It's back-to-school time: Home maintenance for busy families
It's back-to-school time: Home maintenance for busy families
The back-to-school season is a busy time for families, from having to gather school supplies to figuring out a new schedule for picking up and dropping off kids. As summer comes to a close, it’s also an important time for home maintenance tasks due to seasonal weather.
Certain tasks are crucial to ensuring that your home and its systems continue working as expected to help avoid costly repairs. This home maintenance checklist from HomeServe USA Editorial can help you prioritize what matters in your home when you don’t have much time to spare.
Flush Your Water Heater
Mineral buildup is common in areas that contain a lot of hard water from calcium and magnesium. When this sediment starts to build up at the bottom of the water heater, it can significantly lower the efficiency of your system. When you flush the water heater, you’re removing all the sediment in the tank. This task maintains the efficiency of your water heater and prevents annoying and expensive repairs.
This is a relatively simple maintenance task homeowners can do themselves. This project is not without its dangers due to the high temperature of the water. If you’re not confident in your DIY skills, you can hire a licensed professional to flush the water heater for you.
Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Smoke Alarms
Your home’s carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms should be tested periodically. Most carbon monoxide detectors have a test button you can press and hold to check that an alert will sound if they detect any carbon monoxide in the air. The same test applies to smoke alarms. If you don’t hear any noises after holding the test button, you’ll want to get these replaced. You can often install your own battery-powered devices, but consider calling a professional if it’s a hardwired device. If you have a fire extinguisher at home, inspect its pressure gauge to ensure you don’t need to recharge it.
Weatherstripping Windows and Doors
You should inspect your weatherstripping before winter arrives, so as the weather starts to get cooler in the fall, it’s a good time to do it. Inspect the weatherstripping for tears and look to see if you feel any air drafts near the windows and doors. Replace any damaged material or add more if you feel a draft. Look at your energy bills to see if you notice any significant differences in costs between now and the same time last year.
Foam weatherstripping tape can require faster replacement within two years compared to other materials like EPDM cellular foam, which can last five years or longer.
Inspect the HVAC System
Call an HVAC contractor to come and inspect your HVAC systems before school starts. You’ll want to check that the heating system is working correctly before the temperature begins to drop. Since you more than likely used your air conditioner a lot over the summer, wear and tear can make an impact on functionality. A contractor can also do a tune-up to help the system run more efficiently and help lower its running costs. Tune-ups are important.
This might also be a good time to replace your HVAC filters — which you should be doing every three months — to maintain the quality of your air.
Clean Your Fridge and Dishwasher
There is no better time for a clean fridge than after a messy summer. Unplug the refrigerator and remove all contents before giving it a good wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Use hot water and dish soap to clean the shelves. Don’t forget to clean the fridge coils periodically, since they help regulate the temperature. These are located either in the back of your fridge or under the front lower panel.
Believe it or not, you also have to wash your dishwasher. To clean the dishwasher, simply run a cycle with a cup of vinegar sitting in the top rack. And don't forget to empty and rinse the filter.
Automate Tasks
You can save time by automating specific tasks like vacuuming, and save money by investing in smart thermostats and blinds. Scheduling a robot vacuum to run at particular times can keep your floors clean and remove one task from your weekly chores list.
A smart thermostat can adjust the climate control in your home to maintain an energy-saving temperature when you’re not there and keep it more comfortable when you are, saving you money on energy bills. Smart blinds can be programmed to open and close based on the time of day, so you don’t have to remember to do it.
Inspect Your Roof and Gutters
Consider getting your roof inspected and gutters cleaned out after the summer. Depending on your local summer weather, rainstorms and other debris can cause damage to your shingles and clog up the gutters. Even if your roof isn’t damaged, clogged gutters can cause water damage and lead to related issues, such as foundation problems and mold growth.
Call your local roofer for an inspection before harsher weather arrives, and you can save yourself headaches and costly repairs down the road. Since the roof keeps your family safe, it’s an essential seasonal task that even the busiest families should make time for.
Cleaning out gutters is a DIY task most homeowners can tackle themselves.
Settle on a Schedule
Some tasks, like appliance maintenance, can be done on a monthly basis. Others are done seasonally, annually or as needed. Checking that your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors work should be done every month due to their importance. Weatherstripping, roof inspections and flushing the water heaters are seasonal tasks that are just as crucial to maintaining system effectiveness, but don’t need to be done as often.
This story was produced by HomeServe USA Editorial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
