Home Maintenance Checklist: What Wilmington Homeowners Should Know
When you first enter the world of homeownership, it’s challenging to keep up with all of the necessary home maintenance.
Generally, our technicians group home maintenance tasks into 4 categories:
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Spring Home Maintenance
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Fall Home Maintenance
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Monthly Home Maintenance
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Annual Home Maintenance
Wilmington, NC Home Maintenance Checklist
Below, we provide a basic homeowner checklist for each maintenance category.
Spring Home Maintenance
Hire a technician for pre-summer HVAC maintenance.
The last thing you want is for your air conditioning system to break down in the middle of a hot Wilmington, NC summer. Before we reach summertime, you should schedule a professional HVAC inspection and service .
Check for damaged cords and outlets.
To ensure the safety of your family and maintain your electrical systems, you’ve got to keep a regular eye on your cords and outlets – in your home interior and exterior.
Examine your home exterior for leaks and other problems.
Spring is the ideal time to get outside and check your roof, siding, windows, and vents for damage. Inspect and clean out your gutters and make sure water drains away from your house. Clean and replace window wells and screens, clear out dryer vents and exhaust ducts, and look for signs of rodents, roaches, and termites.
Trim trees with intruding limbs.
Wilmington, NC gets its fair share of storms and windy days. If any of your trees look like they are reaching a little too close to your home, you’ll need to trim them back. For branches near power lines, make sure you call your electric company for pruning.
Reverse your ceiling fans.
To move air downward and keep rooms cool during the heat of early spring and summer, the blades should rotate in a counter-clockwise direction.
Inspect your basement.
If you have a basement, now’s the time to check for water build-up, moisture leaks, and cracks. Look for wet spots and puddles, and make sure your floor drain and sump pump work properly.
Fall Home Maintenance
Get pre-winter HVAC maintenance.
To make sure your heating system is working properly for the chillier winter months to come, you need to hire a professional HVAC maintenance technician to do a thorough inspection and make any necessary repairs to your furnace, piping, and other system components.
Examine your insulation.
Make sure your doors and windows close properly and don’t have any air leaks or drafts. Head up to your attic to check on your upper level insulation, as well. You’ll thank yourself come winter when temperatures dip into the 30s.
Check for damaged cords and outlets.
As you did in the spring, ensure all cords and outlets are in good shape. If you discover an issue with your electrical system or components, contact an electrician.
Look for leaks in your plumbing.
Inspect your boiler, hot water heater, water main (or well pump) for leaks or sweating. Not sure what you’re looking for? Hire a professional plumbing technician to check it for you.
Reverse your ceiling fans, again.
Now, the blades should rotate in a clockwise direction. This will ensure the warm air that collects toward the ceiling makes its way down to the rest of your home.
Do another sump pump test.
Your basement’s sump pump should be tested twice a year – once in the spring and again in the fall. You can test your sump pump by pouring water down the sump pit until the pump turns on.
Monthly Home Maintenance
Clean and replace air filters.
Remove any dust or debris on your filters (or simply replace them if they are already too dirty). This is the best way to make sure the air inside your home remains fresh and safe to breathe. This is especially important if your air conditioning system is on for a large portion of each day.
Test your alarms and detectors.
Safety must be every homeowner’s #1 priority. Therefore, it is critical to check your security system, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors on a regular monthly basis.
Look out for leaks and clogs.
Clean out any clogged-up kitchen or bathroom drains once per month. Inspect all of your faucets (and your toilet) for leaks. If you find a leak, address it promptly. Letting a leak sit on the back-burner for too long will only make problems worse. Not to mention, it will also cost you more money each month.
Clean your garbage disposal.
After removing the rubber splash guard, pour a cup of baking soda down the disposal and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, pour a cup of vinegar down and wait 5 minutes. Rinse with hot water and then grind up two cups of ice and one cup of salt. Not only will this eliminate nasty odors, but it will also prevent mold growth.
Adjust your thermostat according to outdoor temperatures.
Try to set your indoor temperature as close to the outdoor temperature as possible – while still maintaining a comfortable environment. You’ll be surprised by the savings on your energy bill.
Annual Home Maintenance
Check appliance hoses and connections.
Pull out your refrigerators, freezers, dishwasher, washer, and dryer at least once every year to examine each appliance for leaks or other damage.
Do a home energy audit.
Be thorough. Spend time looking at your energy expenses over the last year. Determine whether any appliances or components are using more electricity than they generally need. Replace any inefficient parts or appliances. And make a plan for the new year to maximize your home’s energy efficiency.
Service your septic system.
The EPA recommends pumping your septic tank every 3 years at the very least. However, if you have a large household size or a small septic tank, you may want to make this a yearly practice.
Odyssey Mechanical LLC | Wilmington, NC Home Maintenance
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