When it comes to maintenance of your home, it pays to be as thorough and as preventative as possible. Your home is one of the most major purchases you’ll probably make in your lifetime, and with this purchase comes smaller maintenance tasks that can turn into large and expensive problems if they aren’t regularly checked in on and taken care of.

During this article, we’ll discuss some important maintenance items that as a homeowner you won’t want to ignore.

Keep Your Refrigerator Coils Clean

Doing a simple vacuum on your refrigerator coils can actually lengthen your fridge’s lifespan, and save you potentially hundreds of dollars per year on your energy bill; when your fridge is kept clean in this area, it allows air to move freely through the vents and doesn’t cause the fridge to work overtime.

Keep Your Water Heater Clean

When you keep your water heater clean and free of dirt and sediment build up, you can lengthen its lifespan and avoid costly repairs. You also may be able to avoid the not-so-fun surprise of a cold shower on a cold winter morning due to a broken water heater.

Drain Your Sump Pump

Keeping your sump pump properly maintained and drained can save you from thousands of dollars in repairs if your basement or crawl space floods; you’ll be thankful you stayed on top of this maintenance.

Keep Your Dryer Vents Clear

Ensuring that your dryer vents and other exhaust vents are kept free and clean and clear will not only save you money in utility costs by allowing the air to move freely as it needs to, it will also reduce your risk of fire or your dryer unit overheating and breaking down.

Keep Chimney Clean

Having your chimney cleaned 1-2 times per year, especially right before the weather gets cold and you plan on using it, is important; this maintenance step ensures that air and smoke can freely filter out of your chimney and not directly into your home instead.

Change Your AC Filters Regularly

Your HVAC filters should be changed out every 3 months, or 1 month if you have pets or smoke in your home. Doing this regularly will ensure there are no blockages to your airflow and won’t cause your AC to run harder to push air through; thus, your utility bills will go down in cost.

Test Your Detectors

We all know why it’s important to check and test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors - the safety of your family in case of emergency. When you check to ensure your detector is working, also make sure all batteries are working as well.

Clean Your Gutters

Making sure your gutters are kept clean and clear of debris is important. Without your gutters, water would continue resting on the room and close to the house; this can cause foundational issues and cracking.

Have Your HVAC System Serviced

Getting your HVAC system serviced at least once per year is important, especially before the warmer summer months hit. When you have your unit inspected, an HVAC technician can determine if something is wrong and fix it quickly; this can help you avoid having to pay higher costs down the road if you continue ignoring your maintenance.

Check for Leaks

Checking for and keeping an eye out for leaks in your kitchens and bathrooms can help you avoid higher costs later on. An unchecked leak can cause property damage and cracks, as well as build up mold and mildew which can cause breathing issues.

Keep Your Basement Clean

You may not spend much time in your basement, however ensuring it is kept clean and organized can help prevent rodents from showing up and reduce your chance for carrying black mold and mildew. Your family members and you have the potential to get sick from failing to clean this area properly.