Whether you’ve been living in your home for 50 years or just bought your first house, you’ve probably noticed that there are lots of things you have to do to maintain your property that you were never expecting. From mowing the lawn and landscaping to cleaning out gutters to keeping your shutters freshly painted, there’s a lot to do even to a brand new house. In addition to all those things that you’ve realized you need to do, there may be a few you’ve overlooked that are pretty important as well. Here’s a look at some often forgotten home maintenance as well as an idea of how often you should perform these tasks. So go ahead and mark your calendars.
1. Air out your front loading washer door and the detergent bin regularly. This is something you’ll want to do almost every time you use your washer. Front loading washers have to be made with specially designed seals to keep any water from seeping out while you’re doing laundry. However, the seals do such a good job at keeping moisture in that they can also easily cause mildew if they aren’t aired frequently. Leave your washer door open after use to allow fresh air inside and lessen the chance of mold or mildew coming into contact with your clean clothes.
2. Clean out the drain bin in your dishwasher each month (at least). All the spaghetti that was stuck to your plate, scrambled eggs that were burnt onto the pan and cereal bits left in the bottom of the bowl have to go somewhere, right? That place is the drain bin of your dishwasher. Empty this out to avoid a smelly kitchen and a backed up dishwasher.
3. Change your air filters every other month. Changing out your air filters doesn’t just cut down on the amount of dust and particles in the air and allow you to save a bundle on sinus medication, it also makes your unit more efficient and cuts down on your electric bill.
4. Seal your bathroom and kitchen floor’s grout every six months. Doing this regularly, even in a new home, will help prevent the onset of mold. Be sure to run your bathroom’s fan after taking a shower too to pull the moisture out of the room. It’s always easier to prevent mold than try to get rid of it after it shows up.
5. Clear your AC of any debris at least every six months. Keeping any dirt, foliage or trash off your unit will help it last longer and run more efficiently, saving you lots of money over time.
6. Lubricate your garage door’s springs about once a year. Since garage doors are so heavy, these springs experience loads of stress and they heave the heavy door up several times of day. Proper lubrication can keep them from breaking.
7. Clean out your drainage pipes annually. Indoor pipes can easily be flushed out with very hot water. This will prevent any backup.
8. Sharpen your lawnmower blades each year. Before you start mowing your lawn for the year, be sure to sharpen the blades. Your mowing will be much more efficient and will cut down on any touch up work or having to go over the area more than once.
9. Flush out your hot water once per year. Because water contains minerals, a hot water heater can easily build up a collection of, well, build up. This grime can be flushed out annually to keep your water clean and keep your unit working efficiently.
10. Aerate your lawn annually. For the healthiest looking lawn in the neighborhood (and isn’t that what we all want?), pull out inch long sections of the grass and soil each year, to allow it to better absorb nutrients like fertilizer. It also helps the lawn to need less water, if you’re in an area where you frequently use sprinklers.
