Owning a home is truly a dream come true, but it also means new responsibilities. More specifically, you are the one in charge of house maintenance, both inside and outside. Yearly home maintenance tasks and running costs will differ depending on the home’s size and location.
Regarding homeownership in Florida, the heat and the humidity pose specific challenges. As such, in this article, the team here at Habitat for Humanity of Broward brings the ultimate list of home maintenance tips to keep your home clean and fully functional.
Maintaining a House Inside
Keeping the interior in check and clean is the secret to a happy household. First, our home maintenance checklist for Florida will focus on the home’s interior.
Check for Leaks
A small leak can cause massive discomfort in any home. Damage from water can lead to mildew, mold, wall damage, and compromised flooring. Not to mention repair costs can be outrageously expensive. This is why you need to be alert regarding any leakage. As home maintenance tip number one, ensure to check the faucets, pumps, and water heater regularly.
Service the Water Heater
The absence of hot water in a home can wreak havoc almost instantly. This is why it’s essential to schedule regular water heater servicing, where experts drain the tank and check components like the anode rod to ensure everything’s in working order.
Check the Plumbing
Clogged drains and dripping faucets can also lead to significant problems down the road. Checking the plumbing should also be an integral part of maintaining a house to avoid corroding pipes and even more serious issues in the long run.
Check the HVAC System
Changing the air filters, inspecting and cleaning the ducts, checking the coils, and replacing the refrigerant are only some of the home maintenance tasks that pertain to your HVAC system. Not being able to cool down your home during the Florida heat and being unable to crank up the heat when it’s cooler can be nerve-wracking so ensure a professional inspection twice a year.
On a similar note, cleaning the air vents and your dryer vent should also be high on your Florida home maintenance list.
Pest Control
Ensure that pests can’t get in your home in the first place. Unpleasant and potentially damaging to your home, pests can also be a health hazard. As such, home maintenance tips for pest control should include checking the doors and window frames, and baseboards for cracks and sealing them if you find any.
Examine your basement and attic as well.
Ensure all Safety Devices Work
Ensure the fire extinguisher is in working order, along with the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.
The fire extinguisher should be in an easy-to-reach place, and you should check the batteries in your detector devices to see whether they work.
Lastly, ensure that the cameras or alarm systems have a technician come over at least once or twice a year to check whether the system works properly.
Wipe Down the Appliances
Home maintenance tips should also include cleaning the dust off of your appliances, focusing most on the kitchen. As such, make sure to wipe down the following to get rid of stains, odors, and possible breeding grounds for bacteria:
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Oven
- Stovetop
- Microwave
- Blender
- Toaster
- Coffeemaker
Outside Home Maintenance Tips
House maintenance from the outside is more than just keeping the appearance of the home in tip-top shape. This home maintenance checklist for Florida homeowners will ensure that the exterior of your home will also remain dry and safe.
Check the Light Bulbs
Replacing any dead light bulbs is our first house maintenance tip. More precisely, look for energy-efficient options that can withstand the weather in Florida, and that will keep the mosquitos away.
Clean the Gutters and the Yard
After a while, the gutters will get clogged up with debris and leaves, and you must clean them to keep them in working order. Failing to do that can result in water damage, so check them regularly.
Keeping your yard clean is another crucial house maintenance task that can play a vital role in deterring pests from your home. Mow the lawn, weed the bushes, and water the grass to keep it green and lush.
Also, inspect the trees in your yard, trim them and call a professional service if you assume one of them is sick.
Check the Roofs, Doors, Windows, and the Foundation
Sometimes, the leaks come from the outside and not from your plumbing. As such, maintaining the house should also include regularly checking the home for outdoor leaks, like the roof, door, and window frames, and looking for mildew stains and mold.
On the other hand, checking the foundation can help you evade costly repairs and can ensure that your home remains safe.
Look for water and other kinds of visible damage and ask for professional help early on to avoid anything severe from happening.
Powerwash the Exterior
Power washing the outside of the house is also an essential house maintenance task because it gets rid of grime and grit, increasing curb appeal almost instantly. You can get a power washer for a reasonable price, or you can always choose to rent one.
Be careful with damaged areas because power washing them could only make things worse. Oh, and since we’re talking about outside damages, Also make sure to prepare your house for hurricanes. Securing the roof, doors, and windows, devising an emergency action plan, and checking your insurance policy are only some of the steps you should take.
Pool Maintenance
If you have a swimming pool, then you know that keeping it clean is an essential part of maintaining a house. The basics include keeping it clean of debris and dirt; you should also regularly clean the filters and make sure that the water has the proper amount of chemicals. If you don’t want to mess with these things, you can always hire a technician from a reliable pool maintenance company to take care of these things.
Check the Garage Door
Making sure that it’s in working condition. The garage door makes up a large chunk of any house’s appearance and has excellent curb appeal. These doors are prone to break or to have malfunctioning electronics from time to time, so any time you experience something that is out of the ordinary, ask for help.
Consistency is Key
As you can see, some of these maintenance tasks should be performed once or twice a year, while others may be performed on a bi-weekly or weekly basis. All in all, it’s essential to keep tabs on things that can malfunction and can lead to more significant problems down the road.
Have you found this article helpful? If you are looking for more valuable homeowner tips, feel free to check out the rest of the articles from our blog.