logo
logo
Sign in

Vital Home Maintenance Projects You Won't Want to Skip

avatar
N Winezog
Vital Home Maintenance Projects You Won't Want to Skip

Most homeowners have items that they frequently check and keep an eye on, like toilets and furnace filters which are vitally important to the smoothest running home. That being said it’s easy to forget about some things that should be on your on radar. I’m talking about window health, refrigerator coils, and sump pumps. When these items fail you can be sure to fork out a lot of money to repair or fix any damage to the appliance or your home. In this post, I’ll outline some things that are often forgotten but vitally important to maintaining

Windows –

Drafty or unproperly sealed windows lets warm air leak into your home during the summer and out of your home during the colder months. The US Department of Energy estimates fixing drafts in the home can save you 5 to 30% of your energy consumption per year. Finding drafts in your windows is as simple as lighting a candle and moving it around the frame of the window. If the flame flickers or bends anywhere mark that spot with a sticky note so you can go back and seal it further. Because caulk degrades over time, it’s inevitable for windows caulking to have small gaps and cracks. Using rope caulk is an easy solution to fix smaller problems whereas larger problems may need to be fully re-caulked. Shrink wrap kits can help fix drafty windows in a pinch, it’s a thin plastic film with double-sided tape that is actively shrunk with the help of a hair dryer! These kits can be found at almost any local or big box hardware store.

Water Heater –

Tank style water heaters either electric or gas, hold between 20 to 80 gallons of heated water at a time. The tank with which it’s held is lined with glass to prevent corrosion and often times contains what’s called an anode rod. Anode rods are metal rods that go through the length of the tank and sacrifice itself to corrosion in order to protect the tank. In order to prevent corrosion to the tank of the water heater and allow the anode rod to properly do its job, you should drain the contents of your water heater at least once per year. By draining the tank in the water heater, you drain any excess sediment that may have entered the tank and can accelerate the corrosion process. Not only does this process help with the corrosion of the tank, but it also can help your heating element on electric water heaters to work correctly and avoid hot spots on gas-powered models.

Refrigerators –

Many of us just assume the refrigerator will work consistently and without much attention. Truly it’s a testament to how solid these appliances really are. That being said, there is some minimal amount of attention you’ll want to pay to the old trusty fridge. Cleaning your refrigerator condenser coils can alleviate any issues with the condenser properly releasing heat. If the coils are dirty or clogged with pet hair, cobwebs, and dust it forces the compressor to work harder and longer than necessary consuming more energy and shortening its life. Consider buying a coil-cleaning brush from a local or big box hardware store as it’s much easier to clean these coils with the proper tools.

Dryer Vents –

You probably already clean out the dryer lint filter every time you put in or take out a load of laundry but you probably don’t think about the dryer vent. Plugged dryer vents can at the least cause your dryer to work much harder consuming valuable energy and costing you money, and at the worst cause a deadly house fire. Excess lint, bird or rodent nesting can cause major clogs to the system and it’s important to periodically clean this vent out. To clean the dryer vent, remove the vent from the back of the dryer and take either a dry/wet vacuum to suck away the debris or considering buying a dryer vent cleaning kit which includes a brush on a flexible long rod that attaches to a power drill.

Sump Pump –

While this particular maintenance tip may not apply to all homeowners it’s important to remember if you have a sump pump or buying a place with a sump pump. Sump pumps prevent flooding to homes by pumping out water where flooding regularly happens. They can be a lifesaver during a flooding emergency and save you thousands and thousands of dollars. To ensure that your sump pump is running efficiently dump some water into the basin a couple of times a year to see if the pump is properly pushing the water back into the municipal storm drain or dry well. Also, make sure to check the vertical float switch is working properly and not tangled or disconnected.

These 5 items should be added to your regular home maintenance routine. By truly maintaining your home you can save on your bills and energy consumption as well as ensure you’re keeping your place in tip-top shape!

collect
0
avatar
N Winezog
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more