It should be pretty obvious to you that maintaining your home is important, but this isn’t just about appearances—it’s about preserving value, ensuring safety, and making your day-to-day life easier. Unfortunately, though, many people overlook this, especially when it comes to certain tasks. So, to ensure that you don’t make the same mistakes, here are some home maintenance tasks that you should never skip.
Clean Out Your Gutters
You would be surprised at how many people don’t bother to clean out their gutters. This is a serious problem because blocked gutters can cause water overflow, potentially damaging foundations, walls, and air quality over time. Leaves and debris pile up, forcing rainwater to spill over and potentially seep into unwanted areas. The thing is, it’s so easy to have a quick clear-out a few times a year, and the amount that this helps you to protect your home is absolutely worth it.
Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Monthly testing is recommended by fire safety organizations to ensure detectors are functional when you need them most. Despite this though, a lot of people won’t even test their batteries annually, which is pretty concerning. Don’t make that mistake–simply spend a minute or two testing your detectors each month, and you’ll be making your home significantly safer.
Inspect and Seal Windows and Doors
If you live in a warm area, it can be easy to ignore drafts that slip through windows or doors. However, you’d be surprised at how much this can drive up energy costs, so it’s sensible to check for gaps or cracks around frames and address them. Ultimately, a bit of caulking or weather-stripping goes a long way in making your home more energy-efficient and comfortable, so don’t ignore this basic maintenance job.
Clean Your Dryer Vent
It’s scary how easily lint buildup in a dryer vent can create a serious fire hazard, yet so many people forget this. Sure, cleaning out the lint trap after every load is a good start, but the vent itself should ideally be cleaned every six months, especially if you’re a frequent dryer user. Trust us–keeping on top of this simple task will keep your dryer working efficiently and reduce the risk of an accidental fire, so there’s really no excuse not to do it.
Check Your Roof for Damage
Even the strongest roofs will be subject to eventual damage from weather, wind, and age, and this can be pretty serious, especially if loose or missing shingles, cracks, or sagging areas allow water to seep in and cause internal damage. Thankfully, though, this is pretty easily avoided; simply conduct an annual inspection, especially after a harsh winter or severe storm, and you’ll be able to spot potential issues before they become costly problems.
Service Your HVAC System
Heating and cooling systems work hard to keep your home comfortable, so why the heck would you neglect them? You really shouldn’t skip out on basic care, such as regularly changing filters (ideally every 1-3 months) and scheduling annual inspections. Yes, your HVAC system might be seemingly working well, but this doesn’t mean you don’t need to maintain it. Seriously, you’ll save a lot of money due to increased efficiency, and you’ll improve your indoor air quality, making your home a healthier place to be.
Drain the Water Heater
Sediment can build up at the bottom of a traditional water heater, making it less efficient and potentially even damaging the tank. Because of this, flushing it out once a year is very important, as this extends its life significantly and keeps your water heating costs lower. This simple act keeps hot showers reliably hot and your water heater running smoothly, and who wouldn’t want that?
Inspect Plumbing for Leaks
You don’t need to be a plumber to inspect your pipes and faucets for leaks, so don’t get complacent. Sure, small leaks might seem minor, but they still waste water and can lead to bigger issues over time. So, make sure that you’re regularly checking under sinks and around pipes for any signs of moisture, and you’ll be able to catch small leaks before they escalate.
Test Electrical Outlets and Breakers
Many of us are guilty of overloading our outlets, causing faulty breakers, electrical issues, or worse, a fire. Not only should we avoid doing this, but we also need to be testing each outlet and inspect the breaker box annually to ensure that everything works safely. Addressing any warm outlets or frequent breaker trips can protect both your appliances and your home from electrical hazards.
Check for Cracks in Foundation and Walls
It should go without saying that small cracks in foundations and walls are not to be ignored, as they indicate shifting or settling, which may lead to structural issues. If you’ve spotted these early, that’s great news, as you’ll be able to seal them before they grow and compromise the integrity of your home. Therefore, ignoring such cracks is a terrible decision–you should get them sorted ASAP.
Clean Range Hood and Kitchen Exhaust Fans
You’re likely to have seen how cooking oils and smoke leave a greasy residue on kitchen fans, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve ignored this. It’s common to do so, but it’s certainly not wise; this doesn’t just come down to aesthetics but how airflow is reduced, potentially becoming a fire hazard. Simply wipe down the range hood and exhaust fans to help them maintain air quality in the kitchen, and your home will be much safer and more hygienic.
Maintain Lawn and Garden Equipment
Mowers, trimmers, and other outdoor tools work best when kept in good condition, so you shouldn’t overlook the importance of sharpening blades, changing oil, and cleaning after use. If you take care of these quick and easy tasks, your equipment will no doubt last longer and perform better. Ultimately, it’s a no-brainer, so stop ignoring this basic task!
Inspect and Clean the Chimney and Fireplace
In the winter, a cozy fireplace can bring so much warmth and coziness, but it can also lead to creosote buildup, which poses a serious fire hazard. Therefore, hiring a chimney sweep annually is essential, as it keeps the flue clear and ensures safe airflow when you light a fire. Don’t try to attempt this task yourself because you might not be qualified to do a solid job, and the risk just isn’t worth the savings.
Check and Insulate Pipes in Winter
You should never forget that pipes are vulnerable to freezing temperatures, especially those in unheated areas. Surprisingly, this is absolutely something you can take care of yourself, such as by wrapping exposed pipes in insulation. It’s absolutely not a task that you should ever skip because providing such insulation prevents bursts that could otherwise cause flooding and water damage. You don’t even want to imagine how expensive (and dangerous) this worst-case scenario could be.
Maintain Exterior Paint and Siding
It’s easy to assume that peeling paint and cracked sidings on the exterior of your home aren’t a big deal because it’s just about the looks–right? Wrong–in reality, poor paint jobs and siding don’t just look bad, but they expose your home to the elements. In fact, simple inspections and touch-ups around areas of wear can help prevent moisture from seeping in and causing rot, keeping the structural integrity of your home safe and sound.
Trim Trees and Shrubs Near the House
As with paint jobs and siding, leaving tree branches close to your house to become overgrown isn’t just a poor idea for curb appeal, but it can potentially become dangerous. Branches could flop down and scrape your windows, damage siding, or even fall onto the roof during storms. Because of this, it’s imperative that you trim back trees and shrubs to keep them healthy and prevent potential property damage. You’ll no doubt thank yourself for doing so when the next storm arrives.
Check for Pests and Seal Entry Points
Mice, insects, and other critters can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps, so don’t ignore those holes or cracks around your windows and doors, no matter how tiny they are. Sealing these up will undoubtedly help to keep unwelcome guests out. This isn’t just a matter of them being a nuisance; some pests can cause serious damage to a property or even cause an electrical fire, so this task is more important than you might have realized.
Deep Clean Carpets and Upholstery
Dust, allergens, and grime can accumulate in carpets and upholstery, affecting indoor air quality significantly. So, ask yourself–why are you letting this happen!? A simple routine of deep cleaning every few months, either by steam cleaning or vacuuming, will keep your home fresh and free from allergens. Better still, a clean carpet makes for a more comfortable underfoot experience, so there’s no excuse not to keep it that way.
Inspect and Tighten Loose Handrails and Banisters
The final home maintenance task on this list that you should never skip is tightening any loose handrails in your home. You might think that this seems minor, but they pose a serious risk for falls, especially on stairs. Thankfully, though, a quick inspection and tightening of any loose screws or fittings make them sturdy and reliable once again. So, don’t risk injuries to save a few minutes of tightening–just get on with the job and enjoy the peace of mind that it gives you.