A New Year's Check-up for Your Home

In the spirit of making resolutions and starting the new year off with a bang, we thought a home maintenance list would fit right in. Whether you rent or own, this check list is a great place to start the year out right. It is also a great place to start if you are looking to sell or buy a home this winter, as you will want to make sure everything is in working order. Here in Central Oregon, winters are typically snowy, icy and cold. We’ve had a pretty mild season so far, but that doesn’t mean a storm isn’t right around the corner. Reviewing this list and updating some basics in your home, will help ensure a safe and warm rest of the winter. The following four suggestions will help keep your home safe year-round.

Check HVAC Systems

We rely heavily on our HVAC systems to keep our homes warm during the winter. It’s not very often that we will want to shut the entire system down, in fact, whether it’s summer or winter, most of us have our systems running all the time. Taking a few minutes to have your system inspected is worth the brief chill you might feel while the heat is turned off. Making sure to ask the specialist to inspect and clean the dryer vent is also very important and something they will routinely do. Every year, roughly 3,000 house fires in the US are attributed to dirty dryer vents. Avoid this and ensure you’ll be breathing clean filtered air by calling for an inspection today!

Smoke Detectors & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A great New Year’s home maintenance item is to change out the batteries in all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It makes it easy to remember if you do it at the beginning of each new year, and you are protecting your most important investment, you and your family. We have all experienced the annoying beep from a low battery in a smoke detector, and while it seems harmless to just remove the battery, a lot of times those batteries don’t get replaced. Order your batteries online, take an hour and walk through the house replacing each detector. It is worth the effort!

Inspect Your Deck & Railings

The extreme temperatures between summer and winter in Central Oregon can be hard on wood decking and railings. If your deck isn’t covered in snow, take a spin and review the wear and tear. Replacing part or all of the structure might be necessary for safety as well as aesthetic.

Clean Those Gutters

You may want to hire a professional for this task, depending on your level of comfort on a ladder. Some homes have easy access to the gutters and drainage systems, but others might be too high for someone to reach without proper ladders and harnesses. Packed gutters can lead to water damage, so get those pine needles and leaves cleared out before the next snow storm hits!

As you make your list of resolutions and goals for 2020, don’t forget to take care of your home to-do’s. Whether you plan to list your home or just start the year off right, you will rest easy knowing you’re safeguarding your most important contents in your home. From all of us at Duke Warner Realty, we wish you a Happy New Year!