Home Maintenance Checklist – An Systematic Approach To Home Care
Home maintenance checklist is easy and comprehensive way of taking care of a home. Taking proper care of the home is a responsibilty. It needs regular checks and proper maintenance for trouble-free living. Also, a well-maintained home is sight for sore eyes. Not, only can you be proud of such a home but others who look at your house know that you have put in all the effort to give your abode your full attention.
Here’s a general home maintenance checklist that should give you the start you need. Taken from Bob Vila’s site, it’s just a partial list, but a good start to make.
General Home Maintenance Checklist
Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in the kitchen and bathroom(s). Replace washers as necessary.10. Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open. Replace seals as needed.
11. Storm Windows and Screens: (Fall) Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows. (Spring) Remove, clean, and store storm windows (if removable). Check and patch all door and window screens. Put screens up (if removable type).
12. Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary. A carpet knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions with the hook-like blade, then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact.
13. Basement: Check the basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean the dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in the kitchen and bathroom(s). Replace washers as necessary.
10. Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open. Replace seals as needed.
11. Storm Windows and Screens: (Fall) Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows. (Spring) Remove, clean, and store storm windows (if removable). Check and patch all door and window screens. Put screens up (if removable type).
12. Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary. A carpet knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions with the hook-like blade, then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact.
13. Basement: Check the basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean the dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
EVERY FALL
� Roof: Inspect roof surface, flashing, eaves, and soffits; repair if needed.
� Gutters and Downspouts: Clean out. Inspect and repair weak points; check for proper slope.
� Chimney or Stovepipe: Clean flue (more frequently if needed); repair any cracks in flue or any loose or crumbling mortar.
� Siding: Inspect and clean siding and repair if needed.
� Exterior Caulking: Inspect caulking and replace any that is deteriorating.
� Storm Windows and Doors: Replace any cracked or broken glass; tighten or repair any loose or damaged frames and repaint if needed. Replace damaged hardware; tighten and lubricate door hinges and closers.
� Window and Door Weather Stripping: Inspect and repair or replace if it is deteriorating or if it does not seal.
� Thermostat: Clean heat sensor, contact points, and contacts; check accuracy and replace thermostat if it is not functioning properly.
� Outdoor Faucets: If you live in an area with freezing winters, shut off valves to outdoor faucets. Open spigots and drain, store hoses.
It’s not just the seasons that bring with them tasks for home maintenance. There are critters and insects to be taken care of too. There are bugs and rodents that make our home their home and eat into expensive wood work and damaging the insulation in the attics. The following home maintenance checklists for bugs is a good start to make for keeping your home free of them.
Carpenter Ants: Carpenter ants are the largest variety of common ants found in North America. Carpenter ants do not eat wood; however, they do nest in it. They earned their name by building galleries in wood and by carefully finishing the surfaces of these galleries. When chewing their way through wood they leave small particles resembling saw dust which they push out of the colony. It is the presence of this saw dust which indicates a colony. Carpenter ants tend to be most active in the spring and early summer. They are usually dormant during a portion of the winter. Outdoors, they feed on other insects and plant material while indoors they feed on household food.
To prevent a carpenter ant infestation, decayed wood should be removed from around the building. Firewood should not be stored indoors for long periods of time. Wood used where dampness may occur should be treated with a preserva-tive. Food stuffs, such as sugar, should be stored in closed containers and, should a spill occur, it should be cleaned up quickly.
Chemical control of carpenter ants should be undertaken by a qualified pest control company. Carpenter ants often nest inside walls, ceilings, outdoor siding, eaves, floors, window casings, etc. They prefer wet wood, and can often be found in rotting wood.
Earwigs: Earwigs are one of the most common pests in homes and gardens. They eat both plant and animal food. They often damage flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Chemical treatment for the control of earwigs should be applied in June or early July. The treatment should be applied along building foundations, under porches and around fences, wood piles, garages and tree trunks. Chemical treatment is effective in the short term, however, it is not uncommon for a garden to be reinfested in as little as two weeks after treatment. Earwigs are nocturnal, searching for food at night and hiding during the day.
Silverfish: Silverfish are nocturnal and prefer damp dark areas of the house. They appreciate warm temperatures and can often be found in furnace rooms. They feed on starchy materials such as wallpaper paste or sizing and glue. They will also eat bread crumbs and other human food. Sometimes, they feed on paper or other wood by-products.
While chemical treatment can be effective, non-chemical treatment also works. Proper vacuuming in areas where they are likely to hide is essential. Old books, papers, et cetera, should not be left in unventilated areas for long periods of time.
Small jars, partially filled with water can be used to trap silverfish. Once inside the jar they cannot crawl up the sides. The outside of the jar should be covered with masking tape to allow them to climb up easily.
Cockroaches: There are many species of cockroaches found in North America. Cockroaches eat many different things, including food, paper, plants, glue, etc. They prefer a damp dark environment. Roaches can be a health hazard as they have been known to carry salmonella bacteria. Getting rid of cockroaches is very difficult. Good housekeeping is a must. Spills should be cleaned up promptly and food should be kept in insect proof containers. If possible, repair any damp areas in the home.
Chemical treatment is best performed by a professional.
Sowbugs: Sowbugs are actually not insects. They are crustaceans (the same family as shrimp, lobsters, et cetera). Sowbugs seldom do serious damage to houses; however, they do feed on decaying organic matter and chronically wet, rotted wood is sometimes their food. They are usually found in dark, damp environments such as the comers of basements.
The dryer and better ventilated the basement is, the less the likelihood of sowbugs.
Termites: Subterranean termites usually do not live in houses but rather in the soil below. Termites live on wood. While they prefer damp or decaying wood, they will also eat sound dry lumber. The damage to the wood is seldom noticeable as they eat through the interior. If there is no direct wood/soil contact, termites must build shelter tubes or tunnels to get from the soil to the wood. It is the presence of these tubes which indicate an infestation. The tubes are typically 1/4 to 1/2 inch in width and are made of soil glued together by the termites.
The amount of damage which can be caused by termites can be extensive. If shelter tubes are noticed, a pest control company should be contacted immediately. In some areas, government assistance is available for treatment. In addition to chemical treatment, it is also necessary to break all wood/soil contact.
The above are just a few tasks from a complete home maintenance checklist. Depending on your home, your local conditions and weather it is best to create your own checklist and mark it on the calendar. So, you don’t forget to take care of your home as it should be.
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