6 (More) Home Maintenance Goals You Can Make This Year

Last year, we shared nine home maintenance goals to keep your house in tip-top shape. Even if you tackled that list, home maintenance never stops. Here are six more home maintenance goals to keep your home happy this year.

1. Add a fresh coat of paint. Although it may seem like more of a remodeling project than a maintenance task, a fresh coat of paint is essential for protecting the exterior of your home. Unless your property is mostly comprised of stucco, vinyl siding or some other type of artificial material, it is at risk. Help seal out the elements by adding a fresh coat of primer and paint. Look for any signs of rotting siding or damage from birds and pests. If you notice anything, repair these areas and seal them up tight by adding primer and a fresh coat of exterior latex paint with an all-acrylic binder that holds up to weather better than vinyl-acrylic binders.
2. Clean the filters in your range hood. If you haven’t been regularly cleaning your range hood filters, prepare for a surprise. Over time, grease can build up and create smelly deposits that can infiltrate every room of your home. If things don’t look too bad, you may be able to clean your filters and the surrounding areas with ordinary dish soap. If it’s been a long time, however, consider purchasing a heavy-duty degreaser from an auto parts store and dilute it with hot water.
3. Test the temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve on your water heater. Rust, mineral salt and corrosion can cause your water heater’s TPR valve to stick and stop functioning properly. Make sure everything is working well by raising and lowering the test lever several times to ensure that it can easily raise the underlying brass stem. If the valve is working properly, hot water should rush out the drainpipe. If you see no water or a weak trickle, replace the valve or contact a service professional to do it for you.
4. Inspect your roof. It’s important to periodically inspect your roof for discolored or damaged shingles to reduce the risk of leaks. Even one flawed shingle can result in damage to your roof, trusses or drywall. A long-term leak can also result in widespread mold. During the inspection of your roof, pay close attention to the shingles that surround vents, skylights and chimneys, since these tend to be the most leak-prone areas.
5. Check your alarms. Often taken for granted, these devices are critical for protecting the safety of your home and family. They are also easily forgotten, especially if you haven’t had any false alarms in a while. The New Year is a great time to inspect your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check the batteries and press the test buttons to make sure you can rely on the units in case of an emergency. If one of the devices fails an inspection, replace it immediately.
6. Do an emergency walk-through. Most families have an emergency action plan for fires, earthquakes and tornadoes. Few, however, take steps to prepare for more common emergencies within the home. If an unexpected issue occurs, it’s important for everyone in your household to know how to locate and operate certain controls. This year take time to conduct an emergency walk-through with everyone in the family. Locate the main electrical fuse/breaker box, heating fuel main shutoff, primary water shut-off and water shutoff valve for faucets, toilets and your washing machine. Make sure everyone knows how to operate these controls in case an emergency occurs.

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