Six Ways to Maintain Your Home

8/6/2020 (Permalink)

Simple home maintainence now can save you big problems later!

Summer is the perfect time to freshen up your home. This not only means home spring cleaning, but also home maintenance. After a long winter, many household items may need upkeep or repair. So get your gloves ready and check out these home maintenance tasks for spring.

• Change the air conditioner filter at least once a month. This puts less stress on the unit and allows it to work at maximum efficiency. Choose a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter which traps microscopic particles like mold, pollen, and dust. To replace the air filter, turn off the unit, remove the old filter, and then put the new filter in following the instructions written on its packaging. Don’t forget to also have your AC unit serviced before summer begins.
• Keep gutters and downspouts clean and in good shape to prevent household water damage. First, remove debris from the gutters using your hands or a garden trowel. Then use a garden hose to wash any remaining gunk away. Other things you should fix are sagging gutters and gutter leaks. Next, focus on the downspouts – check for clogs by inserting a garden hose in each of them. In case of a clog, remove it using a plumber’s drain snake.
• Check for animal damage as cold weather can drive animals such as squirrels, rats, raccoons, and opossums to find shelter in your home. They do all kinds of damage to get into your attic, basement or garden shed. Look for signs of chewing on exterior vents, wiring, and building materials. To prevent these critters from entering your home, make sure to seal any entry points and cover attic vents with solid materials. Also, trim the trees around your home.
• Clean your garage. Sort out the stuff in your garage into things to keep, to give away or sell, and to throw away or recycle. Pressure wash the floor then seal or paint it, and paint the walls too. Save storage space by installing hanging racks, storage shelves, and ropes or pulleys.
• Clean your fireplace. Give your wood-burning fireplace a makeover at the start of spring. Remove any ash and charred logs using fireplace tools, then clean the fireplace surround. Once the fireplace is clean, cover the area around it with a tarp. Don’t clean the chimney yourself – leave that to a professional chimney sweep.
• Check window and door screens. As it gets warmer outside, it’s important to prevent insects from entering your home. This means you should check for holes in the window and door screens. Patch holes that are bigger than the size of a quarter. Also ensure screens are securely fastened, lubricate door hinges, and replace broken hardware.

During summer, stay vigilant of thunderstorms and flooding. Learn how to prevent flooding and how to prepare for summer storms. For flood water damage repair and mold remediation service, contact your friends at SERVPRO of Lynn/Lynnfield at 781.593.6663