September 26, 2012
Regular home maintenance is an important part of keeping up the value of your home and avoiding expensive repairs. However, during the hot and humid summer months in the Sarasota area, many of your to-do items may have fallen by the wayside. Now is a perfect time to catch up.
Here are our top home maintenance tips every Sarasota-area homeowner should complete before winter.
The hot and humid summer weather can corrode the weather stripping around your home’s doors and windows. On your home’s exterior walls, look for gaps and holes around your doors, windows, light fixtures, electrical outlets, and plumbing.
As the temperatures continue their downward trend, you will be using your air conditioner less and less. But don’t forget to replace or clean your air filters when they are dirty. Dirty filters restrict airflow and can damage your heating and cooling equipment.
October is National Fire Prevention Month. Test each of the smoke detectors in your home to ensure they are operating correctly and replace the batteries, if needed.
For electrical safety, check the cords on your appliances, including toasters, microwaves, clocks, chargers, televisions, computers, etc. The cords should be in good condition with no separation at the ends or fraying.
If you have a traditional storage tank water heater, you should have it flushed at least once a year to avoid a damaging build-up of hard water deposits.
Visually inspect your home’s roof for missing or cracked shingles. Replace and repair them as needed.
Although October through May is the dry season in Sarasota, Florida, we do still get rain. For proper drainage and to avoid water damage, it is important to keep the gutters free of leaves and other debris.
The cooler weather inevitably means you will be opening your windows more often. So check the screens on each window and make sure there are no large holes that will let insects into your home.
Accomplishing regular home maintenance tasks like these will not only help keep your home’s value, but also save you thousands in home repairs over the years.
Looking for more ways to save money and keep your home in great shape? Check out our comprehensive maintenance agreements and get great discounts on heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing services from the best Sarasota-area companies - Cool Today, Energy Today and Plumbing Today.
Posted in: Tips