General preventative maintenance extends the life of your home and catches minor issues before they become major issues or health hazards.

 

• Check the gutters to ensure they are still affixed to the side of that house -snow, ice, and water can cause them to pull away from the home. Clean the leaves out of the gutters and downspouts, ensuring proper water flow away from the house. Downspouts should be free flowing and extend 5 feet away from the house to help deter water from collecting at the base of the home.
• Check the foundation perimeter for cracking. More often than not this is a cosmetic issue and not structural but it can allow for moisture to enter the home and should be sealed as soon as possible.
• Check for peeling paint around the outside of home including the ceiling of porches. This is probable leaking and should be addressed.
• Check caulking around windows. With the freezing and thawing of our winters, there is a lot of expansion and contraction causing caulking to crack and allow water to get in
• Check the bolts and rails of decks and tighten as needed to ensure safety
• Check the exhaust hood above the stove. This can get clogged over time. It can be cleaned in the sink, the dishwasher, or replaced if needed.
• Clean the coils on the back of your refrigerator with a vacuum. The accumulation of dust on the coils will affect the overall performance and efficiency of your refrigerator.
• Filters of your AC and furnace should be changed out. This is also a good time to vacuum out the hot air vents and the cold air returns.
• Make sure your dryer vents are cleaned away from the vent and the line is intact. Dryer vents are a dangerous fire hazard if not maintained properly.
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors should be checked to ensure they are working properly. Even if it is hard wired, make sure the backup battery is working!

 

“Radon is a health hazard with a simple solution” (epa.gov)

 

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States,

and the number one cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.

 

Radon is an odorless, invisible radioactive gas that forms from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Typically, it moves through the ground to the air above and into your home. Radon does not discriminate and can be found in any home regardless of it being old or new. Because of this the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend all homes be tested for radon.

Radon levels can vary from home to home, so remember just because your neighbor’s house was tested with acceptable levels doesn’t mean yours will be.

 

There is no way to know if radon is present without a test.