Maintenance records of your furnace, air conditioner, roof, windows, and any other repairs that have been required in your home should be filed. Ongoing maintenance is an integral part of owning a home. A well maintained home will cost less for the home owner in the long term, as windows, furnaces, and roofs will last longer if proper maintenance is followed. For this reason Seymour Home consulting provides a Home Reference book with each home inspection which contains information on maintenace. The book also acts as a folder to keep maintenance information and documentation of repairs.

Maintenance

We have compiled a list of common tasks which we see neglected at many properties. These items can increase your personal safety, reduce your operating costs and mitigate the risk of significant water damage in the future.

Initial Occupancy Tasks

When you first move into your home, you should perform the following safety related tasks

- Have a locksmith re-key the door locks.

- Change / update the smoke detectors if you do not know the age of the existing units. You should have one per floor, at least. They should be less than 10 years old.

- Install carbon monoxide sensors on every floor which contains a sleeping area.

- Devise a fire escape plan, and inform every person in the home where their escape routes are, and where to meet (outside) in case of fire.

- Reset all electrical breakers. (Turn them off, then back on) Test all GFCI outlets. These are located near wet areas: kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors. Simply push the test button and then the reset. Power should be restored. This should be done monthly.

- Test the garage door opener auto reverse feature. Modern openers have “eyes” that reverse the door is you interrupt them when the door is closing. Older openers should reverse when they hit something. The amount of force required to reverse these should be minimal (less than the force required to crush a roll of paper towel) This should be tested monthly.

Spring Maintenance

-Check to ensure there is no leakage in basement areas or crawl spaces.

When it is determined that there will be no more freezing weather turn on outdoor faucets as required, while inspecting to ensure there are no leaks.

-Inspect the grading when visible to ensure there has not been any noticeable movement and that all ground is sloping away from the house. Ensure that all downspouts are discharging water away from the home so that there is less chance of water buildup around the home.

-Clean/change filters for the furnace (Filters should be inspected at least monthly)

-Inspect roof surfaces when for damaged shingles, and ensure that eaves troughs are clean and free of debris. Flat roofs should be checked for any blisters, cracking or de-granulation. Avoid walking on bare or blistered areas of any roof surface.

-Turn on the air conditioning when the temperature is above 65 ˚F. If the electrical breaker is off, it will have to be turned back on. Older units may need to be energized for 24 hours before the system is used, to reheat the compressor oil. Make sure that the cover is removed and that there is no visible debris on the outdoor coil. (It is a good idea to have the furnace and air conditioner serviced, even if you are comfortable maintaining the filters and coils.)

-Inspect all openings in exterior walls (doors, windows, hose bibs, electrical outlets, etc.) for signs of cracked caulking and failing paint.

-Check under all enclosed areas such as decks and porches for water accumulation, rot or rodents. Check deck and porch rails for solidity.

-If there is a well or wells on the property it is a good idea to know what is required for their maintenance. This will vary highly depending on the type of well that you have. If you visit WellAware.ca you may find some useful information.

-If there is a septic system on the property, you should be aware that these require pumping maintenance every 3-5 years, at least. The frequency of pumping depends on the size of system, and your usage. You should pump in warmer weather, so spring is an ideal time.

-Check all tub and shower enclosure caulking. Test the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater.

 

Fall Maintenance

-Clean all gutters and downspouts. This may need to be done more than once if the weather is wet, and leaves drop over an extended period of time.

-Remove any outdoor temporary wiring that has been left installed in warmer weather. Extension cords left under snow can be a significant hazard.

-Any heating system which burns a fuel (oil, propane, gas, coal, wood) should be serviced in the fall by a qualified technician. Even if you are performing proper filter maintenance, there is combustion cleaning, efficiency testing and gas analysis that is done during a regular fall check-up. At this time, the pressure relief valve on the hotwater heater should be tested.

-You should be sweeping any wood burning appliance flue in the fall. A certified chimney sweep can clean the interior of the flue, and check the chimney above the roofline

-You should inspect any accessible attic once per year to monitor insulation settlement or movement. Rodents and birds can build homes over the spring and summer, and these should be removed when found. Any water staining or compressed insulation should be noted, as this can indicate roof leakage, or humidity buildup.

-Check all tub and shower enclosure caulking.

 

This list is not intended to be all inclusive, as different homes require different maintenance, depending on their systems. Any questions about maintenance items can be forwarded to us, and we will be happy to respond.
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More information on septic systems can be found at this link. (this is an american link)

Hope you enjoy the site.

 

Best regards and Good Luck.

The Seymour Home Consulting Group