Inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good
maintenance practices is the best way to protect your investment in
your home. Whether you take care of a few tasks at a time or several
all at once, it is important to get into the habit of doing them.
Establish a routine for yourself and you will find the work is easy
to accomplish and not very time consuming. A regular schedule of
seasonal maintenance can put a stop to the most common — and costly
— problems, before they occur. If necessary use a camera to take
pictures of anything you might want to share with an expert for
advice or to monitor or remind you of a situation later.
By following the information noted here, you will learn about
protecting your investment and how to help keep your home a safe and
healthy place to live.
If you do not feel comfortable performing some of the home
maintenance tasks listed below, or have the necessary equipment, for
example a ladder, you may want to consider hiring a qualified handy
person to help you.
Seasonal home maintenance
Most home maintenance activities are seasonal. Fall is the time
to get your home ready for the coming winter, which can be the most
grueling season for your home. During winter months, it is important
to follow routine maintenance procedures, by checking your home
carefully for any problems arising and taking corrective action as
soon as possible. Spring is the time to assess winter damage, start
repairs and prepare for warmer months. Over the summer, there are a
number of indoor and outdoor maintenance tasks to look after, such
as repairing walkways and steps, painting and checking your chimney
and roof.
While most maintenance is seasonal, there are some things you
should do on a frequent basis year round:
Make sure air vents indoors and
outside (intake, exhaust and forced air) are not blocked by
snow or debris.
Check and clean range hood filters
on a monthly basis.
Test the ground fault circuit
interrupter(s) monthly by pushing the test button, which
should then cause the reset button to pop up.
If there are young children in the
house, make sure electrical outlets are equipped with safety
plugs.
Regularly check the house for
safety hazards such as a loose handrail, lifting or buckling
carpet, etc.
Timing of the seasons varies not only from one area of Canada to
another, but also from year to year in a given area. For this
reason, we have not identified the months for each season. The
maintenance schedule presented here, instead, is a general guide for
you to follow.The actual timing is left for you to decide, and you
may want to further divide the list of items for each season into
months.
Fall
Have furnace or heating system
serviced by a qualified service company every two years for a
gas furnace, and every year for an oil furnace.
Open furnace humidifier damper on
units with central air conditioning and clean
humidifier.
Lubricate circulating pump on hot
water heating system.
Bleed air from hot water
radiators.
Examine the forced air furnace fan
belt for wear, looseness or noise; clean fan blades of any
dirt buildup (after disconnecting the electricity to the motor
first).
Turn ON gas furnace pilot
light.
Check and clean or replace furnace
air filters each month during the heating season.Ventilation
system, such as heat recovery ventilator, filters should be
checked every two months.
Vacuum electric baseboard heaters
to remove dust.
Remove the grilles on forced air
systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
If the heat recovery ventilator has
been shut off for the summer, clean the filters and the core,
and pour water down the condensate drain to test it.
Clean portable humidifier, if one
is used.
Have well water tested for quality.
It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six
months.
Check sump pump and line to ensure
proper operation, and to ascertain that there are no line
obstructions or visible leaks.
Replace window screens with storm
windows.
Remove screens from the inside of
casement windows to allow air from the heating system to keep
condensation off window glass.
Ensure all doors to the outside
shut tightly, and check other doors for ease of use. Renew
door weatherstripping if required.
If there is a door between your
house and the garage, check the adjustment of the self-closing
device to ensure it closes the door completely.
Ensure windows and skylights close
tightly.
Cover outside of air conditioning
units.
Ensure that the ground around your
home slopes away from the foundation wall, so that water does
not drain into your basement.
Clean leaves from eavestroughs and
roofs, and test downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the
roof.
Check chimneys for obstructions
such as nests.
Drain and store outdoor hoses.
Close valve to outdoor hose connection and drain the hose bib
(exterior faucet), unless your house has frost proof hose
bibs.
If you have a septic tank, measure
the sludge and scum to determine if the tank needs to be
emptied before the spring.Tanks should be pumped out at least
once every three years.
Winterize landscaping, for example,
store outdoor furniture, prepare gardens and, if necessary,
protect young trees or bushes for winter.
Winter
Check and clean or replace furnace
air filters each month during the heating season.Ventilation
system, such as heat recovery ventilator, filters should be
checked every two months.
After consulting your hot water
tank owner’s manual, drain off a dishpan full of water from
the clean-out valve at the bottom of your hot water tank to
control sediment and maintain efficiency.
Clean humidifier two or three times
during the winter season.
Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
Vacuum fire and smoke detectors, as
dust or spider webs can prevent them from functioning.
Vacuum radiator grilles on back of
refrigerators and freezers, and empty and clean drip
trays.
Check gauge on all fire
extinguishers; recharge or replace if necessary.
Check fire escape routes, door and
window locks and hardware, and lighting around outside of
house; ensure family has good security habits.
Check the basement floor drain to
ensure the trap contains water. Refill with water if
necessary.
Monitor your home for excessive
moisture levels—for example, condensation on your windows,
which can cause significant damage over time and pose serious
health problems—and take corrective action. Refer to About
Your House factsheet Measuring
Humidity in Your Home.
Check all faucets for signs of
dripping and change washers as needed. Faucets requiring
frequent replacement of washers may be in need of
repair.
If you have a plumbing fixture that
is not used frequently, such as a laundry tub or spare
bathroom sink, tub or shower stall, run some water briefly to
keep water in the trap.
Clean drains in dishwasher, sinks,
bathtubs and shower stalls.
Test plumbing shut-off valves to
ensure they are working and to prevent them from
seizing.
Examine windows and doors for ice
accumulation or cold air leaks. If found, make a note to
repair or replace in the spring.
Examine attic for frost
accumulation. Check roof for ice dams or icicles. If there is
excessive frost or staining of the underside of the roof, or
ice dams on the roof surface, consult the CMHC About Your
House factsheet Attic
Venting, Attic Moisture and Ice Dams for advice.
Check electrical cords, plugs and
outlets for all indoor and outdoor seasonal lights to ensure
fire safety: if worn, or plugs or cords feel warm to the
touch, replace immediately.
Spring
After consulting your hot water
tank owner’s manual, carefully test the temperature and
pressure relief valve to ensure it is not stuck. (Caution:This
test may release hot water that can cause burns.)
Check and clean or replace furnace
air filters each month during the heating season.Ventilation
system, for example heat recovery ventilator, filters should
be checked every two months.
Have fireplace or woodstove and
chimney cleaned and serviced as needed.
Shut down and clean furnace
humidifier, and close the furnace humidifier damper on units
with central air conditioning.
Check air conditioning system and
have serviced every two or three years.
Clean or replace air conditioning
filter (if applicable).
Check dehumidifier and clean if
necessary.
Turn OFF gas furnace and fireplace
pilot lights where possible.
Have well water tested for quality.
It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six
months.
Check smoke, carbon monoxide and
security alarms and replace batteries.
Clean windows, screens and
hardware, and replace storm windows with screens. Check
screens first and repair or replace if needed.
Open valve to outside hose
connection after all danger of frost has passed.
Examine the foundation walls for
cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair as required.
Repair and paint fences as necessary.
Ensure sump pump is operating
properly before the spring thaw sets in. Ensure discharge pipe
is connected and allows water to drain away from the
foundation.
Re-level any exterior steps or
decks which moved due to frost or settling.
Check eavestroughs and downspouts
for loose joints and secure attachment to your home, clear any
obstructions, and ensure water flows away from your
foundation.
Clear all drainage ditches and
culverts of debris.
Undertake spring landscape
maintenance and, if necessary, fertilize young
trees.
Summer
Monitor basement humidity and avoid
relative humidity levels above 60 per cent. Use a dehumidifier
to maintain safe relative humidity. Clean or replace air
conditioning filter, and wash or replace ventilation system
filters if necessary.
Check basement pipes for
condensation or dripping, and take corrective action, for
example, reduce humidity and or insulate cold water
pipes.
Check the basement floor drain to
ensure the trap contains water. Refill with water if
necessary.
If you have a plumbing fixture that
is not used frequently, for example, a laundry tub or spare
bathroom sink, tub or shower stall, run some water briefly to
keep water in the trap.
Deep clean carpets and rugs.
Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
Disconnect the duct connected to
the dryer and vacuum lint from duct, the areas surrounding
your clothes dryer and your dryer’s vent hood outside.
Check security of all guardrails
and handrails.
Check smooth functioning of all
windows and lubricate as required.
Inspect window putty on outside of
glass panes and replace if needed.
Lubricate door hinges and tighten
screws as needed.
Lubricate garage door hardware and
ensure it is operating properly.
Lubricate automatic garage door
opener motor, chain, etc. and ensure that the auto-reverse
mechanism is properly adjusted.
Check and replace damaged caulking
and weatherstripping around windows and doorways, including
the doorway between the garage and the house.Inspect
electrical service lines for secure attachment where they
enter your house, and make sure there is no water leakage into
the house along the electrical conduit.
Inspect electrical service lines
for secure attachment where they enter your house, and make
sure there is no water leakage into the house along the
electrical conduit.
Check exterior wood siding and trim
for signs of deterioration; clean, replace or refinish as
needed.
Check for and seal off any holes in
exterior cladding that could be an entry point for small
pests, such as bats, squirrels.
Remove any plants that contact, or
roots that penetrate, the siding or brick.
Climb up on your roof, or use
binoculars, to check its general condition, and note any
sagging, that could indicate structural problems requiring
further investigation from inside the attic. Note the
condition of all shingles for possible repair or replacement,
and examine all roof flashings, such as at chimney and roof
joints, for any signs of cracking or leakage.
Sweep chimneys connected to any
woodburning appliance or fireplace, and inspect them for
end-of-season problems.
Check the chimney cap and the
caulking between the cap and the chimney.
Repair driveway and walkways as
needed.
Repair any damaged steps that
present a safety problem.
Other useful Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
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