Winter Home Maintenance

Home maintenance is important to keep major repairs at bay

This is a four part series outlining what you should be completing during each season around the home to ensure that you do not have expensive problems come up. It is always cheaper and easier to keep up on your homes maintenance then to have to repair something that breaks because of lack of maintenance.

Winter Checklist:

Perform any interior painting work

Check the caulking on all of your trim

Take yearly inventory of home items and update your records

Wash down all trim, walls, inside of window areas

Have all carpets/rugs cleaned

Seal all tile work

Check all caulking around tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets

Have main sewer drain line cleaned out

Change furnace filter

Vacuum coils on refrigerator

Clean dryer vent

Test all plumbing shut off values for proper operation

Check fire extinguishers to ensure they are not outdated

Reverse the direction on your ceiling fans/ Clean blades

Clean the filter on your kitchen exhaust fan

Wash all drapes and curtains

Check wiring on all seasonal electrical items

There will be some different items with each individual home and situation. It is best to take your time and look for anything that does not look right. If you do not feel comfortable handling some of these items hire a handyman. They will charge you by the project or if you wish for them to do a complete check it will run about $125.

By: Tom Corliss