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1010 Edenburghs Keep Dr.
Knightdale, N.C. 27545
Office: 919–261–0717
Cell: 919–630–6587
Fax: 919–261–0717
Maintenance Tips
Monthly
Replace or clean your furnace filter. It should be checked once a month and replaced or cleaned as needed. Some filters are reusable and are supposed to be taken out, washed with a hose and re–inserted. A dirty filter can lower the efficiency of the heating/cooling system, increase heating costs and cause fires.
Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter. Keeping this clean of cooking grease will help keep a stovetop fire from spreading.
Always have a multi–purpose fire extinguisher accessible. Make sure it is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed or Factory Mutual (FM) approved. Check the gauges to make sure they are charged and ready to use.
Spring and Fall
Clean out gutters and downspouts. One good step is to spray water down the downspouts to wash away leaves and other debris. A good tip is to place gutter screens over gutters.
Have a professional air conditioning contractor inspect and maintain your system. A properly tuned system can save a lot in energy bills.
Check all electrical outlets for loose–fitting plugs they are an indication of a worn out receptacle. Worn receptacles should be replaced as they cause overheating and fires. Also check electrical outlets and switches to be sure they work properly. If any switches, outlets or receptacles do not work, have a qualified electrician determine the problem and fix it to avoid fires inside the walls of your home.
Make sure the light bulbs in all your fixtures are the correct wattage. The light fixture manufacturer recommends the correct wattage. If too high a wattage bulb is used in a light fixture, heat produced inside the fixture can lead to fire inside the fixture, ceiling or wall.
Check all the fascia and trim for deterioration. These areas can become weathered and worn and may lead to potential water damage.
Trim branches and shrubs that are touching your home which can provide a pathway for bugs or excess moisture to enter your home.
Maintain exterior grade near foundation for drainage away from the house.
See if there is leakage at your hose bib (outdoor faucet) when you are using a hose. Inspect/replace the washers on your hoses periodically.
Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat/cooling loss.
Check glazing for loose or missing putty or glazing compound. This will also help reduce water damage to the windows and door frames.
Check the weather stripping and caulking on all windows and doors for damage and tightness of fit. Replace if you see gaps or cracks.
Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub–flooring.
Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl spaces and attic. These exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing.
Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct, damper and space under the dryer. Poor maintenance allows lint to build up in the exhaust duct and may cause a fire.
Check water hoses on the clothes washer, refrigerator icemaker and dishwasher for cracks and bubbles. Replace hoses that show signs of leaking.
Have a heating professional check your heating system every year. Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check your fireplace damper. Soot and creosote, which build up inside the chimney, can ignite when a fire is lit in the fireplace.
Repair all cracked, broken or uneven driveways and walks to help provide a level walking surface. This will help prevent guests and family members from slipping, tripping or falling.
If you have a coil–back refrigerator–you probably do–vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will run much more efficiently with clean coils.
Check and replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A good way for remembering this is to change them at daylight savings time when you reset your clocks.
Drain your water heater tank at least every year and flush it out. Hook a garden hose up to the bottom drain valve. Place the garden hose in a position to allow full discharge of the water through the hose (in the yard or flower bed or the bath tub). Open the drain valve wide open. DO NOT CLOSE OFF THE INCOMING COLD WATER SUPPLY TO THE HEATER. Run the water out of the hose until the water runs clear. Once the water is clear, shut off the bottom drain valve and remove the garden hose.
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