Taking care of your home requires a lot of work and responsibility. There is always something to fix, improve, and check upon. Not all tasks are the same for every season, navigating upkeep can be difficult, especially if you have to do it alone. When it comes to maintaining the quality and efficiency of your HVAC system, we definitely have more than one task to take off your hands here at Elmore Heating & Air Conditioning. With our services, you can always be sure your HVAC system will be working perfectly all year long. Owning a home can be demanding so we’ve created this seasonal and annual checklist for you to help you navigate your tasks smoothly.

This homeowner's guide to maintaining their home is excellent for reminding you when to schedule your seasonal updates, cleaning, and any repairs. Feel free to revisit this list every season or annually to make sure you are on the right track and are taking good care of your home. If anything seems too difficult, don’t hesitate to call a professional, especially us at Elmore HVAC, we are always happy to help with your heating and cooling system and checkups. Continuously checking on your appliances can save a lot of energy and money, keeping your home healthy and beautiful all year round.

Seasonal Home Improvement: Fall Maintenance Checklist

Fall can be seen as preparing yourself for the new year that is ahead. It’s the perfect time to tackle some home maintenance because the temperatures are moderate and dry. Make sure to examine both the exterior and interior parts of your home before you begin your fall maintenance. It’s great to call someone for assistance even though most of these tasks can be done without any help. However, some tasks might be beyond your abilities, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. For example, having your HVAC system checked by a professional. You can always schedule a check-up with us. Here is our checklist for fall maintenance:

• Clean all the carpets
• Clean door screens and windows
• Check if the water heater has leaks
• Clean windows and door screens
• Check if the water heater has any leaks
• Change your air conditioning filters
• Schedule your semi-annual HVAC maintenance
• Mend all cracks in the driveway
• Lubricate the garage door and chains
• Replace batteries in all smoke detectors
• Check all home appliances for damage and possible repair
• Winterize your exterior plumbing
• Trim your exterior siding with paint
• Make sure to have your fireplace professionally inspected
• Swap any drafty or old windows and seal any cracks
• Remove leaves and debris from the gutters
• Wrap or remove outdoor faucets
• Wrap insulation around pipes in the garage if it is not heated in that room
• Fix handles and locks
• Check the fireplace for any damage and possible issues

Seasonal Home Improvement: Winter Maintenance Checklist

Below-freezing temperature can be rough on your home. It can cause many problems, including roof damage and frozen pipes. In order to avoid calling professionals and prevent some winter harm, we made this winter checklist for you. Be sure to check these items off your list:

• Clean the refrigerator and empty out the drip trays
• Make sure to cover your HVAC unit
• Clean drain, tub, shower, dishwasher and sinks
• Inspect the roof for damage after a snowstorm
• Check the gutters and downspouts during cold days
• During thaws check the basement for leaks

Seasonal Home Improvement: Spring Maintenance Checklist

Once the flowers begin to bloom, the trees begin to bud and the cold weather gets a bit warmer it’s time to do some spring cleaning. On top of all the regular spring cleaning, we’ve added some general upkeep tips. Spring is also the best time to try out your HVAC system for the summer, if you don’t clean it and prepare it for the warmer days, you might end up having an issue when you need it most. With this maintenance checklist, your home will be in tip-top shape from the basement to the roof:

• Change air conditioning filters
• Check your HVAC System for maintenance
• Inspect your roof for any loose or damaged shingles and possible leaks
• Dust your light fixtures
• Clean your windows and door screens
• Check the sink, bath and shower for leaks and deterioration
• If you have a chimney, inspect it for damage or clogs
• Fertilize your backyard and lawn
• Flush and drain the water heater
• Replace all the batteries for smoke detectors
• Have a professional inspect your pipes for possible tree roots in your backyard
• Remove leaves from the gutters and your HVAC unit
• Polish wood furniture and refinish the deck
• Check if the sprinkler heads work and remove insulation from the outdoor faucets

Seasonal Home Improvement: Summer Maintenance Checklist

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When the warm weather comes and the sun is out, the last thing on your mind is home maintenance. But we are here to make this easy for you with our summer home maintenance guide. This will help you get all the hard work out of the way so you can enjoy your summer days and not have to worry about something that needs fixing. If the weather is already heating, don’t worry there’s still time and most of these tasks are indoor:

• Check the garage door, oil the opener and chain as well as all door hinges
• Seal the tile grout
• Check if the dishwasher has leaks
• Clean fan filter in the kitchen exhaust
• Check if the outside and the inside washer hoses and dryer vent have lint and remove it
• Clean freezer and refrigerator coils, clean drip trays
• Check the shower-heads and interior and exterior faucets, replace if needed
• Check for leaks in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets and around toilets and sinks
• Prune shrubs trees and flowers
• Monthly Home Improvement Checklist
• Inspect all electrical cords
• Check if any indoor or outdoor vents are blocked
• Replenish salt if needed when checking the water softener
• To remove accumulated sediment make sure to flush out the hot water from the water heater
• Vacuum all the heat vents and registers
• Clean the garbage disposal if you have one
• Test all of the smoke and carbon dioxide alarms
• Check all fire extinguishers and ground-fault circuit interrupters
• Clean the furnace filters in your HVAC unit
• Inspect your tub, sink and toilet for leaks and deterioration

Quarterly Home Improvement Checklist

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Test smoke and carbon dioxide detectors in your home. This is a very simple task, but a lot of homeowners forget the importance of this task. When doing this your detectors should have a “test” button, if it makes a sound you have nothing to worry about. If it doesn't make sure to change the batteries and test it out again. If there is still no sound, you should probably contact a professional, sometimes the detectors don’t want to detect the new battery, make sure to clean it and try again.

Test the auto-reverse feature on your garage door. The federal law requires you to have this feature after multiple children passed away. This is tested by placing a two by four on the floor where the door is meant to close. If it touches the two by four and starts reversing you are good to go. If it doesn’t, you must call the repairman immediately to test the photo-electric sensors. This can be a fatal problem, thus you should always take this issue very seriously when maintaining your home.

Flush toilets in unused spaces and run water. A lot of people don’t think much of this, but water needs to circulate in order to be healthy. This prevents grime and another build-up, keeping your water healthy and not yellow. Regularly running your water will help you prevent this issue.

Add salt if needed when checking the water softener. Adding salt every month is not needed, but it is recommended to do quarterly, check it when you can.

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