Maintaining Your New Home – 8 Top Tips

Owning a home presents itself with many different responsibilities. Even if you have just purchased a new home, it’s important to make regular home maintenance routines a part of your life. Home maintenance ensures that all of the different elements of your home run smoothly together, saving you time and money in the long run.

Here are a few tips for maintaining your new home.

Keep Your Gutters Clean

One of the easiest but most commonly overlooked home tasks is keeping track of the gutters. You want to clean your gutters a few of times a year, and definitely make sure to check them for clogging or damage if there has been a storm.

It’s important to keep gutters in good condition because they are what keep water off of your roof. If your gutters are clogged, rainwater has nowhere else to go and can leak into your home, causing anything from mould to structural damage. By that same token, make sure your downspouts are turned away from your home’s foundation.

Avoid Grease Fires

Keep the vent hood over your stove clean. If it has filters, make sure to clean them regularly because grease build up over time can lead to a fire. While you’re at it, make sure the smoke detectors all have working batteries.

Maintain Heating and Cooling Systems

Do annual inspections of your heating and cooling systems. The best time is usually at the end of summer. Make sure to change or wash the filters every three months.

Don’t Slack on the Plumbing

Every member of your household should know where to find the intake valves. Label each one. If you get a leak in any of your appliances, don’t wait to fix it. Leaks can cause your pipes to deteriorate and can cost you thousands of dollars on your water bills.

Beware of partially clogged drains, as they can cause an overflow. Make sure you use a snake or plunger to unclog drains immediately.

Vacuum in Strange Places

At least once a year, you should turn your vacuum cleaner onto the clothes dryer exhaust duct. While you’re at it, use your vacuum on the refrigerator coils underneath.

Test the Garage

Once a month, you should make sure your garage door is still functioning properly. Place obstructions in the door’s way to ensure that it continues to respond and doesn’t close when it isn’t safe to do so.

Keep Solar Panels Clean

If your modern home was built with solar panels, the sun doesn’t necessarily do all the work. The build up of dust, grime and bird droppings prevents your panels from efficiently absorbing the sun. It’s important to regularly check your solar panels and keep them clean.

If you’d like to learn how you can design, build and buy your own new home in NSW, ACT or QLD, call McDonald Jones Homes today on 1300 555 382.