Home Maintenance list for August
Mid Summer Home Maintenance tasks to tackle include both indoor and outdoor items. A lot of this you may have done in your spring cleaning, but a lot can change in 3 months. It's good to check on your home every few months, and some maintenance tasks are season specific.
Interior:
What you'll Need:
-Screwdriver
-Vacuum with attachments
-Rag
-Duster
-Notepad
-Camera
-Gloves (optional)
Method:
This is a good rainy day activity, as the list is long, and if you don't have any little helpers around, it's going to take up a good chunk of your day.
Go around with your screwdriver through every inch of your house and tighten furniture, outlet covers, cabinets and doors. Anything that has a hinge could use a turn with a scredriver! Next, walk around with your notepad and camera and record any cracks. Look for cracks in outlet covers, tubs, molding, and caulking. Along with cracks, look for any holes or screws that you have from old wall decor and make note of those as well. Then you can decide which ones can stay and be replaced with new decor, and which screws you need to take out and holes to fill. Vacuum and wipe down all vents, including air wall/floor vents, bathroom vents, range hood vents, and dryer vent pipes. While doing this, take a look at the filters and make note of what needs to be replaced. Other filters include your water filters, portables like Brittas, CO2s, HVAC, sinks, and refrigerators. While you have your vacuum out, move all your big furniture and sweep underneath all of it. This includes appliances and mobile cabinets and counters. Next, change the batteries in everything. Lighting, smoke detectors, remotes, etc. This is a good time to carry around your duster and get all those places you don't normally reach, like high corners, above cabinets, and ceiling fans. Lastly, run cleaning cycles on all appliances, and drain and flush your water heater.
Exterior:
What You'll Need:
-Notepad
-Camera
-Hammer
-Gloves
-Hose with high pressure spray nozzle or power washer
-Hedge Trimmers
-Rag
Method:
Some of this you can do alone, but for some of this you'll want to consider a professional.
Let's go through with the easiest items first. Take your notepad and camera if necessary, and your hammer, and walk around any fencing and decking, pounding in all the nails that have started to poke out, or metal wire fencing that needs bent back into place. Make any notes of major damage that you can't fix yourself, or boards that need replaced. Remove dead shrubbery and trim overgrowth. This should go along with weeding regularly, but sometimes we let the bigger items go unnoticed until a maintenance session like this one comes around. It's helpful to have these scheduled on your calendar. Clean your outdoor cooker with your rag and water, as well as all your outdoor lighting. Just like indoor lighting, you may need to take these apart and clean both the inside and out. With your rage, wipe down any water features as well, as sometimes slime can build up there. Fertilize your blooming plants, and it doesn't hurt to fertilize your lawn and garden too. This would be a good time to add fresh mulch for a clean look and to prevent weeds. Repair, replace, or add locks to all doors, fences, and sheds. Clean out your gutters of any debri by hand with gloves first, then flush with a hose, and wipe clean. Sweep your porch and give it a high pressure wash down. If your deck is wood, (and this goes for any exterior wood you have,) make note if it needs a new coat of stain or wood rot replacement boards. Next, keep your hose out and wash those windows! This includes your weep holes as well. Check out this video for a tip on how to complete that.
Next, check for leaks of any kind in all exterior materials, siding, brick, wood, window trim, gutters and planters and roofing. Lastly, do a walk over or binocular glance of your roof. If you are unable to, calling for help with a roof inspection is a good idea. Any peeling shingle, even if no leakage, is a sign of damage. Leaks are something you will want a professional to fix, especially if it's in your windows, doors or siding or roof. Preventing further damage and doing these maintenance tasks quarterly, at least, is one of the best ways to save on repairs.
For exterior repairs to windows, siding and doors, call a local Colorado company like Z Double B for a free quote on replacements and repairs. Ask for help today at 303-997-8168 Or feel free to come in and speak with a professional at our Lakewood showroom.
