Annual Home Maintenance Tips

Whether you’re a new homeowner or you’ve lived in your home for several years, it’s important to pay attention to your house, systems, and exterior in order to maintain your property value. Here are some tips for home maintenance:

EXTERIORS

  1. Clean your gutters -

    • This should be done MULTIPLE times a year and can be crucial for preventing larger issues in/ around your home.

  2. Pay attention to gutter downspouts, french drains, yard slope, and underground drains

    • During a heavy rain, go outside your home (with an umbrella) and take a look at the drainage around your house

  3. Sprinkler systems

    • Make sure all sprinkler spouts are operating and hitting plants, as intended

  4. Wood components of your home - deck, wood trim, wood siding, windows, etc.

    • Take note of any rotting wood and consider replacement or repair

  5. Renew your termite bond

    • Do this every year for as long as you own the home!

  6. Spray for insects

    • This could be done professionally or DIY (you can purchase the proper chemicals at home depot and spray the perimeter of your home quarterly)

  7. Trees

    • Take note of any trees that don’t appear to be thriving and have an arborist come out

INTERIORS

  1. Routinely inspect ceilings, basements/crawl spaces, floors, windows, doors, etc.

    • Monitoring your home is an important part of homeownership and can be crucial in catching problems early. Pay special attention to locations that could get water entry, plumbing problems, etc.

  2. Electrical panel

    • Periodically look in your electrical panel. If there were any electrical concerns or issues from your inspection report, those are always good things to tackle if / when you have an electrician coming out to install a new fixture, etc.

  3. Paint touch ups

    • I like to touch up paint in high traffic areas (think hallways, staircases, etc.)

  4. Chimney/ Fireplaces

    • Have your chimney swept annually if it’s a wood burning fireplace

SYSTEMS

  1. HVAC and Furnace

    • Air filter - you should be replacing your air filter every 3-4 months, depending on the size

    • Routine cleaning - it’s recommended, particularly for old units, that you have your HVAC and furnace professionally serviced two times per year

    • Monitor your condenser - this is the box on the exterior of the home, make sure there are no vines growing on it, leaves piled up around it, etc.

    • If it seems like your AC system is having trouble keeping up, consider having an HVAC tech out to quote you replacement

  2. Hot water heater

    • Make note of your hot water heater age, you can even purchase a sensor to place near your hot water heater to tell you if it has started to leak

  3. Roof

    • If your roof is older, have a roofer inspect the roof and take any preventative measures to maintain the life of the roof

  4. Appliances

    • Take note of appliances that may be getting old and research the cost of a replacement. That way, you’ll be prepared when the time comes to replace it.

  5. Waterproofing

    • If you have a sump pump or encapsulation, I would check on the status of the system and also be sure to do any routine maintenance to keep the warranty in place

If you have any questions about the items above or need a recommendation for a vendor, don’t hesitate to reach out! I’m always happy to chat about homes!

HOME OWNERSHIP TIPSOlivia Sekerak