Home Maintenance

YOUR LOCAL BUILDER’S TIP

With our day-to-day lives becoming busier than ever we all tend to forget about the home’s well-being and just expect it to last well beyond our time.

Here is what I recommend if you have not already got a service plan in place create one today.

• Pick a date of the year that you will best remember. I have suggested using daylight savings change over.
• Set calendar reminders on your phone or smart devices, and with having ongoing or reoccurring reminders there should be no reason to forget your quarterly or annual maintenance or inspection scheme.
• Have your maintenance broken down into a seasonal tasks

Here is a list of items to help kick start your home maintenance list.

• Be bushfire ready as best as possible.
• Be flood ready as best as possible.
• Check water drainage from your and neighbouring properties to reduce the chances of house foundation, paving and footpath movement.
• Sewer drains. Get a gauge of how the water flows and how long it takes so that over time you can predict a possible blockage, gurgling sounds are also indicators. Keep your internal floor grates and basin plugs clean and clear of hair build-up, clean these areas frequently. Don’t forget to take the sink “S” or “P” trap off to flush out and clean from scum build-up.
• Clean the gutters. This is not just for summer and fires but it’s just as important for winter to help reduce the chance of stormwater blockages and gutters overflowing.
• Termite inspection and prevention. Ensure you do not have any food source that a Termite will be attracted to.
• Smoke alarms. Yes, even if yours is hard wired it will still have a battery and yes it will only CHIRP to remind you at 2am when you’re trying to sleep.
• Air conditioner return air vents or Evap pads. Keep these clean, even though your return air vent is inside your house, unlike the Evaporative unit they still collect dust and lint that over time cover over the filter pad reducing the ability for your reverse cycle air-con to work effectively. Take these out and vacuum or wash them out.
• Silicone. Your extreme wet areas like showers and around baths should be cleaned and inspected frequently, do not use harsh scrubbing tools as this will rip at the silicone and start dislodging it from the substrate. I suggest inspecting every quarter and no more than 12 months apart but it’s just as easy to inspect every time you clean these areas. All other areas of silicones and sealants should also be inspected regularly.
• Windows, doors, and screens. Make adjustments throughout the seasonal changes.

I hope you have enjoyed the read and take away and implement some home maintenance and inspection pointers.

Sincerely,
Your local builder.