Your home is your castle, it is where your heart is, and there is no place like it. Keeping your home in its best possible condition requires diligence and effort – but just as with car maintenance, putting off home maintenance can result in big problems down the road.
As we say goodbye to summer, this is a perfect time to set up a schedule for maintenance through the cooler months. We’ve compiled a list of items you should include on a home maintenance checklist, most of which can be done on your own.
Florida Home Maintenance
- Air Conditioning Filters: When you live in the Sarasota or Bradenton area, you know – we need our air conditioners! One of the simplest ways to keep your HVAC system running cleanly and efficiently throughout the year is to change your filters regularly. Experts recommend changing them once a month, but if you have no pets, you may be able to wait 2 or 3 months. When heading to the store, buy a year’s worth of filters and then plan on a regular schedule.
- Test Your Fire Safety: Make sure your fire and carbon monoxide filters are working properly, and that you have spare batteries on hand. Check that fire extinguishers are accessible and visible, and that everyone in your family who is capable knows where they are and how to use them.
- Check the Appliances: Set aside a day to have your dryer vents cleaned out, your range hood filters scrubbed, and your garbage disposal blades cleaned and sharpened. Here’s a tip – use ice cubes in the garbage disposal to sharpen blades, also add vinegar for freshness. You may also wish to vacuum your refrigerator coils, which can save your money by making it run more efficiently.
- Check Your Garage Door For Safety: The auto-reverse feature of garage doors was implemented in 1993 as a safety feature. Test the auto-reverse by placing an object under the door and closing it, making sure the door goes back up when it encounters an obstacle.
- Don’t Forget the Bathroom: Remove showerheads and clean out the residue and buildup. Doing so will help you to maintain water pressure. If you have a guest bathroom which is not often utilized, flush the toilet and run the water occasionally. Check all pipes to make sure they are not leaking under sinks or behind toilets.
- Visually Inspect the Exterior: Take a good, hard look at your roof, gutters, siding, and driveway. Look for cracks or damage that may have occurred during summer storms, and may cause trouble down the road. Life gets busy, and we don’t always notice small details. This is a great time to make a visual inspection a priority. If you need to get a professional inspection, call a qualified roofing company.
Snowbird Home Maintenance Checklist
Here in South Florida, we have a large population of people who lock up their home in the fall and head north until spring. Here are some pointers on how to make sure your home is safe while you are away.
- Get rid of all food that will perish, and lay ant or roach traps just in case.
- Unplug all appliances which will not be utilized for the time you are gone.
- Set your air conditioner to 78-79 degrees, and leave ceiling fans on low to promote air flow.
- If you have a humidistat, set to 30-40% relative humidity.
- Pour a water/bleach solution down all drains, including the washing machine.
- Make sure your sprinkler system is operational, and that your schedule is set. Remember, late fall and winter are generally very dry.
- Close all blinds and drapes, both for security and to keep sunlight/heat minimalized.
- You may wish to hire a home watch service to check on your property while you are away. this will ensure that if there is a problem, it is not festering for 6 months.
Taking care of your home is an ongoing process, but if you set up a schedule it can be quite manageable – and well worth the effort. Another great way to protect your investment is with comprehensive, quality homeowners insurance. If you need a quote or are looking to change your policy, the experts at Anderson & Associates are here to help.
