Home Maintenance Annual Checks

Maintaining the safety of your house is an important part of home ownership. A home maintenance inspection should be conducted at your home every year. As part of you home maintenance plan you need to know of any defects, safety hazards, and delayed maintenance. For a new home buyer walking you through the requirements ensures you learn what to look for.

 Here are a few key elements of home maintenance.

Smoke alarms: Test smoke alarms, smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, arc fault circuit interrupters and ground fault circuit interrupters monthly by pressing the test button on each device.

Carbon monoxide detectors: Smoke and smoke/carbon monoxide alarms have a battery back-up. The batteries should be replaced twice a year or as often as recommended by the manufacturer, and will beep at end of life or when new batteries are required.

Mechanical equipment: Maintain proper clearances around mechanical equipment, the furnace, the hot water tank and vent pipes.

Furnace: Change your furnace filter. This can depend on a few things like if you have pets, time of year and more. As a rule of thumb, it is recommended the filter be changed with the seasons. The filter itself should be checked on a monthly basis for condition and cleanliness.

Sump: On a monthly basis, complete a quick visual inspection of the sanitary sump.

Exhaust hoods: Ensure exterior intake hood openings are clean and free of debris.

Dryer vent: Check exterior exhaust hoods, specifically the dryer vent to ensure it is free of lint. Inspect the dryer vent connection and ensure it’s not kinked.

Ventilator: Inspect, replace or clean the filter inside the heat recovery ventilator if your home has one installed as a part of your ventilation system.

Furnace humidifier: Remove, inspect and clean or replace the furnace humidifier media.

Water taps: In the fall, on your outside water tap (hose bib), the interior shut off should be turned off and the small drain on the side opened to remove water. Remove the hose from the tap to prevent freezing and damage to the tap or piping.

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