The holidays are over and aside from the obvious - storing the holiday lights, putting away the light-up reindeer, and stocking up on sidewalk salt to avoid the “America’s Funniest Home Videos” moment, January is the perfect time to start planning your monthly home maintenance checklist. A little winterizing and a careful inspection of your home can help you avoid costly repairs this new year. It isn’t always easy to know what you can do now to help prepare and protect your property from the cold weather. To help simplify the process, we have created a January Home Maintenance Checklist to guide you through preventive maintenance to make your home a safer and healthier place for you and your family in the new year.
January Home Maintenance Checklist
- Replace HVAC system filters
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Cover outdoor air-conditioning units
- Store away outdoor furniture
- Shut off and drain all outdoor water faucets
- Check for drafts around doors & windows
- Vacuum refrigerator coils
- Clean & organize panty
- Deep Clean refrigerator
- Gather little-used toys, clothing, and housewares to donate to charity
Tips to saving energy in your home this winter
- Close foundation vents to lower your heating costs
- Keep internal doors closed to trap heat inside rooms
- Use thermal curtains & keep them closed to trap hear inside
- Open the oven door once you’ve finished using it to help heat the kitchen Wash clothes in cold water & air dry instead of using tumble dry
Maintenance Tip:
Over the course of the year dust, grease, and dirt get stuck to the coils of your refrigerator. This makes your appliances inefficient and dangerous. The best way to clean the coils is with a vacuum cleaner. Simply unplug the refrigerator, pull it away from the wall and find the coils located behind a metal plate in the back. Use the brush attachment of your vacuum and work the grime away gently. Then use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe the coils down. This simple maintenance tip will lower running costs and reduce the risk of a house fire.
