Inspecting your home on a regular basis and following good maintenance practices is the best way to protect your investment in your property. Whether you take care of a few tasks at a time or several all at once, it is important to get into the habit of doing them. Establish a routine for yourself and you will find the work is easy to accomplish and not very time consuming. A regular schedule of seasonal maintenance can put a stop to the most common — and costly — problems, before they occur. If necessary use a camera to take pictures of anything you might want to share with an expert for advice or to monitor or remind you of a situation later.

Most home maintenance activities are seasonal. Spring is the time to get your home ready for the coming winter, which can be the most grueling season for your home. During winter months, it is important to follow routine maintenance procedures, by checking your home carefully for any problems arising and taking corrective action as soon as possible. March/April is the time to assess winter damage, start repairs and prepare for warmer months. Over the summer, there are a number of indoor and outdoor maintenance tasks to look after, such as repairing walkways and steps, painting and checking your chimney and roof.
Seasons vary from year to year in a given area. For this reason, we have not identified the months for each season.

The Seasonal Property Maintenance Tasks presented below, instead, is a general guide for you to follow. The actual timing is left for you to decide, and you may want to further divide the list of items for each season into months.

Each season your home goes through changes in temperatures, weather conditions, aging, and of course human abuse! In order to keep all your components of your home running smoothly, and to avoid costly repairs later, it’s helpful to conduct seasonal maintenance actions each season.

Spring Maintenance

Spring Maintenance

Spring is the best time to take stock of other problems that developed during the harsh winter and make repairs before the harsh summer sun and temperatures make them worse.
Start by inspecting your home or rental property. Walk around the perimeter of the home and note anything in disrepair, including rot, peeling paint, debris build-ups, or possible water intrusion and check each interior room, too. Dealing with these problems promptly helps minimize future damage, costs and hassles.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage.
• Touch up peeling or damaged paint. Watch our video for ideas on troubleshooting exterior paint problems.
• Wash all windows, inside and out.
• Install screens on windows and doors.
• Clean outdoor furniture and air out cushions.
• Service your lawn mower.
• Fertilize your lawn.

Indoor Tasks:

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you set clocks forward.
• If your basement has a sump pump, test it by dumping a large bucket of water into the basin of the sump pump. This should activate the sump pump. If it does not switch on or if it’s not pumping water, it may need to be serviced by a professional. Also, check for and remove any debris and make sure there are no leaks.
• Wash and change seasonal bedding.
• Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
• Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine and cosmetics.

Overall tips:

1. Inspect and Flush the Water Heater — maintaining your water heater can help prolong its life and improve its efficiency. We recommends draining it to clear sediment, testing the temperature-pressure release valve and inspecting the anode rod, which prevents tank corrosion. Tanks that are more than 10 years old or are leaking should be replaced to avoid unit failure and flooding.

2. Clean the Gutters — clogged gutters are the leading cause of window leaks in single-family homes. April showers are upon us, so now is the time to prevent all that water from ending up in your property. Make sure to clean out any gunk, leaves, branches, etc. that have built up over the winter. Check for leaks and ensure downspouts are clear, firmly attached and placed to direct water away from the foundation.

3. Inspect the Roof — most experts recommend inspecting roofs at least annually for damaged shingles, flashing and other signs of failure that can cause leaks and damage. This is a job that is generally best left to professionals such as PINNACLE GROUP, who know what to look for and can safely assess the condition from the roof and also provide immediate solution.

Summer Maintenance

Summer Maintenance

During summer months, we would recommend the below tasks in order to keep your yard lush and your home cool.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Walk around your home’s exterior and slide open crawl space vents at the foundation.
• Prune trees and shrubs.
• Remove lint from dryer exhaust vent with a long, flexible brush.

Indoor Tasks:

• Change or clean heating, ventilating and air conditioning filters.
• Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
• Maintain clean drains by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.
• Drain or flush water heater.

Overall tips:

Here are some routine maintenance methods to help you maintain your home in better shape and make sure everything is in working order.

• Driveway:
Things like soil and leaves remain on your driveway and can cause everything to have a darker brown colour rather than the fresh bright colour that it used to appear to be. Cracks need to be filled and it is a good idea to seal the driveway each year to prepare for the next winter.

• Landscaping:
Trees and bushes need to be trimmed back so they will be simpler to work with after they start developing. Move around any sticks, foliage, or rocks that are in the way. Pull weeds and bag up all pine needles/pine cones so that they do not inhibit growth. Add new soil to flower beds and start watering as soon as your weather allows it.

• Roof:
Get your roof and shingles looked at to ensure there hasn’t been any damage or lifting, holes or leaks that may have occurred during the winter months. Call PINNACLE GROUP on 087 962 2222, we are available 24/7.

• Windows:
Now is a good time to clean and care for your outside windows. There are several professionals that can do windows that are too high for an average ladder. Once they are cleaned up, inspect them. If you see any cracks you will want to replace these windows prior to the fall.

Fall Maintenance

In fall, prepare your home and yard for cooler temperatures, falling leaves and more hours spent indoors.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Clean gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect roof and chimney for cracks and damage.
• Rake leaves and shred to use as much or dispose of them.
• Close or install storm windows.
• Remove hoses from spigots and drain and store indoors, coiled and flat.
• Store outdoor furniture and cushions.
• Test snow blower and have it professionally serviced if necessary.

Indoor Tasks:

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Check windows and doors for weather-tightness and install weather stripping where it’s needed.
• Have furnace professionally inspected.
• Dust blinds and vacuum curtains throughout your house.
• Clean kitchen and bathroom cabinets and throw away outdated food, medicine and cosmetics.

Overall tips:

1.) Examine your roof/gutters/downspouts for debris:
Your roof is often forgotten about because it is not at eye level to give you a subtle reminder every time you walk past it. Clear leaves, dirt, and pine needles from gutters and examine downspouts for damage or loose pieces. Check the flashing around your chimney and any openings in the roof, such as skylights for leaking problems.

2.) Examine the grounds of your property:
Before the grass is covered with snow, or it is too cold to venture outside, check walkways for cracks and loose paver material. Fix walkway and entryway areas before slippery weather can cause a tripping or falling accident.

3.) Prepare your fireplace:
For some people they use their fireplace more than their central heater in the fall and winter months. Discard old ashes and ensure the damper is open to allow air to freely move through the chimney. If the air is becoming cold, close back the damper after cleaning. Check the damper handle and springs to ensure the flue is operating correctly. Hire a professional chimney sweep if needed.

4.) Drain your hot water heater:
If your live in an area with hard water extra amounts of sediments could be building up in your tank. Now is a perfect time to drain and make sure rust is not developing in your tank as well. If your hot water heater is extremely old or is rusting considering a new one that will be more cost effective and energy efficient.

5.) Check windows and doors for drafts:
The majority of conditioned air in your home is lost through the windows and doors. Go through your home and open windows to ensure the seal and caulking around the window frame is in good condition. Think of adding heavier drapery around windows that are extra drafty, to help block some air infiltration.

Winter Maintenance

In winter months, enjoy energy-efficient warmth and the fruits of your home-maintenance labors. Use this time of the year to thoroughly clean and care for your home’s interior while taking a few precautionary measures on the outside.

Outdoor Tasks:

• Walk around your home’s exterior and check the crawl space vents located at the foundation. Close any that are open.
• Clean and store garden tools.
• Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spot.

Indoor Tasks:

• Change or clean furnace filters. Consult manufacturer instructions for your furnace to determine how frequently the filters should be replaced.
• Clean kitchen appliances inside and out, including refrigerator coils.
• Maintain clean drains by adding one-half-cup baking soda followed by one-half-cup white vinegar. After 10 minutes, flush with boiling water.

Overall tips:

Check for peeling paint:  Inspect exterior walls to see if any paint is peeling or blistering on the house or building. Peeling paint may be a sign that the existing paint film is failing and not protecting the building siding. If the problem is not fixed, the siding could deteriorate, leading to expensive future repairs.

Flush the water heater:  This is a cheap and easy procedure that we recommend you do every 2 years. It only costs a fraction of buying a new one, so it’s worth it. Flushing the system helps to control the buildup of mineral deposits, resulting in a more efficient heater.

Service oil or gas heater:  Cleaning your furnace is a service that varies upon your system, but one that is an absolute necessity.

Inspect the roof:  A roof inspection is key before Mother Nature decides to lose her cool on your property. Leaking or collapsing ceilings are a nightmare to deal with for your family and wallet.

Trim the trees and landscape:  Tree trimmings and landscaping can be done prior to the winter to avoid any fall off or to help keep the attractiveness of your property at an all-time high.

Clean the gutters:  A simple gutter cleaning before the winter will help you avoid any further damage that may be done to your property caused by the build-up of snow or ice. Depending on how many levels there are to your home, this is a safe and easy procedure to make sure that everything is cleaned out before those long winter months.

Replace an old water heater. An old water heater should receive some special attention. Make the necessary steps and schedule an appointment to replace or fix up that old water heater.

For all your Property Maintenance, Repairs and Cleaning, CONTACT US:

PINNACLE GROUP
7 Upper Gerald Griffin Street,
Limerick.
Tel: 087 962 2222 / 061 40 95 96
Email:  info@pinnaclemaintenance.ie

Web:  www.pinnaclemaintenance.ie