How to Build an Annual House Maintenace Schedule

An annual house maintenance schedule keeps you and your family focused on essential repairs. Several times a year, you’ll see signs of severe wear and tear, damage and dysfunction, and house rooms that could use renovation and improvement. Now’s the time to focus on every element of your beautiful home to prepare for an upcoming season change that could create problems.

Whether you need to warm yourself in the winter better or enjoy healthier, cleaner air, the benefits of inspecting your home once a year are well worth the time the work takes. An annual house maintenance schedule consists of a routine, a series of tasks, all of which, when completed, will make your home safer and more comfortable, so there’s no time like the present to get started. You need to know everything to ensure you stick to an annual house maintenance schedule.

Check Your HVAC System

You’ll know a well-functioning HVAC system because you won’t notice it working. A well-functioning unit is quiet and won’t cycle off too frequently, and doesn’t make the home feel musty, nor does it require constant troubleshooting to run. While hiring an HVAC contractor may be on your priority list, there’s an excellent chance everything’s okay as long as the temperature is average. You don’t notice any apparent deficiencies. Still, an HVAC contractor has all the tools of the trade.

Whether your HVAC problem is as simple as the furnace not switching on or the filters being clogged, an HVAC specialist will have both mechanical and computer skills and will be eager to install a new system if needed. An HVAC contractor will come equipped for the job, bringing screwdrivers and a hammer to tighten screws and certain parts of your air conditioner. They might come prepared with a headlight and flashlight combination when it’s time to navigate the intricacies of heat pump repair.

Notice the benefit of an efficient, repaired HVAC system immediately. Poor indoor air quality is often a sign of a poorly running unit. If you and your family can breathe easier, sleep easier, and feel less anxiety about air pollution, you know your HVAC system is running well. As you see, the family pet is enjoying its newfound sense of comfort. The best HVAC systems are affordable to run and install, so if you want an annual house maintenance schedule to be most effective, hire an HVAC contractor every few years to touch up on HVAC maintenance you’re not trained to complete.

Check Your Septic System

You probably want to spend less time thinking about your septic system, but know this; septic services and the workers that provide them are qualified to clean and repair sewer systems, especially those in rural areas. These contractors will inspect the septic system for wear and tear. However, finding typical damage in your septic system is a problem you can detect. Workers will flush out the fluids and solids, but it’s up to you to call in the help of septic cleaners when you notice an issue that’s out of your control.

Sewage backup won’t go away on its own, not always, and can emit odors that get released into your home. For example, continuous sewage backup can signal a significant clog in the system, and without industry-approved equipment, you’re only making the problem worse by ignoring it. In severe cases, a major problem with your septic system can lead to you developing gastroenteritis, a condition that, when experienced, can cause nausea, sweating, and fever.

Fix sewer-related problems early. Reach out for help if you notice gurgling sounds, leaks, or slow drainage around the bathtubs, showers, and sinks. Remember, septic services are helpful and only a call away. The whole point of the septic system is to gather wastewater and empty it away from your home. Debris can interfere with this process, so keeping large items from the sinks and toilets is advisable. Be careful and thoughtful when interacting with your septic system, and you’ll see checking the system is part of an annual house maintenance schedule you must pay attention to at all times.

Check Your Pipes

Inspecting your house once every ten years will lead to severe problems with your pipes. That’s why checking your lines should be on your list of priorities when sticking to an annual house maintenance schedule. Excellent plumbing is noticeable primarily by how well water comes through your pipes. Do you notice perfect water pressure and the absence of clogged drains and leaky pipes? Then, you can wait to contact a plumbing service, be patient.

Some of an annual house maintenance schedule will consist of you manually checking for water damage throughout the homes. If the pipes are broken, you’ll notice water dripping from the affected area and into a painful area of your home. One way you’ll know you’ve got issues with the pipes is if you detect that the wallpaper’s damp on the walls and there are black spots collecting on your floors. Know, first and foremost, that those black spots represent mold. Look out for signs of water collecting in your basement, but check other areas of the house to be sure.

Both mold and mildew can pose a severe risk to the residents of your home who depend on healthy lung function. Senior citizens will especially be more sensitive to respiratory illnesses, so mold and mildew can’t be a part of your home. Whether you’re a clean freak and eliminate bacteria by the hour or prefer to relax and let things go periodically, checking your pipes every so often is something you have to do; otherwise, you’ll see the disadvantages of water damage, mold and mildew firsthand.

Check Your Electrical Systems

Your electrical system will become a priority when you focus on an annual house maintenance schedule. Mainly, when you think of your electrical system, one of the first things you think about is the circuit breaker box. The whole point of the circuit breaker box is to protect electrical circuits from damage. That’s why the electricity goes out due to a storm. Even then, more severe issues can result, leading to disturbing signs that show something’s wrong with your electrical system. Resetting the courses on a circuit breaker box is one of the first tasks you’ll have to complete.

Any issue related to your electricity can become a risky job that you might not want to participate in, especially without safety equipment. Think about strange buzzing noises and mechanical smells, lights that flicker on and off, lights that don’t switch on at all. Think of an annual house maintenance schedule. While rewiring circuits and repairing overloaded circuits require different approaches, fixing these problems can be dangerous. Contact an electrical contractor as part of an annual house maintenance schedule, and you won’t have to deal with shocks and sparks in the future.

Check for Flooring Issues

As a homeowner, you have not seen value if you do not see hardwood. A flooring contractor might be on your list of workers to call, but the process begins with first substituting your carpet for hardwood. During the carpet removal process, you’ll notice that your nose will be sensitive to dust, dirt, and pet dander as you lift the carpet. Ultimately, the health hazard deters homeowners from sticking to carpets, with hardwood flooring being the more luxurious yet expensive alternative.

But say you’ve already installed hardwood flooring. If so, you may notice some common issues. Cupping, for example, occurs when moisture builds in the wood and causes the floor not to appear flat. Crowning, on the other hand, is a problem that happens as a result of cupping. You’ll notice here that the center of the boards rises above the edges. Both cupping and crowning make your floor look embarrassing, the floor is uncomfortable to walk on, and can cause injury if the damage is severe. Hire a flooring contractor if you notice an increase in hardwood flooring problems. Add it to an annual house maintenance schedule. By now, you’ve made substantial progress in creating your routine.

Check Your Appliances

Your appliances are primarily in your kitchen; your refrigerator, microwave, oven, and dishwasher. These products get the hard work done that you can’t, whether heating, freezing, boiling, or sanitizing. Appliances are an essential part of your home, and checking their status should be at the top of your to-do list regarding an annual house maintenance schedule. Notice something wrong? Fear not. Appliance repair companies restore your appliances to near factory-like conditions.

Whether the issue is mechanical problems or the result of wear and tear, contractors at appliance repair companies can fasten, re-screw, reattach, and replace parts of your appliances that cease to function. You can easily stay in the home as these contractors work, and you’ll see that for the finer troubleshooting tasks, a contractor can help. DIY techniques for appliances may result in extra damage. You might also default on your appliances’ warranty if you make mechanical adjustments.

Ideally, you can detect visible signs of damage by yourself. Examine the exterior of your appliances and check for broken parts, scratches, and missing pieces. Look for signs of dysfunction in your cooking and cleaning appliances above all. Appliance repair companies can help, but you might keep operating the machine if you don’t notice signs of damage. Check your appliances once a year, and you’ll avoid the risks of using malfunctioning equipment.

Check the Exterior of Your Home for Dangerous Tree Branches

Just when you thought an annual house maintenance schedule was restricted to your home’s interior, you noticed, for the first time, some low-hanging tree branches scratching the surfaces of your windows. Trees might add to the beauty surrounding your home but can damage the windows and exterior if they’re long and untrimmed. In the worst cases, broken, damaged tree limbs can collapse on top of your home, putting you and your family at risk of severe health consequences.

Tree removal work is a serious business. Fortunately, tree removal companies are available to add to your annual maintenance schedule. These contractors have the equipment and skills to remove trees, from whole branches to the tree’s stump. Assessing the tree’s health is the first step in removing the damaged tree from the property. The tree’s health matters, such as the tree’s condition, will indicate the specific processes the company will take to remove the tree. Clearing the area is always a priority; these experts can work together and function as a team. Call for help if you notice your trees have caused damage.

How would you adjust an annual house maintenance schedule, especially where contractors do tree removal work? The answer is you check the exterior of your home, too. Examine the paint for imperfections; you may see it’s time for a fresh coat outside your home. Pay close attention if you own a house made of bricks. While colorful and appealing to the eye, bricks are sensitive to wear and tear, so you should hire a brick restoration company when planning an annual house maintenance schedule. If you’re the DIY type of homeowner, no worries. You only need table salt and dish soap to make a paste meant to restore brick. Your home could look as good as new, so stay on top of this annual home maintenance task.

Check Your Foundation for Cracks

What is your final step in creating an annual house maintenance schedule? Check your home’s foundation for cracks since you’re outside, anyway. Cracks in your home can cause your home’s walls to shift and move. The friction created can generate heat and weaken your home’s structure, ultimately destabilizing your home’s foundation. An annual house maintenance schedule should consider your family’s safety. Above all, consider contracting your maintenance work to foundation repair companies if you notice cracks have appeared.

Your home’s foundation is a barrier between the bottom of your home and the groundwater below. While it might be overwhelming to think about, enough groundwater exists below your home to lead to severe flooding should a problem exist with your foundation. The purpose of a foundation built from below extends further than the need to support the structure above. Check the walls and floors for cracks, and list any you observe. The more you have, the weaker your home’s foundation, and the more likely you could see less pleasant signs of damage in the future.

Congratulations, you made it. You created an annual house maintenance schedule. Your routine includes HVAC repair and replacement tasks, electrical services, flooring repair, and exterior home renovation. You studied your home from every perspective, and now you can see opportunities for long-term improvement. For every home maintenance task you complete, another job of more significant importance will soon become available. Stay organized and focused as you complete your annual maintenance. The best part of having a schedule? You’re the homeowner in control.