| Fall
Composition Roofs
. Apply zinc-based moss powder to keep moss from growing on roof
Brick Chimneys
. Check for loose mortar joints and loose bricks. These mortar joints can be tuck-pointed by you if you are comfortable with mortar use or by someone else if you are not.
. Check the condition of your chimney cap. This is a flat piece of concrete or metal that seals the top of your chimney chase closed from the elements.
If it is a one piece concrete cap, check to make sure the outer edges of the cap overhang the top outside edges of the top row of bricks. Also, make sure it has no cracks in the concrete and that it seals tightly where it butts up against your chimney flues (the "pipes" that carry smoke, carbon monoxide, etc.). Seal cracks in the cap with concrete crack filler. Seal any openings against flues with exterior caulk. If the cap is in bad shape, you may need a new one poured.
If the cap is metal, check for rust and for a tight seal where flues pass through the cap. For rust, clean the affected area with a wire brush, wipe the rust away with a rag, and apply a spray-on rust inhibitor (like Rustoleum) to seal the metal. When you buy rust inhibitors, the color of the cap on the spray can will be the color the cap ends up.
. Install a rain cap if you don't have one. This will keep birds, etc. out of your chimney flues and it will keep rain from rusting and damaging your metal damper if you have one in use.
Metal Chimneys
. Check for a good seal where the chimney passes through the roof. If its base is sealed with mastic or tar (black substance), check for openings. Seal any found.
. Check for any rust. If found, clean the affected area with a wire brush, wipe the rust away with a rag, and apply a spray-on rust inhibitor (like Rustoleum) to seal the metal. When you buy rust inhibitors, the color of the cap on the spray can will be the color the cap ends up. These pipes have two walls. If the outer wall is rusted through, have an Heating and Air Conditioning company come replace it.
. Make sure the bonnet or top of the chimney is secure and cannot come off in the wind. If it is loose, secured it using sheet metal screws.
Gutters
. Clean gutters out completely. Pick out large objects / organic matter (pine cones, braches, etc.). Wash the remainder down your downspouts using a garden hose (not a pressure washer).
. If rust is visible after gutters are clean and dry apply a spray on rust inhibitor
. Check all gutter joints, especially those at 90-degree corners, for sealed caulk. Seal any spots that have come open
. Check anchor nails at rafter tails for stability.
. Make sure all downspout sections are still connected to each other and that anchor brackets have not pulled loose from the home's siding.
. Make sure that splash-blocks, if used, are set to catch water as it comes out of downspouts and angled at least ¼-inch per foot of travel downhill away from the home to properly route water away from the home's foundation.
Siding
. Check lap siding (named because each board overlaps the board underneath it as siding goes towards the ground) for any splits, loose nails, etc. Put loose nails back with a hammer, and then caulk the nail heads shut.
. Check panel siding (sold in 4 x 8 foot panels) for proper seals where two panels meet each other.
. Make sure there is a 6-inch gap between soil and the bottom edge of the lowest siding board or wood trim. This prevents wood rot and insect damage.
Trim
. Re-secure any loose trim pieces so winter winds cannot damage them or remove them from the home.
Exterior Caulking
. Check caulk joints where siding boards meet each other and where siding boards meet windows. Re-caulk any areas that have come open. Remove old caulk before doing so.
Hose Bibs
. Cover your hose bibs with insulated covers. This not only can keep your water lines from freezing up in a severe winter cold snap, it can keep the hose bib shut-off valve from being damaged. This damage commonly leads to a dripping or leaking hose bib that cannot be shut off.
Winter
Interior Grout Lines and Caulk Joints
. Check all grout lines at countertops and tub and shower surrounds to make sure they are sealed and are not cracked. Re-grout where necessary. It is very common for new construction builders to not apply grout sealer over grout lines, a recipe for cracked grout lines and water intrusion down the road.
. Re-caulk any caulk joints that have opened up or just where the caulk is worn, growing mold, etc.
GFCI Outlets
. Use the test and re-set button to test your GFCI outlets. Better yet, for usually less than $10 you can buy a GFCI tester and make sure all GFCI's in your home, including those that do not have test and re-set buttons, work properly. Any outlets that do not re-set should be replaced. You are supposed to trip and re-set all GFCI's with buttons monthly.
Interior Sinks
. Run the sinks with the sink stoppers seated so the sink fills. Let it go until it is flowing water through the overflow drain. Open the sink cabinet and turn on a flashlight to check for leaks. Then let the stopper come up and watch for leaks and for proper whirlpool action as the water drains. If leaks are found, repair them. If the sink will not drain properly, use liquid drain cleaner to open them.
. Check bathtub for whirlpool drain action. If the tub will not drain properly, use liquid drain cleaner to open the drain.
. Run all showerheads and look for leaks at the showerhead threads. If there are any, unscrew the showerhead and put plumber's tape on it and put the showerhead on again securely.
Summer
Wood shake roofs
. Pressure washing of mildew from shakes if this hasn't been done in the last 3-5 years
. Application of anti-fungal spray if this hasn't been done in the last 3-5 years
. Replacement of any split or rotten shakes at roof fields and ridge-caps.
. Check ridge-caps for stability and re-secure if loose.
Driveways, Patios, and Service Walks
. Check for cracks. Those less than ¼-inch can be sealed using concrete crack filler. Pressure-wash the crack free of all debris and let it dry. Then apply concrete crack filler to the crack. Overfill it slightly, as the filler will suck back into the crack slightly as it cures. This will last 3-4 years. For a more permanent fix, and for all cracks bigger than ¼-inch wide, use one of the mortar mixes you can mix up in a bucket or wheelbarrow and apply with a trowel.
. If concrete has moved and trip hazards have developed you have several options. You can have a company mud-jack settled concrete back up into place. They put a nozzle under the dropped slab and pump liquid mortar and sometimes limestone under the slab to hydraulically raise it back up. Another option for trip hazards is to mark them with bright yellow paint so they eye is drawn to them and feet can adjust to them.
. Check for trees that have roots that are heaving or breaking up your patio, driveway, or service walk. Consider having them removed if they are doing this type of damage.
Decks
. Nothing is more useful than a deck. Nothing requires more maintenance. The deck should be checked every summer for a proper seal of preservative, paint, or stain to wood surfaces. This includes handrails, balusters (the vertical members of your railing system) and the decking boards themselves. Re-stain, paint, or preserve as needed. No wood grain should be open to the weather. For heavy grain, sand it flat and then apply your covering.
. Re-secure any screws or nails that have backed out.
. Re-secure any balusters or posts that have come loose at their bases.
. Check the bolts, and every deck should be bolted, at the ledger boards the deck was built off of. Tighten any bolt heads that have come loose.
Plants, Trees, and Shrubs
. Trim back any that are touching the home. Keep trimming them every few weeks throughout the summer as they will grow quickly.
Hot Water Tank
. Check the seismic restraints to make sure their bolts are secure where they enter the wall or bolt to studs or concrete. If you do not have the newer seismic restraints which are two metal bands that wrap around the tank, then please get the install kit at any hardware store and install them.
. Drain the tank by hooking a hose up to the drain spigot at the bottom of the tank and aiming that hose either into a bathtub or down a driveway. Open the valve and let about 5 gallons of water out. Let it flow for 2-3 minutes then shut the valve handle and take the hose off. BE CAREFUL! THE WATER COMING OUT OF THE TANK CAN BE IN EXCESS OF 130 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND CAN CAUSE BAD BURNS!
Forced Air Furnace
. Have the furnace serviced by a licensed Heating and Air Conditioning company. Make sure they have a warranty and that they fill out a service sticker and leave it on the front or side of the furnace. This should be done every two years if you have a mid-efficiency furnace (it will have a metal exhaust flue) or every year if you have a high efficiency furnace (it will have a PVC, or plastic, exhaust flue).
. On the years you are not having the furnace serviced, check and replaced the furnace filter as needed.
. If you have electrostatic (electronic) furnace filters, clean them. They can be run through the dishwasher or they can be submerged in a bathtub that has been filled with hot water and liquid dishwashing soap that cuts grease. MAKE SURE THESE FILTERS ARE TOTALLY DRY BEFORE YOU PUT THEM BACK IN YOUR FURNACE! If you do not, the water can start to rust the inside of your furnace.
. If you have a simple filter system and you are wanting more filtering, consider the small electrostatic filters that are put underneath the heat registers in rooms. Simply pull the heat register up out of its opening, thread the filter behind the louvers of the heat register, and put the register back in place. Be warned, however, that if you put filters at each register you can void your furnace warranty. Put filters in the rooms you use the most and leave others unfiltered. All the air returns to the furnace through the same cold air return, so all the air will get filtered eventually.
Hose Bibs
. Make sure your hose bib flange mounting screws are tight. In the summer hose bibs get used a lot more and these screws can loosen up.
Foundation
. Look for foundation cracks. Those less than ¼-inch can and should be sealed using concrete crack filler. Those larger should be sealed with mortar. If they are larger than ¼-inch or if there is any out of plane movement with the two pieces of concrete on opposite sides of the crack, you should have a licensed foundation contractor evaluate your foundation for possible repairs.
Spring
Air Conditioners
. Have the air conditioner serviced prior to use by a licensed heating and air conditioning company.
Composition Roofs
. Apply zinc-based moss powder to keep moss from growing on roof
Wood Burning Fireplaces
. Clean the firebox of all soot and ash.
. Check the damper for proper and full range of motion operation
. Check with a flashlight for creosote buildup. It is shiny and looks sticky. It is flammable. Seeing any creosote means you should call a licensed chimney sweep and have the chimney flue cleaned.
. Make sure all screens, doors, etc. close properly.
Check for Water Leaks
. Shut off all water in the home. Go to the street and check the water meter. It should not be moving at all. If it is, find the leak (don't forget to look in the crawlspace) and fix it or have it fixed.
Check for Gas Leaks
. Shut off all gas appliances. This means shutting off pilot lights at any gas fireplace and gas hot water heaters. Now go look at the gas meter. If it is turning at all, you have a gas leak. Call the gas company and tell them what you have found. They should send someone out to fix the leak.
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