Spring isn’t over yet, and tackling these ten tasks and home maintenance tips will make you feel like it’s the first day of Spring all over again!
Maybe you’ve already done your Spring cleaning… or maybe more honestly, you’ve been planning on it but haven’t gotten to it yet. Delay no more!
Common home maintenance tips
Change out the HVAC filters
This one’s not challenging, you just need to track down each AC unit if you have multiple, and your heater, and get the filters replaced. No need to buy expensive filters; it’s far more important to change your filters frequently (every couple months of use) than it is to have a fancy filter.
Clean dryer exhaust
Another simple one of those spring home maintenance tips, but a very important one. Clothes dryers are one of the leading causes of house fires, usually from people being too lazy to clean out the lint trap, but the exhaust and ducting behind the dryer will accumulate lint too, just more slowly.
Grab your vacuum cleaner, pop the ducting off, and clean out both the vent and duct.
Inspect your fire extinguisher
You do have one, right? If you don’t, getting one is a priority, and they’re not very expensive so you have no excuse. If you already have one, stay on top of things by checking to make sure it hasn’t expired.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with how to remove the safety and operate it (but don’t actually do it!) so that in an emergency you’re not standing around reading the instructions instead of laying down flame suppressant. While you’re on this task, obviously you should check the batteries in all your smoke detectors and your carbon monoxide detector- you have those too, right? (if not, our bonus home maintenance tips include a trip to the hardware store).
Test your garage door
Your garage door needs to have a working retracting mechanism for safety- it’s the law, and it’s the law because several children died when they got trapped by doors that didn’t retract. Put a 2x4 on the ground under your door and press the button. Your garage door should close all the way down to the 2x4 and then stop and retract after making contact.
Check and make sure your optical sensor is working too- that’ll be higher up than the height of the 2x4. Start closing the door, then slide something like a box or crate under the door to make sure the detector is working correctly. Check the garage door mechanism to make sure everything looks clean- it’d be one unpleasant surprise to be late to work (unable to get out of your garage) because that was the day the mechanism gave out. Call this our “we want you to be on time” home maintenance tips.
Overlooked home maintenance tasks
Vacuum your refrigerator coils
It’s simple to do, and you’ll be surprised how much dust has accumulated back there. This is not only good for fire safety, but significantly helps your refrigerator be more energy efficient.
Clean the range hood filter
If you haven’t done this one in a while, prepare yourself for an unpleasant surprise. The fact that it gets so dirty is why you need to clean it though, so don’t skip it just because this is one of the trickier tasks in this list! This website recommends using a combination of automotive degreaser and hot water to get it clean easily.
Check drainage and gutters
Spring means rain, and that means your house needs to be ready to be rained on. Do a careful inspection of your roofing, make sure your gutters are clear, and then inspect the ground surrounding your house.
Water should be draining away from your home so that it does less damage and erosion to your foundation, structure, and even the soil your home rests on. If you have puddles that last longer than a day, you may need to call a contractor to help you improve your home’s drainage.
Clear plants from foundation
While you’re inspecting the ground surrounding your house, pay close attention to the plants surrounding your home. If there’s even a small crack somewhere, plants have a way of finding their way into that crack and spreading it wider and wider. It’s much less effort to trim back any encroaching plants long before they reach your home than it is to deal with a cracked foundation. Look up while you’re at it, and make sure that trees are not pressing on any telephone wires, or reaching branches onto a neighbor’s property.
Clean shower heads
It doesn’t take long; it’s just got to get done. Take your shower heads off and soak them in white vinegar and then give them a light scrubbing with a toothbrush. If your shower head won’t come off, pour the vinegar into a small plastic bag, and then secure the plastic bag around the showerhead with rubber bands.
Toilets, tubs, and faucets
Home maintenance tips tend to cover outdoor issues, replacing filters and checking systems. But plumbing fixtures should be included in your checklist.
Check your grouting, and make sure all of your seals are intact and clean. If it’s starting to go, don’t be lazy, replace it right away. Leaks will mean serious damage to whatever is beneath that fixture, and reduce the value of your home. Toilets can be checked for what is often otherwise invisible leaking by putting a little red food coloring in the tank. If your toilet bowl is pink within the next half-hour, you’ve got a leak and the flapper inside the tank needs to be replaced. Faucets are usually leaky because of worn out plastic washers, but aren’t hard to fix. Turn off your main water supply, and then completely remove the handles for the faucets, and drop new washers in.
These home maintenance tips really aren’t too hard to do, but will go a long way towards protecting your investment, and protecting your family. Regular attention to the house and its surroundings goes a long way and prevents the need for bigger, costlier repairs due to negligence.
As a full-service construction and remodeling company in San Diego, Collom Construction Inc. possesses the resources necessary for a successful project. We deliver products of quality craftsmanship and work with you to meet your needs and respect your budget.
Give us a call today to set up an appointment for a free quote.