Regular home maintenance is crucial to protect the structure and value of your house. Preventative home maintenance can ensure that you are not facing an unsafe or expensive situation down the road. Unfortunately, for many homeowners, maintenance can take a back burner to everyday living. While some Preventive tasks are easy to spot when they are misc, others are unassuming and easy to forget. These preventative tasks may be missing from your list currently, but they certainly should be added. This year, make sure you tackle these unexpected home maintenance tasks you’ve never thought of before.
Cleaning Your Refrigerator Coils
Cleaning your fridge coils is easy; simply unplug your refrigerator and remove the panel on the front of your fridge. Gently vacuum the coils or use a soft cleaning brush. Some refrigerator models will have these coils at the back so be sure to check and remove the dust and grime no matter where it sits.Â
Replacing Your Microwave Filter
Many homeowners don’t even realize their microwave has a filter. If your microwave sits above your stove, it likely has a charcoal filter. This filter needs to be changed every six months. Replacing a filter is relatively easy. Just follow your manufacturer’s instructions to remove the vent panel, clean the grease filter and replace your charcoal filter. Cleaning and replacing these filters regularly will ensure the longevity of your microwave.Â
Clean Your Coin Trap
If your washing machine has an unpleasant odor and you can’t identify the source, you may have something lost in your washing machine’s coin trap. Items like coins, buttons and even pet hair can become lodged in this filter and attract grime over time. Regularly check this filter to ensure that it is clean.. Pet hair, specifically, can often be the cause of a foul odor, so be sure to clean it more often if you have furry friends.
Flush Your Water Heater
New homeowners are especially prone to missing this important task. Flushing your water heater annually will prevent potential problems that sediment can cause to your water heater over time. This regular maintenance task may be tedious, but it can prevent sediment buildup from causing damage to your pipes or the breakdown of your tank itself. Tankless water heaters do not need this done as often and will still benefit from this regular maintenance.Â
