It is likely you have invested a great deal of time and money into creating a beautiful home for your family. To ensure it remains in tip-top condition throughout the years, you must adopt a proactive approach to caring for your appliances, alarms, and systems, which can prevent a fault or breakdown from arising.
To effectively care for your property, here are six home maintenance tasks you should never ignore.
Check Your Smoke Detector
Checking your smoke detector should be at the top of your to-do list, which will ensure you and your family are alerted to a house fire and will have enough time to leave the property safely.
To effectively test your smoke detector, you should:
- Hold down the test button once a month to trigger the alarm
- Replace the batteries twice per year
- Vacuum your smoke detector to remove dust or debris
- Replace the detector every five to 10 years (Read the manufacturer’s instructions)
- Ensure each smoke detector is wired together
Service an Air Conditioning Unit
It can be heartbreaking to turn on an air conditioner during summer to find it no longer works, which can lead to a hot, sticky and uncomfortable season. It is, therefore, vital to have an air conditioning unit serviced at least once per year, which will ensure it is working smoothly once temperatures begin to rise.
Clear Your Gutters
Your gutters can accumulate many leaves, twigs, and debris throughout the year, which will leave little room for water. As the water will be unable to travel through the downspouts, it can lead to water spilling over the top of the gutters and leaking into the basement. To prevent damage, ensure you clear your gutters at least once or twice per year.
Clean Your Garbage Disposal
If a foul smell is making its way across your home, it is likely coming from your garbage disposal. To eradicate the unpleasant aroma and effectively clean the disposal, you should add vinegar into an ice tray before allowing it to freeze. Once the vinegar ice cubes are ready, run the ice cubes through the disposal for instant freshness.
Inspect Your Roofing
A damaged roof can lead to leaks, structural damage, and a chilly home. For this reason, you must annually inspect your property’s roof for damage, which should be immediately repaired by a roofing specialist. Common roof issues can include cracked tiles or slate and loose or missing shingles.
Roof damage can cause the following issues within the home:
- Poor ventilation
- Unwanted critters, such as insects and birds
- Leaks and moisture
Vacuum Refrigerator Coils
One home maintenance task you might overlook is vacuuming your refrigerator coils. However, as a refrigerator uses approximately 15% of an average home’s total energy, you must ensure the appliance runs as efficiently as possible.
As the coils can accumulate much dirt throughout the years, it will require more electricity to run efficiently. So, you can increase the lifespan of the appliance while reducing your energy bills by vacuuming the coils once or twice per year.
