it's a more serious problem then you'll most likely have to hire a contractor to help and it all adds up fast.

Energy Efficiency

The more work or resources that are required to cover for inefficiencies results in higher utility costs. Clean and well serviced appliances work more efficiently and reduce the energy usage. Try to use the minimum necessary resources for each task.

Safety

It goes without saying that safety is very important around the house. Testing items like the TPR valve on a water heater once a year takes mere minutes, but it could be the difference between a properly functioning unit and an exploding water tank.

For a more in depth look into the importance of home maintenance visit this link.