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- Hiring professional cleaning services is essential for deep-cleaning hard-to-reach places in your home.
- Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors regularly and replace them when they’re close to expiration.
- Inspect gutters and clean out any debris that could cause blockages.
- Clean your asphalt shingle roof regularly and inspect for signs of wear.
- Following an annual home maintenance checklist is vital to keeping your home in top shape.
Owning a home can be both rewarding and overwhelming. One of the most essential homeowner tasks is keeping up with home maintenance. That’s why having an annual home maintenance checklist is essential.
Taking care of your home throughout the year is essential—not just when something goes wrong. Following this checklist can help keep your home in top shape and prevent future problems from occurring. Let’s dive into what should be on your annual checklist!
Hire Professional Cleaning Services
While DIY cleaning is excellent, it’s essential to hire professional cleaning services every year to give your home a deep clean. Professionals have the right tools and know-how to get into those tough spots you can’t reach alone. Here are some of the services that a professional cleaning company can provide:
Window cleaning
You might think that window cleaning is as simple as wiping them down with a cloth, but residential window cleaning services go much further. Professionals have access to specialized tools and techniques that are essential for getting your windows clean and streak-free. Over time, the look of your windows will deteriorate without proper maintenance, so it’s important to remember to clean them on an annual basis.
Carpet cleaning
Carpets are one of the items in your home that trap dirt and dust easily. Vacuuming regularly is important, but professional deep cleaning can help ensure that your carpets remain clean and fresh. Professional carpet cleaners have access to powerful machines that can remove deep-seated dirt, allergens, and odors.
Upholstery cleaning
Just like carpets, upholstered furniture can accumulate dirt and dust over time. Professional upholstery cleaning services can help remove any dirt or stains that might be hard to get out on your own.
Roof cleaning
If you have a shingled roof, it’s important to get it cleaned annually. Professional roof cleaning services can help remove debris and mold and provide treatment to ensure your roof remains in great shape. This is a critical task for those who live in areas with significant rain or snow.
Check Your Smoke Detectors & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Testing your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors is one of the first things that should be on your annual home maintenance checklist. Each type of detector should be tested once a month, but it’s also important to check their expiration dates at least once a year.
Most smoke detectors have about ten years before they need replacing, so if yours are close to that mark or if you can’t remember when you last switched them out, it’s time to replace them with new ones. It’s also important to check the batteries in all types of detectors—this should be done twice per year or whenever you hear a low-battery chirp coming from them.
Inspect Your Gutters
It’s easy to forget about gutters, but they play an essential role in protecting your roof, walls, foundation, and landscaping from water damage caused by melting snow and heavy rainstorms. So, inspect your gutters regularly for loose connections or any gaps between sections that could cause water buildup and eventually lead to leaks and flooding around the outside of your home.
As part of this inspection process, clean out any debris like twigs, leaves, dirt, etc., as these can cause blockages that will prevent water from draining properly away from your house.
Inspect Your Roof
It’s also essential that you don’t forget about taking care of your roof each year too! If you have an asphalt shingle roof, then cleaning it off at least twice per year is recommended (more often if you live in an area with lots of trees). This helps remove any debris like leaves or pine needles that may have accumulated over time which can lead to moss build-up if not taken care of soon enough.
You should also inspect all areas around chimneys, vents, valleys, etc., for signs of wear or damage, which could result in costly repairs down the line if left unchecked! Make sure you get up there safely using either a ladder or use professionals who come equipped with safety harnesses/other protective gear required when working on roofs.
The Bottom Line
Creating and following an annual home maintenance checklist is one way for homeowners to help ensure their homes are in top shape all year long! Don’t forget to check this list every year to make sure your home is up-to-date on all the necessary tasks like gutter cleaning, roof inspection, and smoke detector testing. Keeping an eye on these items can help save you time, money (on repairs!), and stress in the long run!
