Whether you are a new or seasoned homeowner, you need to do regular maintenance to keep everything in good condition and working order in your home and to prevent costly repair bills. That said, there are some tasks that tend to fly under the radar and can lead to expensive headaches.
Here are four commonly forgotten home maintenance jobs that you should be addressing.
1. Cleaning Your Gutters
Gutters, and what’s going on inside them, are usually out of sight and out of mind. But they need to be inspected and cleaned regularly – at least twice a year, in spring and fall. They may be filled with debris – dirt, leaves, etc. – or ice dams in winter. Also, it’s a good idea to check your gutters after a major storm, clearing away residue that can lead to backup problems.
If gutters get blocked, water can back up and seep into your house, causing expensive flooding damage and mold. The weight of the debris or ice can also make the gutter detach from your house, or provide a place for insects and rodents to live, which may later find a way into your home.
2. Inspecting Your Roof
We tend not to think of our roofs over our heads until they start leaking on us. And by that time serious damage may be done.
It’s a good idea to have your roof inspected by a roofing professional at least once a year. They will look for damaged, buckling, or missing shingles, rust, sun rot, cracked caulk, and moss or algae, which can be signs of roof decay.
Shingles can be replaced, and a roofing professional can seal any cracked mortar or caulking around joints and chimneys if it is deteriorating.
Not only can regular inspections catch problems early, but they can also serve to keep your roof’s warranty valid since many warranties become void if regular maintenance isn’t done.
3. Maintaining Your Chimney
You should also have your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year (twice a year if you use it regularly). A roofing professional will clean out the buildup of debris and creosote (a byproduct of burned wood). The latter is particularly important because it is highly flammable and a chimney fire can spread and pose a real danger. Even if you haven’t been using your chimney, rodents or other pests could clog the chimney with nests that need to be cleared away for the safe operation of your fireplace.
Some of the indications that your chimney needs cleaning may include burnt wood odors coming from the fireplace when it’s not being used; fires that burn poorly; smoke coming back into the room when a fire is burning; and a blackened fireplace damper, caked with creosote.
4. Checking Your HVAC
To keep your home environment comfortable, you need to perform regular inspections of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Dust and condensation can hurt the performance of your heating and cooling units, making them work harder, increasing your energy bills, and also possibly shortening their operating lives, leading to expensive repairs and replacements down the road.
If you have a combined heating/cooling system, you should have inspections and maintenance done twice a year, in the spring and fall. If you only have a heating system, then you should schedule an inspection every fall, before the furnace is turned on to deal with the chill of the coming winter.
If you want home repairs or maintenance done – from roofing to complete renovations, and from gutters and siding to windows and decking – contact the experienced professionals of Iron River Construction to schedule an appointment. We are the Twin Cities roofer, siding contractor, and remodeler of choice.
