Home maintenance tips for spring

March 24, 2011

If you’re like most Canadians, your home is probably your most important investment.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) offers the following list of spring maintenance tips that can help you put a stop to the most common and costly problems before they occur, in as little as a few minutes a week.

• Have your furnace, filter, air exchanger and air conditioner checked by a qualified service technician.
• Have the temperature of your hot water tank checked and adjusted if necessary. Also have the pressure relief valve tested to ensure it isn’t stuck.
• Make sure outdoor air vents for exhaust fans, heat recovery ventilators, clothes dryers, furnaces and hot water tanks are clear of debris. Check that dampers operate freely and close properly.
• Shut down and clean the furnace humidifier, and close the furnace humidifier damper on forced air systems equipped with central air conditioning.
• Clear all drainage ditches and culverts of debris.
• Clean any debris from eaves troughs and downspouts, reattach any sections that are loose, and make sure they are securely attached to your home and that the flow of water discharges away from your foundation.
• From the ground, check the roof for damaged shingles and detached flashings, and have them repaired if necessary.
• Check smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms, and replace their batteries.
• Pull your refrigerator out from the wall and gently vacuum or dust the coils.
• Open the valve to the outside hose connection once any danger of frost has passed.
• Examine the foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair them if required.
• Make sure your sump pump is operating properly before the spring thaw sets in, and ensure the discharge pipe allows water to drain away from the foundation.
• Re-level any exterior steps or decks that may have moved due to frost or settling.

For more spring maintenance tips and information or a free electronic copy of the About Your House home maintenance schedule and other fact sheets on owning, maintaining or renovating your home, visit cmhc.ca or call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642. For more than 60 years, CMHC has been Canada’s national housing agency, and a source of objective, reliable housing expertise.

Filed under: FROM THE EXPERTS