The Five Most Important Home Maintenance Projects

Every homeowner should preform some simple home maintenance tasks to prevent costly repairs, maintain the overall aesthetic appearance and the value of their homes. It's probably a good idea to preform this maintenance routine at least yearly, late summer or early fall is a great time to do these tasks. Fall temperatures are cooler, making work less stressing than doing maintenance in the summer. Summer's are generally hot and humid, making work uncomfortable. So fall is a good time. In addition, many of the maintenance preformed will directly benefit your families comfort in the winter months ahead.

• Your roof is perhaps the single most important maintenance, it is after all what protects you and your loved ones from inclement weather. It is recommend that a quarterly inspection on your roof be done, but if that is impractical at the very least yearly. Your roof gets more abuse than any other part of your home, making regular inspections important. Keeping your roof well maintained is important. A small investment in maintenance can prevent thousands of dollars to have your entire roof replaced. If you have to replace your roof the cost can be up to $15,000 depending on where you live.

• Debris on your roof will have a tendency to collect water, which will speed roof deterioration. So, clean all debris from the surface of your roof and then hose it down to assure that your roof is clean.
• Replace any damaged shingles. A couple of damaged shingles will allow water to seep under them speeding up deterioration of your roof. Water seepage could lead to damage and rotting of the wood sheathing under your shingles.
• Repair cracked shingles. This can be done by applying some roof sealant above and below the shingle.
• Clean gutters out. Keeping gutters clean and free of debris.
• Check all caulking and sealants. Remove and replace if damaged. Bad caulking or sealant will allow water to seep into your home and walls and could cause irreparable damage.
• Assure that the mortar on your chimney hasn't cracked or deteriorated. If you see any signs of cracked or damaged mortar call a mason and have it repaired as soon as possible.
• Trim back overgrown trees. Protect yourself from inclement weather and strong winds. A large branch falling on your roof could cause serious damage.
• Checks vents inside your attic and make sure that they are free debris. Debris could cause heat and moisture to back-up damaging your roof.
• Make sure your attic insulation is appropriate. If your attic doesn't have enough insulation, it could cause icing which could damage your roof.

Second only to home roof repair is keeping your HVAC system working properly and efficiently. Your HVAC system is what keeps you warm in the winter and comfortable in the summer. If your system is working inefficiently it can cost thousands in higher energy bills or lead to costly repairs. Here are a couple no miss maintenance tips:

• Filters - make sure all your filters are clean and free of debris. Replacement is the easiest and quickest method.
• Make sure your HVAC drains are clean. Drain periodically.
• Make sure your your pilot light is lit and has a blue flame. A yellow or orange flame could indicate a problem.
• Thermostat - Make sure your thermostat is calibrated and working properly.

If your seals on your doors and windows are leaking it could lead to higher energy bills and your home could feel drafty and cold in the winter and hot in the summer. You could lose up to 30% of your homes heating and cooling potential.

• Check for leaks around doors and windows by holding a lit candle around windows and doors. If the candle flickers, find and seal the gaps with caulking.
• Seal Leaks around windows.
• Seal Leaks around doors.
• Seal leaks under doors and along floorboards.
• Seal large gaps in basement walls.

It is a good idea to conduct a yearly inspection of your electrical system. Although any major repairs should only preformed by a qualified electrician, finding problems early is always a good idea. There are just a couple of simple checks you can make to your home electrical system that just might prevent expensive repairs in the future.

• Main electrical panel - Your main electrical panel should be checked for rust or water damage. Turn your breakers on and off yearly to make sure that none of them have frozen up. Check for unusual smells such as burnt wiring, if you smell brunt wiring call an electrician. Test your ground fault circuit breakers to make sure they work. A monthly test is a good idea.
• Check your extension cords, appliance cords and plugs for any frayed or damaged wires. Make sure all your outlets, switches and lights are working and free of damaged wiring, loose connections or broken covers. Replace or call an electrician. Check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers.
• Check your wiring coming into your home for damage, such as loose or frayed wires. Check vegetation and assure it isn't to close to the wires. Call your local power company if you feel it is. One strong storm could knock out the power to your home.

Painting your home is good for many reasons, the most obvious one is that it improves the appearance of your home, adds value and will help protect your homes siding from damage, fading and mildew. Some tips for checking the exterior of your home for either touch-ups or an entire repainting job.

• Look for chipping, cracking, flaking or peeling. Signs of these indicate that you may have to repaint your home.
• Look for blistering. This could be caused by escaping moisture. Check your ventilation system. Repaint if necessary, but make sure any repairs to ventilation system is completed prior to repainting.
• Look for cracking, Repaint.
• Look for mold. Clean with a bleach solution,1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Rinse and let dry, then repaint.

The best way to keep your family safe from the elements, maintain the overall appearance and value of your home is to do yearly home maintenance. These simple tasks listed above can prevent costly repair bills in the future, not to forget any inconvenience to you or your family when the roof begins to leak because you forgot to clean or repair the the roof tiles. Maintaining your heating and cooling system could prevent a cold uncomfortable winter or hot sweaty summer. So, don't forget these five most important home maintenance tasks.