Winter Maintenance Chores
When the holidays hit, it can be hard find time to do anything. But don't let your home maintenance chores fall behind! Winter is the time your home needs your TLC the most.
Right At Home
Daily: Ilyce's Corner
By Jim Sulski for Right at Home Daily
Winter weather can be tough on your home. But
if you undertake some preventative maintenance tasks each winter you can stretch
your big-ticket maintenance costs.
The following do-it-yourself chores may take
a couple of hours to complete, but they'll help keep your home in top condition
throughout the cold months.
December
Each year when you dig out your holiday decorations,
take some time to make a visual inspection of your attic. First, check the roof
and gable vents to make sure they are clear because the screens can act like
lint traps. These vents are paramount because they keep the attic cool during
summer. You don't want to get stuck checking these vents in the summer, when
temperatures can soar into the 100s. And unobstructed vents allow moist air
to escape from the attic in cold weather, lessening the possibility of condensation
and mildew in the attic.
While you're up there, check for wasp nests and
other signs of pests. During the winter months, wasps are dormant and their
nests are easier to remove.
January
This is the time to make sure all the doorknobs in your
home are working properly. Often, doorknobs can loosen to the point
that they no longer function. A doorknob that pulls off can trap an individual
inside a room.
Once a year, tighten the retaining screws that
hold a doorknob to its spindle. Also, the screws in the faceplate (on the doorknob)
often loosen and need tightening. If the screw hole is larger than the screw,
fill it with wood putty. And check the strike plates and latch plates for loose
screws.
While checking each doorknob and latch, lubricate
each with a bit of chemical lubricant. Don't use household oil because it can
gum up the hardware.
February
Though temperatures can fall below freezing during
most of this month, the spring rains are not too far away. Hence, this is a
good time to inspect your home's sump pump, if it has one. During a rainstorm,
water around a house is diverted via pipes into the sump pump pit then ejected
into the sewer system by the pump. If the pump isn't working, your basement
can flood.
Remove the sump pit's cover and make sure the
bottom of the pit is free of debris. Then, test the pump by pouring water into
the pit until it rises about eight inches or so, raising the pump's ballcock.
The pump should then vacuum the water out of the pit via a vertical pipe.
If the pump isn't working properly, it's probably
less expensive to replace it rather than fix it.
Also, check the exhaust pipe for leakage. And,
if your home has window wells around the basement windows, check to make sure
that the drains in those are clear of leaves or other debris. Otherwise, water
can enter through the windows.
Year Round Tasks
Make sure you change the batteries on all smoke
detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home at least twice a year.
Fire Department officials recommend that this is done in the spring and fall
when we reset our clocks and "fall back" and "spring ahead".
Although most homeowners think of it as a spring or fall
job, check your gutters for debris every other month. A clogged gutter
can cause water damage to a home when rainwater backs up over the gutter and
washes over the side of a house.
Take It and Run
Here's a materials list for items you'll need to complete
these jobs, with approximate costs
- Flashlight: $15
- Phillips screwdriver: $5
- Standard screwdriver: $5
- Chemical lubricant: $5
- Plastic bucket: $5
