Maintenance Schedule

Home maintenance is an important part of home ownership.  To lend you a helping hand we’ve compiled a list of maintenance items that will help maintain your investment.  This list is by no means all-inclusive, nor do they replace any of the information in a home inspection report.  Some items on the list may not apply to your home.  Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.  Ontario Real Estate Inspections is here to help.  Please feel free to call at any time.

When You Move In

• Install smoke detectors as necessary
• Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Make any electrical improvements recommended in the home inspection report.
• Remove any wood/soil contact to prevent rot and insect damage.
• Change the locks on all doors. Use a dead bolt for better security.
• Correct trip hazards such as broken or uneven walks and driveways, loose or torn carpet or uneven flooring.
• Correct unsafe stairways and landings. (Railings missing, loose, too low, et cetera.)
• Have all chimneys inspected before operating any of the appliances.
• Locate and mark the shut-offs for the heating, electrical and plumbing systems.
• Label the circuits in electrical panels.
• If there is a septic system, have the tank pumped and inspected. If the house is on a private water supply (well), set up a regular testing procedure for checking water quality.
• Install fire extinguishers
• Have all heating equipment serviced by heating technician.

Monthly

• Test GFI receptacles using test button
• Test smoke detectors using test button
• Test carbon monoxide detectors using test button
• Check furnace filters and replace or clean as necessary
• Check HRV filters and replace or clean as necessary
• Check bathtub and shower stall caulking and improve as necessary
• Check reversing mechanism on garage door
• Check and clean range hood filters
• Make sure air vents indoors and outside are not blocked by debris or snow

Spring

• Ensure sump pump is operating properly before the spring thaw sets in. Ensure discharge pipe is connected and allows water to drain away from the foundation.
• Check eavestroughs and downspouts for loose joints and secure attachment to your home.  Ensure water flows away from your foundation.
• Remove all debris from eavestroughs and downspouts.
• Clear all drainage ditches and culverts of debris.
• Replace batteries in smoke detectors
• Replace batteries in carbon monoxide detectors
• Test security alarm systems and replace batteries
• Examine the foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair as required.
• Have well water tested for quality. It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six months.
• Have fireplace, woodstove and chimney cleaned and serviced as needed
• Shut down and clean furnace humidifier, and close the furnace humidifier damper on units with central air conditioning.
• Check air conditioning system and have serviced every two or three years.
• Before using the central air conditioning system make sure you turn the power to the unit on for at least 24hrs to ensure sump heater is on and boils off freon in compressor.
• Clean AC outdoor condensing coil, removing all leaves and debris.
• Turn OFF gas furnace and fireplace pilot lights where possible.
• Open high level returns and close low level returns. (if equipped)
• Clean windows, screens and hardware, and replace storm windows with screens. Check screens first and repair or replace if needed.
• Re-level any exterior steps or decks which moved due to frost or settling.
• Check attics for evidence of leaks and condensation and make sure vents are not obstructed.
• Open valve to outside hose connection after all danger of frost has passed.
• Undertake spring landscape maintenance and, if necessary, fertilize young trees.

Summer

• Monitor basement humidity and avoid relative humidity levels above 60 per cent. Use a dehumidifier to maintain safe relative humidity.
• Check basement pipes for condensation or dripping, and take corrective action, for example, reduce humidity and or insulate cold water pipes.
• Cut back trees and shrubs from the house walls, roof and air conditioning system as needed.
• Check the basement floor drain to ensure the trap contains water. Refill with water if necessary.
• If you have a plumbing fixture that is not used frequently, for example, a laundry tub or spare bathroom sink, tub or shower stall, run some water briefly to keep water in the trap.
• Deep clean carpets and rugs.
• Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
• Disconnect the duct connected to the dryer and vacuum lint from duct, the areas surrounding your clothes dryer and your dryer’s vent hood outside.
• Check security of all guardrails and handrails.
• Check smooth functioning of all windows and lubricate as required.
• Inspect window putty on outside of glass panes and replace if needed.
• Lubricate door hinges and tighten screws as needed.
• Lubricate garage door hardware and ensure it is operating properly.
• Lubricate automatic garage door opener motor, chain, etc. and ensure that the auto-reverse mechanism is properly adjusted.
• Lubricate automatic garage door opener motor, chain, etc. and ensure that the auto-reverse mechanism is properly adjusted.
• Check and replace damaged caulking and weather-stripping around windows and doorways, including the doorway between the garage and the house.
• Inspect electrical service lines for secure attachment where they enter your house, and make sure there is no water leakage into the house along the electrical conduit.
• Check exterior wood siding and trim for signs of deterioration; clean, replace or refinish as needed.
• Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding that could be an entry point for small pests, such as bats, squirrels.
• Remove any plants that contact, or roots that penetrate, the siding or brick.
• Climb up on your roof, or use binoculars, to check its general condition, and note any sagging, that could indicate structural problems requiring further investigation from inside the attic. Note the condition of all shingles for possible repair or replacement, and examine all roof flashings, such as at chimney and roof joints, for any signs of cracking or leakage.
• Sweep chimneys connected to any wood burning appliance or fireplace, and inspect them for end-of-season problems.
• Check the chimney cap and the caulking between the cap and the chimney.
• Repair driveway and walkways as needed.
• Repair any damaged steps that present a safety problem.

Fall

• Have furnace or heating system serviced by a qualified service company every two years for a gas furnace, and every year for an oil furnace.
• Turn power to AC Unit off when done for season.  If power left on he sump heater will run all winter long and waste electricity.
• Open furnace humidifier damper on units with central air conditioning and clean humidifier.
• Close high level returns and open low level returns. (if equipped)
• Lubricate circulating pump on hot water heating system.
• Bleed air from hot water radiators.
• Examine the forced air furnace fan belt for wear, looseness or noise; clean fan blades of any dirt build up (after disconnecting the electricity to the motor first).
• Turn ON gas furnace pilot light.
• Remove window air conditioners.
• Vacuum electric baseboard heaters to remove dust.
• Remove the grilles on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.
• If the heat recovery ventilator has been shut off for the summer, clean the filters and the core, and pour water down the condensate drain to test it.
• Have well water tested for quality. It is recommended that you test for bacteria every six months.
• Check sump pump and line to ensure proper operation, and to ascertain that there are no line obstructions or visible leaks.
• Replace window screens with storm windows.
• Remove screens from the inside of casement windows to allow air from the heating system to keep condensation off window glass.
• Ensure all doors to the outside shut tightly, and check other doors for ease of use. Renew door weather-stripping if required.
• If there is a door between your house and the garage, check the adjustment of the self-closing device to ensure it closes the door completely.
• Ensure windows and skylights close tightly.
• Cover outside of air conditioning units with breathable covers.
• Ensure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall, so that water does not drain into your basement.
• Clean leaves from eavestroughs and roofs, and test downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the roof.
• Check chimneys for obstructions such as nests.
• Drain and store outdoor hoses. Close valve to outdoor hose connection and drain the hose bib (exterior faucet), unless your house has frost proof hose bibs.
• If you have a septic tank, measure the sludge and scum to determine if the tank needs to be emptied before the spring. Tanks should be pumped out at least once every three years.
• Winterize landscaping, for example, store outdoor furniture, prepare gardens and, if necessary, protect young trees or bushes for winter.

Winter

• After consulting your hot water tank owner’s manual, drain off a dishpan full of water from the clean-out valve at the bottom of your hot water tank to control sediment and maintain efficiency.
• Clean humidifier two or three times during the winter season.
• Vacuum bathroom fan grille.
• Vacuum fire and smoke detectors, as dust or spider webs can prevent them from functioning.
• Vacuum radiator grilles on back of refrigerators and freezers, and empty and clean drip trays.
• Check gauge on all fire extinguishers; recharge or replace if necessary.
• Check fire escape routes, door and window locks and hardware, and lighting around outside of house; ensure family has good security habits.
• If home has a fuse panel ensure all fuses are hand tight, as they tend to loosen with time.
• If home has aluminum branch circuit wiring have an electrician come to complete an annual inspection.
• Check the basement floor drain to ensure the trap contains water. Refill with water if necessary.
• Monitor your home for excessive moisture levels—for example, condensation on your windows, which can cause significant damage over time and pose serious health problems—and take corrective action. Refer to CMHC About Your House: Measuring Humidity in Your Home in the Supplementary Documents.