If you haven’t already abandoned your New Year’s resolution, congratulations! But if you have, it’s not too late to make a new one. Start small by committing to tackle this list of quick indoor-focused home maintenance projects.
Here are five ideas:
1. Conduct an online home energy assessment.
Focus on Energy®, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy program, helps residents and business owners make improvements to their property — from insulation and air sealing to smart thermostats and solar installations. Collectively, these improvements and upgrades add up to 7.7 billion lifecycle kilowatt-hours of energy saved per year. That’s enough to power more than 970,000 Wisconsin homes for one year. Focus on Energy® offers a step-by-step instructional video to help you discover energy-efficiency savings for your own home, plus rebates available for when you cut energy waste.
2. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Roughly three out of five deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association — which recommends testing all smoke alarms at least once a month. All you need to do is press the test button on each unit and make sure it’s working. If it’s not, replace the batteries. Then schedule a recurring alert on your phone to conduct testing on the first or last day of every month. Smoke alarms should be installed in every sleeping room and outside each sleeping area, as well as on every level of a home, including the basement. So should carbon monoxide detectors, which are tested the same way as smoke detectors. (Combination units that detect both smoke and carbon monoxide also are available.)
3. Tighten hardware and protect pipes.
A year’s worth (or more) of opening, closing, pulling, twisting and other contact can take a toll on doorknobs, hinges, cabinet handles, light switch protectors and more. Realtor.com suggests tightening the hardware. If you’re feeling ambitious, first clean the metal pieces with soapy water and shine them with a microfiber cloth dipped in vinegar or lemon juice; brass polish will shine up brass hardware. Then, if you haven’t already done so, turn off the water to outdoor spigots — and open up those spigots all the way. Unused water sitting in pipes can freeze and cause pipes to burst. The water shut-off valve in most homes is located near where water pipes make their way into the home (often the kitchen, basement or laundry room).
4. Make sure your washer and dryer are ready for another year.
Over time, washing machines can shift their position. So make sure yours is leveled by adjusting its feet (and then lock them to keep them in the correct position). An uneven machine can result in poor washing and spinning. Also check hose lines and replace any damaged ones. The dryer deserves attention, too. Detach the dryer duct — which is different from the lint trap, which should be cleaned after every use — from the back of the dryer and vacuum the exit and entry points. Doing so will help prevent a fire, as well as improve efficiency and save energy because the dryer won’t have to work so hard.
5. Inspect for unwanted guests.
If your laundry room is in the basement, while your down there conduct a thorough inspection of nooks and crannies and other spaces in which small critters might have taken up residence to ride out the winter. If you find something, call a pest management service to determine the next step. This might not seem as urgent if you don’t live in the country, but critters can be crafty, so don’t rule out the possibility. I know homeowners who’ve also found them in cabinets and drawers!
These are just five ideas, but — as every homeowner eventually comes to realize — maintenance is a never-ending responsibility. Start off the new year smart by taking care of these easy tasks as soon as possible.
Photo by Ayla Verschueren on Unsplash.
