A Handy Home Maintenance Checklist You Must Follow

You may be happy to have achieved your dream of owning a home, but what good is it if you do not maintain it well? Home maintenance should be considered similar to our regular health check-up. Ideally, your routine home maintenance should cover interior and exterior maintenance, electrical systems, plumbing, heating and cooling appliances, etc. Your home is a reflection of your personality and lifestyle so atleast once in a month you must dedicate some time for keeping your home functional and neat. You could use that time to fix a leakage, clean the windows, discard old and unwanted stuff, etc.

Here is a home maintenance checklist that you can follow to make your daily life smooth and tension-free.

Monthly Maintenance

• Inspect the drains: Regular inspection of sink drains and bathrooms will help to prevent buildup of debris which leads to clogging.

• Wipe the windows and glass doors: Give a nice wash to all your glass windows and doors to keep them dust free and gleaming. 

• Clean the taps & showerheads: Cleaning the bathroom taps, showerheads and faucets to avoid clogging due to mineral deposits and prevent rusting. 

• Wash the unused toilets: Check all the unused toilets in your house and make sure you flush out the dirt from the toilet bowls.

• Dust the ceiling fans: Remove the dust from all the ceiling fan blades especially those in your bedrooms. You can clean the fans by using a paint roller covered with a wet cloth. 

• Check the fire extinguisher: If you are staying in an apartment fire extinguishers will be placed in various parts of the building. Check if these are in good condition to ensure your safety. 

• Care for your plants: Take good care of your outdoor and indoor plants. Clean the pot surfaces and remove the weeds regularly. 

• Discard the trash: Unwanted food particles, old newspapers, bottles and plastic covers will invite cockroaches, rats and termites. So get rid of these waste articles to keep your house clean and pest-free. 

Biannual Maintenance

• Clean up the AC filters: Air-conditioning units must be cleaned atleast twice in a year to ensure your family’s good health and proper functioning of the units. You can either clean the filters manually or seek help from a technician. 

• Give your house a good wash: Start by wiping appliances, furniture and artefacts with a cloth. Then start cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms walls to scrub off the accumulated dirt. If the house walls are painted with glossy, water-proof paint, it is good to wash them as well to remove dust and stains.

• Clean the carpets and curtains: The floor carpets and curtains will attract a lot of dust and allergens. You can give them a wash or use a vacuum cleaner to pull out the dirt.

• Water the inverter batteries: If you are using an inverter, make sure that you fill distilled water in the batteries to maintain their efficiency. 
• Garden time: Be it your small balcony garden or a big garden around your independent house, take good care of it by removing dried leaves and debris, pruning the overgrown trees or shrubs, etc. Consider repotting and adding good manure for your potted plants.

Annual Maintenance

• Inspect the drains and gutters: With time, the drainage pipes and gutters in your house may get blocked due to accumulation of dried leaves or other waste materials. Make sure that you clean them annually and check for any damages. 

• Check for cracks and dampness on walls: Check for cracks, dampness or water seepage on the house walls and if you find any, it is better to get it fixed very soon. Dampness will also create fungus and mold layers on walls which is considered to be very unhealthy. 

• Painting the house: A well-maintained house also need to have good looks. If you notice flaky walls or too much dirt on the walls, then consider applying a fresh coat of paint or do a touch-up. Summer is a great time to get the walls of your house painted. 

• Check for outdoor leakages: Don’t take any leakages on faucets or other drainage pipes lightly. If you notice any water leakage in your house, try to detect the source and get it repaired soon. 

• Roof damages: The roof gives us shelter during all seasons, but still it often a neglected area of the house. When you do the annual home maintenance, inspect the roof to see if any any cracks or holes have developed. 

• Chimney and gas pipes: Clean up the kitchen chimney to let smooth flow of smoke through it. Also, check the gas pipes for any damages or bends. If the gas tube is damaged due to wear and tear, you can contact your gas dealer to get it replaced. 

These home maintenance tips can help you live a better life and create a positive ambiance in your home. Many of these maintenance activities may requipre professional help and keeping that in mind, Confident Group offers a wide range of home maintenance services for all our homebuyers. 

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