We’ve all heard of spring cleaning, but what about the year-round maintenance that goes into keeping your home in top shape? From leaky pipes to malfunctioning appliances, the most costly and time-extensive repairs often could have been avoided with some preventative care.
At Bungalo, we’ve found a way to reduce those unwanted “surprises.” Our properties undergo multiple rounds of inspections before they’re ever listed on our site. That means you can focus more on how you’ll make your new house a home — and less on whether that mystery puddle is a major leak. If anything does pop up, our 90-Day Post-Close Protection gives you that extra degree of confidence.
Whether you plan to sell your house in the near future or are making preparations to move into your new dream home, keeping up with a routine is an easy way to maintain and even boost the value of your property.
Learn how you can create a maintenance checklist for your home and avoid having to pay for any unexpected repairs.
- Creating your home maintenance checklist
- Monthly home maintenance
- Biannual maintenance
- Annual maintenance
- Buy your home with Bungalo
Monthly home maintenance
We have two pieces of good news for you.
First: Most of the tasks on your checklist won’t have to be done daily or even weekly. Generally speaking, some of the most important steps you’ll need to take as a homeowner can be managed on a month-to-month basis.
Second: Your monthly home maintenance and some additional peace of mind come at virtually no cost. It will just require a little time on your part. You may want to dedicate a day each month to crossing the following items off your list, or you can split them up as your schedule allows:
How to inspect your HVAC system
HVAC stands for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system — something that you want to make sure doesn’t break, especially on the coldest or warmest days of the year.
Aside from providing relief from the weather outside, your HVAC system also plays a critical role in maintaining the overall air quality throughout your home. Dirty air conditioners or improperly operating systems can lead to the growth of microorganisms such as mold, which only serve to heighten symptoms of allergies and asthma.
The home experts at HGTV outlined some simple home maintenance tips every property owner should take to ensure their HVAC system is functioning as intended:
- Shut off the power: Always be sure that you’ve completely turned off your system before ever conducting maintenance on it. Look for a shut-off box on the exterior of the HVAC system itself, and to be safe, turn off the power on your breaker box as well.
- Remove outer debris: Either by hand or with a wet/dry vacuum, clean off any debris on the exterior of your system before removing the fan cage and working on the interior.
- Clean the fins: Remove the outer covers and use the brush attachment on a vacuum to remove any dirt. A word of caution: This isn’t a job for your pressure washer, as its force can easily damage the fins.
From here, put your heating system back together and turn it on. For more in-depth seasonal maintenance, it’ll be worth your time to also clean the evaporator coil and drain. Don’t forget to swap out the blower filter for a new one as needed.
By checking in on your HVAC system on a monthly basis, you’ll be able to save significantly on your electric bill, as your home will be running more efficiently. Plus, you’ll also extend the system’s overall lifespan.
Washing your washing machine
This one feels a little counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But yes, your washer needs a little bit of care to ensure it’s running smoothly and keeping your clothes clean.
The soap residue and chemicals from your detergent can get stuck inside your washing machine, creating an invisible film and trapping bacteria, as explained by the Spruce. This clogs the inner mechanisms of the machine, meaning water doesn’t get as hot and your detergent won’t be nearly as effective.
Keep your washing machine clean by running an empty load with hot water and vinegar. Open the top of the machine and let it sit with this solution for up to an hour. Then, shut the cover and let the machine run a complete cycle. Now, you can enjoy cleaner clothes and the confidence that you won’t be replacing your washer anytime soon.
Cleaning your dryer vent
While we’re on the topic of the laundry room, we can’t forget about cleaning out the dryer vent.
The U.S. Fire Administration cautions that failure to clean out the dryer is one of the leading causes of house fires every year, causing an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries, and over $35 million in property losses. To prevent a tragedy from occurring at your property, the USFA has outlined the following preventative steps:
- Clean the lint trap before and after each load of laundry.
- Clean the filter with a nylon brush at least every six months or more often if it becomes clogged with lint buildup.
- Remove the lint from the vent pipe at least every three months.
And remember, do your best not to overload your dryer, and be sure not to dry anything containing foam, rubber, or plastic.
Cleaning your garbage disposal
If you’ve noticed a mystery odor coming from your kitchen sink, it’s time to take a look at your garbage disposal.
There are a lot of “hacks” and quick fixes online that can actually do long-term damage to your disposal. But, as This Old House explained, you likely have all the ingredients you need sitting in your kitchen cabinets: baking soda, vinegar, ice, and table salt.
- Disconnect the power from your disposal by pulling the plug or switching the outlet to “off.” Always double check that the disposal is off before proceeding.
- Clean the splash guard thoroughly with some detergent and a scrubby brush. Then, use tongs or pliers to remove any visible food debris — never use your fingers.
- Measure half a cup of baking soda and pour it into the disposal. Let it sit for half an hour. Then, pour in one cup of vinegar, letting the solution sit for three minutes before rinsing with hot water.
- Finally, grind up some ice and salt to loosen any remaining buildup.
If you’re really looking to go the extra mile, you can also throw some lemon peels into your disposal and turn it on to create a pleasant citrus-y scent.
Biannual maintenance
Although you’ll only need to handle the following tasks about twice a year, they’re just as important as your monthly maintenance:
Testing your carbon monoxide detector
Just like smoke detectors, your carbon monoxide detectors should be tested on a regular basis. Simply press and hold down the test button on the face of the device. Once you hear a piercing siren, you know your detector is good to go.
If you don’t hear this sound, it may be time to replace the batteries or the entire system.
Deep cleaning your home
This is a fairly intensive process, but by keeping up with weekly cleaning and routine maintenance you can cut down on how much time it takes you.
Every homeowner has a different definition of what a light versus a deep clean might mean. Typically, the latter includes cleaning under furniture, wiping downlight fixtures, and vacuuming any applicable surface. A general rule of thumb is if you don’t clean it regularly, now’s the time to do so. This may also mean handling any minor home repairs that you’ve been putting off, such as a wobbly table leg or burnt-out light bulbs.
Checking your water heater
Nothing’s worse than hopping in the shower only to be greeted by freezing cold water. To ensure your water heater is operating as intended (and to prevent costly water damage), This Old House has provided the following biannual maintenance tips:
- Test the valves on your system by turning off the power and placing a bucket under the pipe connected to the temperature-pressure-release valve. If water flows after you’ve briefly opened the TPR valve, it’s time to replace it.
- Drain the tank and wash out sediment by briefly opening the cold-water supply valve. Repeat this process until water comes out clean.
- If you plan to be away from home for more than three days, turn the thermostat down to its lowest setting. For every 10 degrees the temperature is lowered, you can save up to 5% on energy costs.
If your heater does go out, you’re best off calling a plumber as it could require some fairly intensive electrical work.
Annual maintenance
When you think of seasonal home maintenance, this annual task is likely the first to come to mind: cleaning the gutters. Although it can be time-intensive, taking care of your gutters can spare you some major headaches down the road, including frozen pipes and hard-to-fix damage to your home’s exterior.
Use a sturdy and extendable ladder and place it on a solid surface. Note: If you don’t feel comfortable going up the ladder, you can always opt for a professional service. Before you get started, spread some tarps underneath you to prevent the gunk in your gutters from getting all over your yard.
Next, remove debris with a plastic scoop or old spatula. Make sure whatever you use isn’t pointed or hard enough to damage your gutters. Once this is done, flush out the gutters with a garden hose to clear out anything that’s still stuck in there — this will also reveal if you have any leaks that need to be addressed.
When gutters fill with leaves, sticks and other debris, it can cause clogs and even result in water damage reaching your roof and the foundation of your house. A clogged gutter may also lead to ice dams in the winter, making it especially important to cross this item off your checklist before the cold weather creeps up on you.
Buy your home with Bungalo
While home maintenance is an inevitable part of homeownership, keeping up with your checklist will help prevent undue costs later on. If you’re moving into a home that hasn’t been kept up-to-date or you’re moving out of your own home, making sure all of these steps have been taken care of can feel daunting.
At Bungalo, we do everything in our power to help you avoid the costly repairs that pop up when regular maintenance goes to the wayside. Our turn-key, certified homes are inspected top-to-bottom, ensuring that listings meet our standards, including critical features like plumbing, flooring and electrical. And, for those looking to sell your home, with Bungalo you can skip doing the repairs yourself and instead focus on your new house or property.
Learn more about how Bungalo works and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home has been professionally renovated and certified.
This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.
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