A home, like an automobile, requires care by its owner from day one. Homeowner maintenance is essential to maintaining the value, quality and safety of your home. With a new home, you have a great opportunity to start from square one with maintenance and care to build a safe and long-lasting environment. Below is a recommended schedule for regular home maintenance.

Routine Home Maintenance Calendar

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MONTHLY:

• Check caulking and replace any that has dried out, shrunk or is missing
• Conduct operational checks on irrigation system to ensure proper performance
• Check that fire extinguisher is fully charged
• Replace any fiberglass furnace filter that may be in place

EVERY 6 MONTHS:

• Reseal tile grout
• Maintain granite surfaces with conditioners or sealers
• Use glass cleaners to remove scale & soap scum buildup in showers (use caution as some cleaners can pit aluminum surfaces)
• Furnace: change air filter in the furnace

SEASONALLY:

• Check roofing, siding & exterior caulking and repair if needed
• Shut off valves to outdoor faucets, drain spigots and hoses during winter
• Close or block crawl space vents during the winter months
• Landscaping: perform blow out of irrigation system before freezing temperatures set in

ANNUALLY:

• Flooring: Professionally clean carpets
• Grounds: Maintain water runoff around property and remove any fire hazards
• Gutters: Remove debris from gutters, check caulking around gutter joints, check for any drainage issues in underground drains
• Hot Water Heater: Review & follow manufacturer’s timetable and instruction for draining water from the water heater
• Furnace: Test the heating system BEFORE you need to use it and have an HVAC service company provide annual maintenance
• Replace batteries in smoke & carbon monoxide detectors

EVERY 2 YEARS:

Air Conditioning: have a qualified technician perform a checkup on your air conditioning system

General Maintenance Tips

CLEANING:

• Cleaning solutions: Use non-abrasive cleaners, such as mild detergents, to clean surfaces whenever possible.
• Cleaning tools: Never use steel wool or scrubbing pads on stainless steel, ceramic, plastic or other surfaces that these materials may harm.
• Glass shower doors: Use a squeegee to clear water off glass doors/screens on showers. This provides the most effective method of avoiding water spots and scale from accumulating on the glass.
• Grout: Grout that yellows or stains can be cleaned with a soft bristle brush, cleanser and water. Grout cleaner and whiteners are available at most home improvement & hardware stores.
• Cabinets: Dust cabinet surfaces regularly to avoid buildup and use wood & wood finish-safe cleaners only if needed. A small amount of lubricant may be used on hinges to keep the action of the hinge moving smoothly.
• Wood floors: Immediately wipe up any spills or spots from the floor with a damp cloth, regularly sweep or vacuum, in high-traffic areas, use area rugs (specifically designed for hardwood floors that allow the floor to breathe).

MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE:

• Furnaces filters: Forced air furnace filters should generally be replaced every 6 months and before starting up the heating system for the winter season. However some filters, such as fiberglass should be replaced every month so be aware of what kind of filter you have.
• HVAC: Allow time for your heating and cooling systems to adjust the temperature of your home. Adjusting the thermostat to a lower temperature will not make the air conditioning unit work any faster and can often cause the unit to “freeze up.” The same concept applies to heating your home. Excessive heating can cause framing lumber to shrink and materially damage your home.
• Humidifier: Be sure to turn off humidifiers that may be installed on the furnace system while running the air conditioning. The added moisture can also cause the system to “freeze up.”
• Garage pipes: Keep your garage door closed during times of extreme cold to help prevent freezing of any pipes located in the garage.