Home Maintenance schedule

Having a home inspection prior to buying a home is imperative but buying a home means more than just having a place to live. I guess you can think of it like your body....they say 'You are what you eat and do', so if you're eating junk food and you're a couch potato, well you won't be too fit.

Same goes for your home.  Many of our clients use our comprehensive home inspection reports to prioritize their repairs and maintenance schedules. You can neglect your home for only so long before minor issues become greater and more expensive problems. ​

Inspecting your home on a regular basis and performing necessary maintenance is key to protecting your investment. 
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​I've owned my current home for over 20 years now. So thankfully, by doing periodic maintenance throughout the years, I get to enjoy the summer. But then again, let's face it, yard work is a weekly chore that takes up quite a bit of one's spare time. So I like to save the scheduled maintenance items for the remaining seasons.

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Since spring is upon us, I'll start with what I do in the spring to ensure my house is in tip-top shape:

1. Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
2. Check and replace exterior caulking and weatherstripping around windows/doors etc.
3. Exterior water control is key to avoiding water coming into the home. So to get ready for those April showers, I clean the eaves trough, I make sure the grade, driveway and sidewalk slope away from my home and I'll take a quick look on  my roof to make sure everything's intact.
4. I'll walk around my home and check the exterior walls, foundation and soffit/fascia to see if there are any changes or repairs required.
5. My sump pump is pretty active, so I make sure it's working and there are no obstructions.
6. The filter on my air conditioner doesn't usually need attention, but I'll check it anyway to make sure it's clean.

In the fall, my routine is as follows:

1. I'll make sure my furnace filter is replaced.
2. I'll take my infrared camera around the house to see if there are any air leaks that I should seal.
3. My dryer duct gets a cleaning around this time of year.
4. I've got a few outdoor taps that need to be shut off from the interior of the house so that pipes don't burst. This task was especially important this past year with the Polar Vortex that we experienced!
5. I'll take another peak at my roof in case there is any hail damage or issues.
6. I like to check the eaves troughs again to make sure they are clear of leaves and debris.
7. My wife can't make it through the winter without our wood-burning fireplace, so I make sure the chimney is cleaned and the firebricks are intact.

In the winter, I only have a few concerns:

1. Replacing the furnace filter
2. Replacing the batteries in our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
3. Keeping enough wood stocked for our fireplace! Remember, happy wife = happy life ;)