A checklist to keep your home running efficiently.
Whether you’re a new or existing homeowner, navigating home maintenance can be overwhelming.
Below are more than twenty ways to keep your home’s heating and cooling, plumbing, and electrical running efficiently.
Heating and Cooling
- Change Filters Monthly
- Get a programmable Thermostat- set it and forget it
- Keep shrubs, grass, and debris away from the outdoor unit
- When mowing/weed eating be cautious not to damage or cover the outdoor unit with lawn clippings
- Inspect your condensate drain monthly during warm months to ensure it isn’t clogged
- Keep windows and doors closed while the AC is running
Plumbing
- Periodically, run water at all fixtures and check for leaks on both the supply side and the drains
- Look around the water heater for signs of leaks (many times water heaters are hidden out of sight and a small leak can become a big problem if left unattended)
- To improve their efficiency, flush out water heaters, annually
- Tankless water heaters should be flushed, serviced, and descaled annually
- Have septic tanks pumped every 3 to 5 years (or when full)_
- Hoses should not be attached to outside frostless hose bibbs during freezing weather
- Know the location of the main water shut-off valve and open and close it annually to keep it moving freely.
- Check to ensure that the toilet flapper is working properly (a small leak between the tank and the bowl can add up to a lot of wasted water and money over time)
- Inspect the condition of the washing machine hoses. We recommend Braided Stainless steel hoses with auto shutoff features.
- If you have a whole house water filter, change it frequently.
Electrical
- Test smoke detectors every six months. If they are 10 years or older, they should be replaced.
- Test GFCI breakers by tripping and resetting.
- Visually inspect for discolored, loose, or broken switch/receptacle devices and covers.
- Make sure the area in front of electrical panels stay clear and are not used for storage.
- Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from meter base.
- Have any lights, receptacles, switches, and other electrical devices that are not working properly replaced or repaired.
- If you have a house standby generator, make sure it is conducting its automatic cycling sequence.
- Visually inspect extension/small appliance cords for outer jacket/insulation damage like exposed/frayed wiring; replace as necessary
- Remember that extension cords should only be used as a temporary measure. If in use for more than 30 days, consider having a receptacle outlet installed.