You can search online for easy home maintenance tips, and you will likely be bombarded with results which all seem to tell you the same things most homeowners already know: change your air filters regularly, check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, make sure that you have an emergency kit somewhere in your home that is stocked full of bandages, medications and other necessities.
However, Oncourse Home Solutions would like to provide you with a list of six easy home maintenance tips that you may not have thought about before.
- Check your garage door opener. Many people don’t test their garage door opener regularly to see if it’s actually working like it should in case of an emergency. Place an obstruction beneath the garage door. You could try this by using a basketball or cardboard box. Next, try closing the door. If the garage door goes back up once it reaches the obstruction, it is working normally. If not, have it looked at to prevent an accident in the future.
- Test your GFCI outlets. There is a push “test” button found on all GFCI outlets. These outlets are often found inside of bathrooms and kitchens. You can push the “test” button and the power should go off. If you then press the “reset” button, the power should come back on.
- Have your fireplace cleaned yearly. Built-up soot and debris inside of the fireplace on the walls could eventually lead to structural damage. Additionally, a soot-filled fireplace can trap carbon monoxide (CO) inside. This is a dangerous, tasteless, odorless and colorless gas which could lead to serious problems for your health, and could even cause death.
- Check the caulking around window and door frames. If there are any openings around these frames, conditioned air from inside your home can get out, and hot or cold air from outside can get in. This ultimately leads to an uncomfortable home, and skyrocketing energy bills each month. Your furnace/boiler or air conditioner have to work extra hard in order to keep the inside of your home at the temperature you’ve set.
- Check your fire extinguishers. Believe it or not, fire extinguishers can actually expire. When this happens, the materials inside don’t work as well as they should to put out a fire. Check all of the extinguishers in your home to make sure they are still usable. If not, toss them out and purchase new ones. It’s also a smart idea to make sure that everyone in your home knows the location of these devices and how to properly use them.
- Trim back trees or bushes around your air conditioner. Your air conditioner needs to “breathe” in. It needs two feet of clearance around all sides, and nothing hanging over the top so that hot air can escape
These tips can help you keep your home and family safe and comfortable.