Home Maintenance Checklist
As we know, our home is usually the biggest investment we make, so for those who live on the coast, it is important that we take the right precautions to protect your home and that investment, whether we are building a new structure or making changes to an existing home.
Although we are not in the official hurricane season (June 1st through November 30th), it shouldn’t be the end of protecting your home and property from loss due to coastal storms.
Any time you build or modify a structure in Houston or a Texas coastal community, it’s important to prepare yourself for future hurricanes and other treacherous coastal storms.
If you plan to do an extension, install a patio cover or carport, or simply change your windows or doors, you will want to make sure that these changes are done correctly so that there will be less chance of damage in case of a hurricane or other coastal storm. Furthermore, if wind damage does occur it is important that these changes are covered by your insurance. In order to be sure that you are covered certain regulations must be followed. I recommend you find a contractor who is aware of and follows the wind storm codes.
Regular Preventative Maintenance
Whether your home is in a coastal area or not, preventative maintenance is critical to the health of your home. Regular preventative maintenance of your home can save you time and money in the long run. Taking the time to inspect your home’s interior and exterior and performing routine maintenance can save you from repair costs down the road.
We suggest doing your home care and maintenance on a monthly or yearly basis. He says” If you take care of your home; your home will take care of you by saving you money.”
Roof & Gutter Maintenance
When checking your roof for missing or damaged shingles check the step flashing around your chimney. If you don’t feel safe climbing on the roof, get a pair of binoculars and look your shingles and flashing over. You don’t want water penetration.
Clean your gutters several times a year especially if you have a lot of hardwood and pine trees. Stopped-up gutters can let water into the soffit areas, which can run down your perimeter walls and allow moisture inside the wall cavities. When this happens your insulation could get wet and support mold and mildew growth.
Examine the exterior of your home and look for split, bucked, or cracked siding. Repair as needed, then caulk and repaint using top-of-the-line paints. Look for mold and mildew and clean before you re-paint. Clean before you paint or re-paint siding with a bleach mixture to remove any mold and mildew.
Doing a little preventative TLC around your home now will save you time and money in the future.
Garage doors always seem to come off their tracks at the wrong time. Keep your garage overhead doors in good working condition by oiling the tracks and tightening any loose screws and nuts.”
Plumbing Maintenance
Every now and then temperatures are known to drop in our area. There are simple steps you can take to protect your home in case of a freeze. If temperatures drop below 32 degrees you need to prevent your home’s pipes from breaking. We suggest the following:
- Wrap all your outside water pipes: faucets, main water pipes, sprinkler vacuum breakers, etc. You can purchase covers or use towels and blankets to cover exposed exterior pipes.
- Drain and turn off your main valve to the sprinkler vacuum breaker – then cover them.
- Take measures to protect your pool pump and motor from freezing
- Run a stream of water on your inside faucets especially any with plumbing on an outside wall.
- Periodically flush your toilets.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks in your house to help warm air reach the pipes.
- Turn your thermostats up higher during the cold to help heat the home better.
- Know where your main water valve is to shut your water off in case of broken pipes.
Interior Maintenance
The interior of your home should be comfortable and safe. Here are some of the things that should be checked:
- Look for and repair leaking faucets, shower valves, and leaking toilets. You can waste thousands of gallons of water a year and a lot of money by not repairing the leaks.
- Examine water heater valves and connections, plumbing fixtures, and shutoff valves, for signs of corrosion or mold.
- Check all windows and doors to make sure they aren’t leaking air. Examine weather stripping around doors and windows for tears and wear. Inspect them to make sure the caulking is in good condition.
- Look for cracks or stains on ceilings which may indicate a roof leak or foundation movement.
- Inspect the attic vents to make sure they have not been plugged from animals, birds, or bees’ nests.
- Regularly replacing air conditioning filters will extend the life and efficiency of your central air system. Changing filters will keep your unit cleaner and your family healthier during the winter months by reducing the amount of dust inside your home. Check that the drain pan is free of debris. If you have water purification filters remember to replace those filters also.
Routine care will ensure your home’s beauty and durability as well as make it comfortable and safe for you and your family.