Home maintenance must be done on an on-going basis, from year to year, to effectively protect your investment and to keep your home a safe and healthy place to live. With the first day of Autumn upon us (what happened to summer?!), I have put together a complete home maintenance checklist for you to use in preparing your home for the coming winter.
- Have your furnace/heating system serviced every two years for a gas furnace, once per year for oil.
- Clean the furnace humidifier on units with central air conditioning.
- Lubricate the circulating pump on hot water heating systems.
- Bleed air from hot water radiators.
- Inspect the force air furnace fan belt for wear, looseness or noise. Clean fan blades. (Disconnect electricity to the motor first)
- Turn on the gas furnace pilot light.
- During the heating season, clean or replace furnace air filters each month. HRV filters should be checked every two months.
- Vacuum electric baseboard heaters.
- Remove the grilles on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
- If your HRV has been turned off for the summer, clean the filters and the core, and pour water down the condensate drain to test it.
- If you use a portable humidifier during the heating system, get it cleaned up and ready to use.
- This is a good time to test your well water- it is recommended that you test every six months.
- Check that your sump pump is working properly.
- Replace window screens with storm windows.
- Renew door weatherstripping if required.
- Cover outside air conditioning units.
- Clean leaves from eavestroughs and roofs. Check that downspouts are clear of obstruction.
- Check chimneys for obstructions- there could be a bird’s nest in there…
- Drain and store outdoor hoses. Close the valve to the outdoor hose connection and drain the exterior faucet.
- Determine if you need to empty your septic tank before spring. It is recommended that tanks should be pumped every 3 – 5 years.
- Winterize your yard- store outdoor furniture, prepare gardens, protect young trees and shrubs.
Enjoy the upcoming fall season!
Tammy Dufault
Century 21 BJ Roth Realty Ltd.
