Tune Up Your House - Simple Home Maintenance Steps

When was the last time you gave your house a tune-up? It may sound overwhelming but it’s not. Tuning up the house is simply a matter of checking, clearing and maintaining. Home maintenance doesn't have to be a big chore. Let’s start outdoors and work our way in.

Check all rain gutters around your home and clear out the debris as needed. Shore up any sagging sections and make sure the downspouts are aimed properly for good drainage.

Home maintenance includes lawn maintenance. Next, check each circuit of your sprinkler system. Look for any broken sprinkler heads or other signs of leakage such as flooding, continuously wet patches and sink holes. Replace any broken sprinkler heads or call a handyman to do it for you. While you’re at it, adjust the timing of the automatic sprinklers for the appropriate season and climate. Chances are you are over watering. Try to cut back on the frequency and duration of each circuit. You will save water and reduce your water bill. Keep an eye on the results and adjust as needed.

Use a hose with a pressure nozzle to clear out the gunk in the window tracks and to remove all the spider webs and other debris on the exterior walls. Clear out any drains in the patio floor.

Even your garage will benefit from a little home maintenance. Check your automatic garage door for proper operation. Make sure the sensors still function as they should. Place an object under the doors path and try to close it. It should not close on the object but should retract back up. Also block the sensors and see if it will close, it shouldn’t. If these tests fail, you will need to tune up your sensors. Use a can of air to blow off any webs, dust or other debris on the sensors and make sure the lasers are properly lined up.