Tag: cleaning checklist

January Home Maintenance

Happy New Year! I love January for the fresh start it brings to mind. Start your year off right by updating your new calendar with your scheduled appointments and tasks, and tackling this month’s list of your home to-do’s early! You’ve got this!

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  • Test all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Keep an eye out for bargains on discontinued appliances and tools. Before buying, make sure the warranties are still valid.
  • Organize your home improvement files. Review warranties and product manuals for recommenced maintenance for furnaces, equipment, appliances, and tools. Update your calendar to keep everything on schedule.
  • Update your home inventory list. Add new items that you received as holiday gifts. Photographs to go with your room-by-room list will be very helpful in the event of a fire, flood, or other disaster.
  • Review your homeowner’s policy. Make sure you have enough coverage under your contents section (your updated inventory list comes in to play here), and be aware of the different deductibles you may be subject to. For instance, a wind deductible is usually higher than a standard policy deductible, and groundwater is often not a covered loss.
  • Remove drain traps from under your sinks and clean them thoroughly along with the pop-up drain plugs. Test your water heater temperature pressure relief valve by lowering the test lever and allowing some water to flow through the pipe. If no water flows or if it only trickles out, replace the valve.

Here’s your printable January Home Maintenance Checklist

June Home Maintenance

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We’ve simplified a quick list of monthly to-do’s to keep you on track with your home maintenance so that you can get things done, and then with peace of mind, enjoy everything special about the season. June is the start of summer, so tackle these early and enjoy the warm weather!

  • Test all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Seal your deck. You will need 3 consecutive warm, sunny days. Give the deck a full day to get nice and dry. On the second day, scrub and clean it early. On the third day, at least 24hours after cleaning apply the sealer.
  • Hire a certified chimney sweep. Cleaning and inspecting the chimney now, instead of in the cooler fall months, allows for ample time to complete any necessary repairs. It will also be easier to schedule with them since many people wait until just before the heating season.
  • Clean your home’s exterior with a mild detergent and a water hose. Pressure washers are great tools, but when it comes to siding, they are so powerful that they can actually force water underneath, encouraging the growth of mold and mildew.
  • Clean your dryer vent system. This is a key task for fire safety. Lint is extremely flammable. Open up the back of the dryer and clean in there too. If you’re looking for a professional to do it, ask your local duct cleaners.
  • Make sure that your motion detector lighting systems and automatic timers are all set and working properly. Those automatic timers are particularly important if you plan to be away on vacation.

Printable version: June Home Maintenance Checklist