AIR CONDITIONING AND HEAT PUMPS:

• A qualified serviceman should inspect the system and recharge, if necessary, annually.
• Most systems require the power to be on for up to twenty four hours before using the system.
• The condensate drain line emerging from the duct work above the furnace should be visually checked for leakage during the cooling season.
• The outdoor unit should be level. If the supports settle or heave, adjustments should be made by a serviceman.

INSULATION:

• The attic area should be inspected annually for condensation problems (e.g. mildew), blocked vents, roof leaks and pests.
• Door and window caulking and weather stripping should be inspected every fall.

PLUMBING:

• Every fall, the inside control valves for outdoor faucets should be closed. The outside pipes should be drained and the exterior faucets left open.
• The bathtub and/or shower stall caulking and grouting should be checked regularly. Gaps should be filled in as soon as they are noted, now matter how small.
• The main shutoff valve for the plumbing system should be operated semiannually to ensure that it can be closed in an emergency.
• The sump pump should be tested at least monthly. It may be wise to keep an auxiliary pump on hand as a spare.
• Recommended maintenance of a septic tank includes an annual inspection. Cleaning is recommended when the bottom of the sum mat is within three inches of the bottom of the outlet, or the sludge depth is greater than two feet (typically every three to five years). This work should be undertaken by a certified septic tank cleaning firm and is not recommended for the home owner. A septic tank requires active bacteria to function satisfactorily. Chemicals such as lye, strong caustics, acids, disinfectants, and the like should not be introduced in large amounts or at regular intervals.

MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

GENERAL INTERIOR:

• Windows should be inspected at least annually for general operation and damage from leakage or condensation.
• Fireplaces and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected annually.

ELECTRICAL:

• Each circuit should be labeled to identify which circuit it controls.
• Screw-in type fuses should be tightened semiannually.
• A supply of correctly sized fuses should be kept on hand.
• Circuit breakers should be manually tripped and reset semiannually. (Do this when you turn the clocks back/ahead)
• Test buttons on ground fault circuit interrupters should be operated monthly.

HOT WATER HEATER:

• The heating system should be serviced annually by a qualified technician.
• The circulating pump and motor should be lubricated as directed by a serviceman or the manufacturer.
• The chimney cleanout should be inspected and cleared at least semiannually, (note: chimneys with liners usually have no cleanout).
• Air release bleeder valves at the top of the radiators should be bled as necessary, however they should be checked every few months.
• Radiator control valves should be visually checked for leakage every few months, but do not operate.

FORCED AIR HEATING:

• The heating system should be serviced annually by a qualified technician.
• The fan and motor should be lubricated as directed by a serviceman or the manufacturer.
• The chimney cleanout (if installed) should be inspected and cleared semiannually.
• The filter(s) should be inspected monthly and cleaned as necessary during the heating season. (approximately every two months)
• The electronic air cleaner should be cleaned monthly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• The humidifier should be inspected monthly and cleaned as necessary during the heating season.
• The water supply to the humidifier should be shut off at the end of the heating season.
• The humidifier should be drained, cleaned and a new sponge pad be added (if necessary).

ROOFS

• Inspection
Seasonal inspection is recommended and after all heavy windstorms

• Repairs
It is common that isolated faults develop with the roof surface. Repair faults immediately. Plastic roofing cement is the best material to use for this purpose. Keep material in ready supply. Apply with paint brush or spatula.

• Roof drainage
Spring and fall cleaning of gutter/eavestroughs is essential if there are trees nearby. Any minor leak in the gutter can be patched with plastic roofing cement. Extension of down-pipes or use of concrete splash pads prevents soil erosion and channels roof drainage away from foundations.

Do not allow vines or tree branches near eavestroughs.

• Ice damming
Ice damming can develop at the roof edge (eaves). If possible, shovel the snow off your roof carefully and remove any ice formations at the eaves. Should ice damming persist, the installation of electric heat cables is recommended.

• Roof covering replacement
Don’t wait until severe leakage occurs. But you don’t want to replace your roof prematurely either. It is best to get an impartial opinion on remaining life expectancy.

GARAGES

• Automatic overhead doors.
Ensure that the auto reverse (safety) function of your automatic opener operates properly.

• Overhead door.
Your wood or clapboard overhead door requires to be painted or sealed on the inside and all edges as well as the outer face. In addition, lubrication of the wheel tracks with heavy grease should be performed yearly. Painting/sealing the interior of the door protects the wood from humid/damp conditions which naturally occur inside your garage.

• Gas proofing.
The integrity of all garage walls common with the house must be maintained in order to avoid automobile fumes entering the dwelling. If there is an adjoining door between the house and the garage, a self-closing device must be installed.

Any hole or fault in a common wall must be repaired. Believe it or not, even taped or plastic will provide an adequate gas proof barrier. The self-closer helps assure the entry door does not stay open.

• Detached garage draining.
The biggest enemy of a detached garage is uncontrolled water. Ensure proper grading and roof drainage. Install rain gutter/troughs to the garage.

WINDOW/DOORS

• Window systems must be equipped with well fitting, seasonal storms or screens. Glazing or putty work may be necessary periodically. Glazing/putty is the best material which provides the water tight seal between the window frame and the glass pane.

• All primary entry doors must be weather stripped at the top, bottom and sides. Storm doors are recommended when entry doors or entrances are directly exposed to the weather. Doors usually swell and expand if the top and bottom edges are not sealed or painted.

CHIMNEYS

• Chimneys must be reviewed yearly. Use field binoculars to do this. Most chimneys deteriorate slowly. Yearly inspections will alert you to any drastic changes in condition.
5. PAINTING/STAINING TREATMENT/CAULKING
• Above and beyond a complete paint job, some spot painting and caulking touchups may be required yearly. Window sills and surfaces exposed to direct sun usually require periodic treatment.

• Do not let paint peel or stain fade to a point where bare wood is exposed. This is when rot is most likely to develop.

• Caulking is required to be installed at the intersecting joints of all dissimilar materials and at all through-wall openings. All old caulking must be removed prior to a new application.

• Caulking not only reduces air infiltration, but provides a water resistant seal at vulnerable joints of the wall assembly.

FENCES AND DECKS

• Minor fence and deck repairs are common. Use pressure treated wood or cedar for repairs. Use only galvanized nails. Keep the underside of decks and fences ventilated. This impedes dryrot or fungus growth. Wood stain or tinted wood preservative is a far superior product than paint as a surface treatment for fences and decks.

WINTER PREPARATION

• Garden hose taps/hose bibs
Close inside shutoff valve to all outside taps. Leave exterior valve open allowing any trapped water to drain out.

• Garden hose/sprinklers
Ensure that you have drained any water from your garden hose or lawn sprinkler if you store these items in the garage or shed.

• Lawn/garden
Remove as many leaves from your lawn as possible prior to the first snow. Some shrubs may have to be wrapped with rope or burlap to avoid snow damage.

• Drainage
Clear area wells, window wells, catch basins and open storm drains of debris. This will ensure that melted snow will drain properly.

GARDENINGILANDSCAPING

• Window wells.
Keep window wells clear of debris. The well floor must be lower than the basement window sill. Window well covers are considered optional. The natural drainage patterns are not interfered with when the well is clear of debris. By not exercising this precaution, water could penetrate into your basement causing a leak.

• Grading, Site Drainage.
Ensure that the ground slopes away from the house, window wells and retaining walls. A one inch slope over one foot for the first six feet from the building element is most preferable. Any ground depressions which develop near foundations should be topped up with soil immediately. 80% of all basements leak and retaining wall failures result from improper grading or site drainage.

• Trees/Shrubs.
Trim tree branches away from walls and roof overhangs. Position small trees and shrubs so that a reasonable clearance from the exterior walls.

• Garden Beds
Install a separation barrier should you wish to place a garden bed against the house. You could use pressure treated lumber for this purpose. When soil is in contact with the brick, spalling or deterioration will occur. Accelerated wood rot will also occur when in contact with the soil. Shrubbery or tree branches too close to the house impedes air movement. The lack of ventilation could cause the brick to spall/deteriorate or the wood to rot.

• Lawn Care
The best time to plant grass seed or thicken your lawn is early spring or mid fall. The same holds true for installing sod. To avoid winter kill, it is best to spread out snow/ice in shaded lawn areas.

• Patio Stones/Interlocking Brick
Maintain or even base support under the patio stones. Ensure that the stones slope gently away from foundation walls. The best base for patio stones, interlocking brick, etc. is limestone screening. Patio stones which are not evenly supported are subject to cracking and shifting.

• Asphalt Driveways
Cracks which develop in asphalt driveways should be repaired in the Spring or Fall. The driveway should be sealed every two years. Repairing cracks and sealing the asphalt keeps the driveway surface water resistant. This greatly reduces the likelihood of pot holes or other settlement defects.

• Inspect/Rodent (vermin) inspection
It is prudent to review your lot, fences and exterior walls and roof overhangs each Spring and Autumn.