Home Maintenance
From wikiSenior
Caring for the Homestead
Somehow, the people that praise the joys of home ownership forget what it’s like to have a new roof installed. But once the job is complete, the sense you feel of "shelter" is never so intense. Maintaining a home is like that, terrible to endure the process but delightful to enjoy the results.
Certainly, the adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" can be applied aptly to the challenge of maintaining a home. But the process does not have to be difficult if it is conducted with care. There are three facets that must be tailored to your home. They are -
- a regular schedule of monthly tasks
- seasonal inspections to uncover any unscheduled surprises
- a budget to anticipate necessary repairs, and
- a roster of trustworthy tradesmen to perform certain work.
[edit] Actions:
Home Exterior:
- Clean roof gutters (Fall)
- Landscaping - prune trees, trim shrubs, mulch garden beds, clip hedges (Spring, Summer)
- Lawn care - cut grass, rake leaves, fertilize (Spring, Summer, Fall)
- Fencing - patch, repair, and paint (Summer)
- Deck coated with waterproof sealant (Fall)
- Driveway - resurface (approx. every five years)
- Drains - clean out (Fall)
- Windows doors - remove/wash screens, wash windows, check weather striping, lube locks, polish brass (Spring)
- Exterior paint - trim, siding (approx. every five years)
- Roofing - depends upon materials (approx. every 20 - 50 years)
Home Interior:
- Detectors - change batteries in smoke and CO detectors (Fall)
- Furnace - change filters (depends upon filter type and furnace)
- Humidifier - clean and change filter (Fall)
- Boiler - flush (Fall)
- Hot water heater - drain and refill (Spring and Fall)
- Carpet - shampoo (as needed)
- Interior paint - ceiling, walls, trim (approx. every 10 - 15 years)
- Floors - refinish (as needed)
- Bathrooms and Kitchen - inspect for leaks (Fall)
[edit] References:
