To keep your home and property in prime condition, you must stay on top of maintenance. Here’s our ultimate home maintenance checklist to keep your home in Florida in tip-top shape.
Table of Contents
Prepare for hurricane season.
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you need to get ready. Here are some tips for preparing your home and family for the next storm season:
Protect your property. The best way to protect against damage during a hurricane or tropical storm is by installing strong shutters on all windows that face the ocean or other bodies of water. All the exterior doors should also have an impact-rated glass or plastic panels to withstand powerful winds and heavy rain.
Regularly clean your gutters.
Your gutters channel rainwater away from your home and prevent water damage on the exterior of your house. Most people know they need to clean their gutters, but many don’t know how often they should.
Most residential homes require the cleaning of their gutters at least twice a year, but it is important to have them cleaned more frequently in areas that experience heavy rainfall throughout the year.
The most effective way to clean gutters is by using a power washer or gutter cleaner tools. One mistake many homeowners make when cleaning their guttering is ignoring signs. There may be an issue with clogged water lines or blocked downspouts rather than simply cleaning out debris within them manually as needed over time (especially during heavy rains).
This can lead to serious property damage and an increased risk for mold growth within your home’s interior walls.
Take care of your air conditioning.
- Replace the air conditioning filter.
Make sure your thermostat is set correctly, and check its accuracy regularly. - Check for damage to the thermostat, including any obstructions in the way of sensors or other parts of the system that may be causing it to perform poorly or inaccurately.
- If you notice any water damage around your air conditioning unit, report this immediately because it could mean serious issues with mold growth inside your home!
Don't forget to maintain your HVAC system.
Your HVAC system is one of the most important elements of your Florida home since It keeps you cool year round.
The most basic maintenance for any HVAC unit includes:
- cleaning the filters once a month;
- checking for leaks and damage;
- making sure it operates properly without making too much noise or constantly shutting off on its own;
- ensuring proper insulation around the outside unit as well as inside your house;
- checking that there’s enough ventilation installed to prevent moisture buildup inside walls/floors/ceilings due to condensation from humid air coming into contact with colder surfaces around those vents, etc.;
- making sure there aren’t any issues with airflow or pressure reduction over time
Keep up with small repairs before they get bigger or more expensive.
Protect exterior wood surfaces by painting or staining regularly.
Exterior wood surfaces should be painted or stained regularly.
Examples of exterior wood surfaces include:
- Decks and porches
- Fences and gates
- Pergolas and arbors
These types of wood structures are especially susceptible to damage from the sun, rain, wind, birds, insects, and other sources. As such, they will need to be maintained more often than other building materials like brick or stone.
Service your fire extinguisher.
If a fire extinguisher is over 5 years old, it should be replaced. A fire extinguisher that has been subjected to extreme heat or cold should also be changed. If your fire extinguisher is damaged, you should replace it as soon as possible.
If you aren’t sure when your current fire extinguisher’s expiration date is, check the label on its side for more information. The date will be printed on most units. Some models have this information stamped into their casings instead of being labeled directly on their sides.
In addition to an expiration date, some labels will also indicate whether or not the model is still usable after its stated expiration period has passed.
Take care of your pool.
You should check the pool once a week. Here’s how to do it:
- Check the pH level of your pool water. You’ll need a test kit for this. The pH should be between 7.2 and 7.6, and if it’s too high or low, adjust accordingly with muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate, respectively.
- Test the chlorine concentration in your pool water using a test kit. It should be between 1 ppm (parts per million) and 3 ppm.
- Check that you have enough bromine in addition to chlorine by testing bromine levels at least twice per week—the ideal range is between 2–4 ppm (parts per million).
- Test your alkalinity level every two weeks with an alkalinity test kit. You want it somewhere between 80–120 parts per million (ppm) as measured by total alkalinity test kits.
It's important to stay on top of home maintenance in Florida because of the weather conditions.
In addition to being outside all year long, you also need to make sure that you’re taking care of your property and belongings as well.
The weather in Florida is different than other parts of the country, which means that certain tasks need to be done at different times of the year. If you don’t know how to properly maintain your home, then it could end up costing a fortune in repairs, or even worse – it could destroy your property completely!
Monthly Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist
- Replace your HVAC filters
- Check all the plumbing
- Check your circuit breakers
- Clean your disposal
- Check you appliances
- Ensure your pool is being properly maintained
- Test your home safety devices
- Landscape your lawn and garden
Annual Home Ultimate Maintenance Checklist
- Inspect roof and gutters
- Test your smoke detectors
- Check the exterior of the house
- Inspect foundation
- Look for stains on your ceilings to find roof leaks
- Order a termite inspection
- Check grout at kitchens, tubs, showers, and sinks to avoid water damage
- Clean your dryer vent
- Seal windows and doors
- Give your house a deep clean
- Pressure wash your home
- Check your hurricane supplies
Conclusion
The weather in Florida is unique and can be demanding on your property. Keeping up with your home maintenance will ensure that you have a safe and comfortable place to live and work. Hope you enjoyed our ultimate home maintenance checklist.
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