There is never a shortage of projects to do around the house, but if your goal, like most homeowners, is to spend as little time as possible on home maintenance then you need to know where to focus your attentions. Unless you live in Tornado Alley or perhaps at the foot of a volcano, fire, water and insects pose the three biggest threats to your home. With
that in mind, I have put together my list of the top 10 maintenance tasks that all homeowners should perform (or pay someone to do):
- Test smoke detectors and change batteries – while water can cause more monetary damage, fire can kill which makes this a no-brainer as number one on the list. Also install carbon monoxide detectors if you have gas appliances;
- Clean dryer vent – see note above about fire. Not only will this keep you safe, it will also improve the efficiency of your dryer and extends its life. One cleaning a year should be enough;
- Install water alarms by water heaters, furnaces, etc to ensure that you discover a
small water issue before it becomes a big one; - Check caulk and grout inside and outside of showers and tubs – It only takes a small gap for water to go where you don’t want it go;
- Make sure the supply lines for your faucets/toilets are braided steel – I had a
friend who suffered $50K in damage from a broken supply line - Keep gutters and downspouts clear – the easiest way to keep your basement dry is to make sure the water stays away from the house
- Inspect the exterior of your home and look for peeling paint and rotten wood – insects love wet wood!
- Seal around pipes and wires coming into the house – this is the easiest way to keep out mice and other pests. Of course, you can let the mice in and hope the snakes take care of them!
- Clean the coils on the refrigerator – while not as critical as some of the other
items, this will keep your fridge working better and longer and will save you a
lot of money in the process. - Turn off your house water whenever you leave for more than a few days – of course, a major water line rupture may never happen…until it does.
The good news for those who find this list too daunting is that Hassle Free Home Services is available to take care of all of these maintenance chores and many more.