Preventative home maintenance is essential to maintain your home’s property value, like regular oil changes in your car or yearly check-ups at the doctor. It’s a good idea to divide up the maintenance tasks by season so you can spreads out the costs and keeps things more manageable. We also recommend hiring a licensed professional if any of the upkeep goes beyond your skill level.
FALL Checklist for Homeowners
- General Inspection – Conduct a general inspection of the interior and exterior of your home. There are many available inspection checklists online you can utilize and customize to fit your home.
- Roof Maintenance – Check for shingles that are cracked or curled up on the edges, loose nails, and mold or algae. Make sure all areas are waterproofed and sealed up. Replace caulking or mortar around a chimney, electrical boxes, and plumbing. Check for a frayed or cracking conduit that needs replacing.
- Gutter Cleaning – Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts.
- Heating System – Have a licensed HVAC company service and maintain your heating system.
- Fireplace – Inspect, clean, and maintain your fireplace by a licensed professional.
- Seal Cracks – Seal cracks and gaps around plumbing, wires, windows, and doors with caulk or weather stripping.
- Doors – Fix any interior and squeaky exterior doors, loose handles, and locks.
- Exterior Walls – Seal exterior wall hairline cracks using a latex and silicone caulking or sanded caulk. If there are any gaps larger than a hairline, we recommend calling an expert.
- Outside Windows – Power-wash the windows and siding.
- Inside Windows – Clean the window tracks and door screens.
- Driveway – Repair cracks in the driveway or walkway.
- Hot Water Tank – Descale and maintain the hot water tank.
- Replace Batteries – Replace the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Slider Tracks – Clean slider tracks using a vacuum. We also recommend using a “Fast Orange Hand Cleaner” on a moist cotton cloth to clean, seal and lubricate the tracks.
- Dryer – Vacuum lint from underneath the front/back of your dryer using a flexible cleaning attachment. Read your dryer’s manufacturer instructions.
- Cords & Wires – Check the interior and exterior for frayed cords and wires that need replacing.
- Irrigation Timer – Change the irrigation timer settings as necessary.
- Dishwasher – Clean the dishwasher filter and arm sprayer. See your dishwasher’s manufacturer instructions. You should also add a cleaner to an empty dishwasher and run a cycle.
Getting Your Home Ready for the Fall?
Home maintenance takes time, but you don’t have to feel overwhelmed! Custom Home Maintenance (CHM) can customize a schedule for your home using an online digital format. We will set up a maintenance schedule pertinent to your home that sends out reminders when a task is due. We include appliance warranty information, “How to” descriptions, and we will even upload a list of our vetted contractors. After your home is set up you can choose to manage your own home maintenance or work with CHM to manage it for you.
Contact us today to find out more about setting up a preventative maintenance plan that works for your home.
Phone: 310-237-3869
Email: [email protected]
