Prepared for Anything: A Comprehensive Home Maintenance Checklist

A home that’s not maintained properly can soon require expensive repairs. The longer a home goes without the right type of home maintenance tasks being done, the worse any potential issues will get. As the potential issues worsen, they then become more expensive and complicated to repair. 

Don’t let this negative part of homeownership place a burden on you. There is a way to prevent major problems from occurring. Keeping up with proper home maintenance will ensure your home stays in excellent condition. 

It’s not unusual for an issue to occur once in a while, and it’s something to be expected with homeownership. The trick is to catch the issue in the early stages and make the repairs before the conditions get worse. In the guide below, you’ll find a home maintenance checklist.

Continue reading below to learn more about some of these important maintenance tasks to keep up with. Here are a few home maintenance tips you need to know!

Correct Power Issues With Outlets

It’s a good idea to check all of the power outlets in your home once a year. Make sure each outlet is working properly. If there’s an issue with an outlet, then contact a professional electrician. 

The electrician will be able to fix the problem. Now is also the ideal time to ensure you have ground fault circuit interrupter receptacles with the “Test” and “Rest” buttons surrounding any plumbing. If you don’t and plan on selling your house in the future, then this could be an issue that comes up on the inspection. 

Clean Out All Exhaust Fans

If your home has exhaust fans, that’s wonderful! Exhaust fans work well to remove humidity in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Over time, however, they’ll begin to build dust in and around them. 

If not cleaned correctly, then they might also begin to grow mold or mildew. For this reason, you’ll want to remove and clean all your exhaust fans once a year. Doing so will ensure any excess moisture stays out of your home and that the exhaust fans continue to work properly. 

Recaulk Bathtubs and Showers

It’s normal for the caulking in your bathtub or shower to become worn down over time. You may notice cracking, peeling, or mildew on the caulking. Once you notice any of these signs, be sure to remove the old caulking and replace it with new caulking. 

The process of recaulking a bathtub or shower is fairly inexpensive and quick. Any grout on the bathroom tiles can also begin to grow mold or mildew. If this happens, simply use a bleach solution on the tiles and grout. 

It’s also a good idea to spray your shower or bathtub down with a natural cleaner after each use to prevent mildew or mold from growing and to keep soap scum at a minimum. 

Improve Direction of Downspouts

The downspouts on your home should point in a direction that leads all water away from your home and the foundation. Sometimes, damage or age can cause the direction of the downspouts to shift. If this happens, water may run down the spout and onto your home or foundation causing a variety of issues. 

To prevent this from happening, check the downspouts on a regular basis to ensure the water flow is directed away from your home. It’s a simple fix that will save you lots of money in the long run. You should also consider removing any debris from the gutters on a regular basis to prevent clogs, mildew, and gutter damage. 

Clear Out All Drains

Every now and then, it’s also a good idea to clear out all of the drains inside your home. It’s normal for drains to become slow as time goes by. Hair, soap scum, food particles, and other debris can all cause a drain to become clogged or drain slowly. 

If you notice any drains draining slowly, then try to correct the issue by using a drain snake. Snakes help remove hair and other clogs from the drains without being harsh on the drains themselves. You don’t want to use drain cleaner too often because it can damage pipes if overused. 

If ever in doubt, then don’t hesitate to contact a local plumber for help. 

Replace Old or Stuck Windows

The windows in your home provide you with an escape route in case of emergencies. All windows in your home should be able to open, shut, and lock properly. If you’re having issues with any of the windows in your home, then consider looking into estimated home window prices.

Old windows or windows that won’t open should be replaced as soon as possible since they pose a fire hazard. 

Maintain the Roof

The roof of your home is what keeps everything inside your home safe. Without a roof in good condition, you’re sacrificing the safety of your entire home. Maintain the roof by walking around the perimeter of your home on a regular basis looking for signs of broken shingles, water damage, debris piles, and mold or mildew. 

You can also check the inside of your home for signs of a leaky roof, such as water stains on the ceilings and walls. If you do happen to notice any of these signs, then the best thing to do is contact a professional roofer. 

Home Maintenance Is Essential for a Safe Home

If you want to maintain a safe home, then you’ll need to perform regular home maintenance. Use this helpful guide above to ensure you’re checking all of the major elements of your home. You should also keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive. 

There are several other areas of the home that will need regular maintenance or inspection including the foundation, the HVAC unit, and more. Use this checklist as a starting point and ensure to maintain all areas of the home properly. 

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