8 Home Maintenance Tips To Do At Least Once A Year

Home maintenance is one of the most important parts of living in a home. It’s an essential part of keeping your house safe and comfortable, while also helping to extend its life. If you’re looking for some home maintenance tips on how to do basic maintenance yourself, this guide will help you get started.

Check the electrical system

When you’re doing your spring cleaning, check the electrical system in your home. This is especially important if you haven’t done it in a while or if you’ve had some work done. The best way to do this is by flipping the main breaker for your house, which should be a big round switch on the side of your breaker box. Then flip all of the breakers off and on again once each one has been checked.

An electrical contracting business like Connected recommended that when checking these elements, make sure that they are secure and that there isn’t any fraying wiring or loose connections anywhere along where they might run through other components (like switches). You also want to check that all of your outlets are working properly by plugging something into them and using an outlet tester (which can be found at most hardware stores).

Change the furnace filter

If you’re not sure how often to change your furnace filter, check the manufacturer’s instructions. Most filters need to be replaced every 3-6 months, depending on how much dust and debris is in the air within your home. If you are using a disposable filter that came with your heating system, it should have instructions on how many times you can use it before replacing it with another one.

Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors

It’s a good idea to test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors once each month. Test the carbon monoxide detector by putting it in an area where you can easily hear as it beeps. Make sure that the batteries are working, and clean any dust or debris from the sensors. Replace old batteries at least once a year (or sooner if you notice corrosion or other signs of reduction).

When testing your smoke detector, make sure there is no dust on or around it—this can cause false alarms when the alarm goes off accidentally. Also, make sure that you check all of the outlets in your home for proper wiring so that they don’t cause false alarms as well; most people have more than one outlet in each room of their house, which means there are plenty of opportunities for mistakes like this one.

Inspect your roof and gutters

Before you get started, it’s important to make sure that your roof is in good shape. Check for missing shingles and any leaks, as well as damage to gutters, the attic, and the roof. Look for loose or missing nails.

Clean out your dryer vent

When you clean out your dryer vent, it’s important to make sure that the vent is not blocked by lint and debris. If it is, this could cause a fire hazard or other safety issues. You also want to make sure that there are no kinks in your vent as these can create hot spots inside your dryer which can lead to fires as well. After cleaning out the lint trap on top of your dryer door and removing any lint or debris from inside the drum, inspect all ductwork for holes or leaks. Alternatively, you might want to consider hiring dryer vent cleaning services instead, which specialise in removing lint buildup and ensuring the ducts are clear and safe. This not only minimises fire risks but also helps improve your dryer’s efficiency. This will help prevent mold growth within those areas as well!

Clean your refrigerator coils

Cleaning your refrigerator coils is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent your unit from breaking down. We recommend cleaning them every six months, but if you don’t have time for this task then at least once a year.

To clean the coils:

• Unplug your refrigerator and remove both doors
• Remove the grille or kickplate on the bottom front of your unit (this will vary depending on the model)
• Look at the condenser fan assembly; it should be located inside a metal housing attached to the back wall of your freezer compartment—this is where warm air is pushed out by an electric motor-driven fan blade when it’s working properly

Wash your windows

When you are cleaning your glass, start at one end of the window and work your way down, cleaning in an upward motion from top to bottom as you go along. Then, go back over every inch of that window again in a downward motion from top to bottom until all streaks are gone (this step is what makes all the difference). Do this for each pane individually before moving on to another part of your home! If you’re dealing with several layers of paint on some sections, it may take more than one round because there’s plenty more work inside these older homes!

Deep clean your kitchen cabinets

It’s important to deep clean the inside of your cabinets. Spray down a mixture of baking soda and water on the shelves, then wipe them down with a damp cloth. If there are any hard-to-reach spaces or nooks that need extra cleaning attention, use an old toothbrush to get in there.

After you’ve thoroughly cleaned the inside of each cabinet, give their exteriors a thorough scrubbing as well—you might be surprised at how dirty they can be! For wooden cabinets, use warm water mixed with salt to remove grease stains if necessary; for metal cabinets, try using vinegar or rubbing alcohol; for glass doors and other clear paneling materials like acrylic we recommend using rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner (just avoid ammonia-based cleaners as they can damage some plastics).

Conclusion

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and forget about all of the things that need to be done around the house. This list is a great way to stay on top of what needs attention so that you can keep your home running smoothly year-round!

About the Author

Patrick Watt is a content writer, writing in several areas, primarily in business growth, value creation, M&A, and finance. Other interests also include content marketing and self-development. Say hi to Patrick on Twitter @patrickwattpat.

Photo by Roselyn Tirado on Unsplash