Homeowner Maintenance Checklists

Here are a few simple home preparation tips for safety, energy efficiency and the prevention of future costly repairs.

Exterior

Repair storm damaged roof shingles, gutters and down spouts. Clean out gutters and insure that they are draining properly to avoid water damage.
Repair rotted decking, railings and trim on the exterior of your home.
Examine the casings of windows and doors for seals that need re-caulking to prevent heat loss and water damage.
Check the foundation for cracks that could allow water to penetrate. Fill the smaller cracks with a viscous or epoxy compound and the larger ones with a backing compound.
Schedule a professional chimney cleaning to prevent fire hazard from creosote buildup. Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
Use only seasoned hardwood as soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup. Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.
Cut back shrubs and other plantings around the foundation of your home and rake leaves away from the foundation to prevent moisture build-up. Insure that the grade slopes away from the foundation.
Spray a diluted chlorine bleach solution around exterior areas of the home that are prone to mildew.
Spray Diazanon around the perimeter of the house in the late spring to prevent ant and termite infestation.
Repair cracks in asphalt driveways and walkways and reseal.

Schedule a home heating service call to ensure that your system is running efficiently.
Check insulation in your attic and crawl spaces. Replace or add insulation, if required. Make sure that the insulation vapor barrier faces the ceiling.
Install quality carbon monoxide, heat and smoke detectors.
Replace batteries in all detectors annually.
Trip each and every breaker on the breaker panel annually to insure proper operation.
Test GFI outlets in kitchen, bathrooms, garage and basement annually to insure proper operation.
Exercise (use) all shut off valves annually.