Home Maintenance for the New Year

       Did you buy a home this past year and don’t know where to start with yearly maintenance? Have you been a homeowner for years now and don't know how often to do tasks to keep up with your home? For most american, their home is their biggest investment, and keeping up with your home is a must. Maintaining your home throughout the months and years will help keep your home from running into larger problems that can be rather costly. Below is a list of tasks to do annually to keep your home in tip top shape. Throughout the year, I will continue to post checklists of maintenance to help homeowners keep up with their home.

• Clean behind appliances-Moving the fridge, stove, and laundry machines away from the walls; do a thorough cleaning, vacuum the freidge coils, and wipe all the rear surfaces with a lightly dampened dust cloth. Then get rid of year-old dust by giving the floor a good cleaning. 
• Clean clothes dryer exhaust. Lint buildup can affect the dryer's efficiency and may create a fire hazard.  Wipe it down on the outside, and clean the drum on the inside. Pull the lint trap out and wash it. Then, remove the vent tubing and vacuum it out thoroughly. Pull any chunks of lint you can find inside the vent, and then inspect the vent cover outside. Be sure it’s clear of any debris, and trim back any landscaping that may be encroaching. Put everything back together and put the task on your calendar for next year.
• Lubricate garage door springs. Whether you have an opener or not, greasing your garage door springs can make it much easier to operate.
• Drain the hot water heater. Sediment that collects in the bottom of the heater can affect its longevity. Make sure to follow all precautions, and contact a professional if you need help.
• Look for signs of termites. A swarm of termites can lead to huge expenses.  Click here to find out what to look for.
• Clean septic tank. If your sewage collects in a tank, it should be inspected annually and emptied as needed. Your septic tank can be pumped all year round, and the temperature generally has little bearing on a professional's ability to perform most septic services
• Clean your sump pump -You might never think about it, but you do have to clean your sump pump to keep it working properly.  Follow this tutorial on how to properly clean your sump pump. 
• Your chimney should be inspected once a year to make sure it’s safe and to head off any maintenance issues before they cause a real problem. Do a visual inspection from the outside to check for any cracks or crumbling mortar, and then check the firebox inside for the same. Open and close the dampers. If anything gives you pause, call a professional to take a closer look.