| |
 SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE
Your
home needs a little TLC at least once a month
By
Lou Manfredini
A friend
of mine said to me recently, "What I need is a book that
shows me how my home works, and tells me what I need to do
to keep it not only looking good but functioning well."
I think we all wish our homes came with a set of instructions,
just the way our cars did. For instance, what are you supposed
to do to keep the boiler or the furnace running at its peak
efficiency? How do you maintain the water heater, and do you
need to shut off those outside hose bibs so they won’t freeze?
Well,
rest assured I’ve put together such a book, called  Mr.
Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home. In the mean time,
here is a schedule for some key home maintenance tips to consider,
whether your home is old or new. I’ll break them down by frequency:
ONCE
A YEAR…
- Have
your furnace, boiler or air conditioning unit professionally
inspected and cleaned. This will ensure the unit won’t let
you down when you need it.
- Drain
your water heater. This will remove sediment that accumulates
in the bottom of the tank, and will prolong its life by
between seven and 15 years.
- Have
your chimney cleaned and inspected. Especially if you have
a fireplace, this is a must to limit the potential fire
hazard.
- If
you a sump pump in your basement, clean out its ejector
pit and inspect the pump. This will protect the unit—as
well as your possessions and mechanical equipment stored
down there.
ONCE
EVERY SIX MONTHS…
- Squirt
a little lightweight oil into the locks of your front and
rear entry doors as well as the garage doors to keep them
working smoothly.
- Take
a vacuum and thin brush and clean the coils on the back
of your refrigerator. This will boost efficiency, and add
years to the life of the unit.
- Clean
out the vent from the dryer, either by hand or with a shop
vacuum. Otherwise, lint can build up and could cause a fire.
- Inspect
downspouts and clean the gutters, or have someone come and
clean them for you if you don’t like climbing ladders. This
will keep them from overflowing and flooding your basement
or crawlspace.
ONCE
A MONTH…
- Scrub
your sinks and bathtubs with a little bleach and water to
kill any odor-causing bacteria. Let the bleach-filled water
drain and don’t run any additional water overnight. This
will kill any bacteria in the drain lines, as well.
- Wipe
down refrigerator shelves with bleach and water to kill
any bacteria that could form from food spills.
- Test
all your GFCI breakers (the receptacles with the buttons
usually located in the kitchen, bathrooms and outdoors).
Do this by pushing the red button. It should trip the circuit,
which will ensure that you are protected from potential
shocks.
This all
may sound like a lot of work—but it’s essential. Once you
mark these tasks on the calendar, you’ll find it easier to
get into the rhythm of monitoring the health of your home.
That way, you can keep things running smoothly, and eliminate
nasty, expensive surprises.
---
This article
originally appeared in USA Weekend magazine.
|
