Maintaining Your New Home from the Outside In

After making the biggest purchase of your life, you are going to want to make sure that you maintain and take good care of your home.  You have your car serviced every few months, so why would you not do the same for your home?  Unfortunately nothing can stay new forever, and just like cars or lawn mowers, a home needs a tune up every once in a while.  The key is to make sure you do regular home checkups to catch small problems before they turn into big problems.

A good place to start is with the outside of your home and work your way in.

Paint, gutters, landscaping, and windows:

Paint. Take a good look at the exterior of your home.  Do you see any chipped or cracked paint or mold growing on your siding?  If so get it fixed now.  You not only want to make sure you keep the inside of your home safe from potential water damage, but you also want to keep the appearance of your home looking good.

Gutters. Keep your gutters clean!  Clogged gutters can cause serious damage, so you want to make sure you clear the perimeter drains and gutters a few times a year.

Landscaping.  Be sure to keep the trees that are located near your home trimmed, that way you don’t have to worry about a branch coming through your bedroom window during a storm.

Windows.  Check for any window cracks or peeling paint.  Water will rot your window frame if given the chance.

Safety Measures:

Make sure you check all smoke detectors.  It is a good idea to just go ahead and change the batteries in them at least two times a year.  This will also prevent that awful low batter chirping noise at 2:00 am.

Chimney Sweep:

Majority of our homes use gas fireplaces, but just in case you have a real wood burning one, make sure you do a good chimney sweep once or twice a year.

Check for Cracks:

House settling occurs when your house is getting use to life in its new location.  Homes will typically settle within its first three years of existence.  This should not cause major issues, just a few cosmetic ones that can easily be fixed with a bit of spackle.

Give your home a good clean:  

We don’t mean run a vacuum thru your home.  We mean clean those places that you forget about such as air vents, ceiling fans, tile, dryer vents, shower heads, etc.

Air vents:  Make sure you replace the filter in your air vents and vacuum or dust the vents.

Ceiling fans:  Take a pillow case and place the blades inside.  This will prevent dust from flying everywhere.

Tile:  Check for any deteriorated grout or caulk, seal all the grout with a silicone grout sealer to make sure dirt and grime stay out.

Dryer vents:  Keep the lent vents clear of any lent.  You also want to clean the vents on the back side of your dryer as well.

Shower heads:  Water build up can accumulate on your shower head causing little water flow or water to shoot out in all directions.  Here is an easy way to clean your shower head using a baggie and white vinegar thanks to Better Homes and Gardens!