New Year Resolutions for Your Home

Vowing to make personal changes for the new year is nothing new, but 2022 New Year resolutions for your home might be. It makes sense to take care of your home’s major appliances and their components because homes are a significant investment.

It’s much more time- and cost-effective to stay on top of the major systems that contribute to a well-maintained home than postponing them and catching up later, especially when it comes to house cleaning.

The Clothes Dryer

• Make it a habit to remove the lint from the dryer’s lint screen each time you use it. When it’s packed with lint, the air blowing through the dryer slows and each cycle takes longer, increasing your energy bills.
• People who use dryer sheets need to scrub the lint screen periodically to prevent dryer fires. Dryer sheets leave a residue behind on the screen that clogs it. Completely blocked screens increase the dryer temperature to the point where a fire may start.
• Once a year, remove the vent hose from the dryer and clean it as thoroughly as you can. If it’s caked with lint, it may be time to replace it.

The Water Heater

Unless you live in an area where you have soft water, add water heater flushing to your to-do list twice a year as part of your 2022 New Year resolutions for your home. Hard water deposits form at the bottom of the tank over time that lower this expensive appliance’s lifetime and drive up water heating costs. Hook up a hose to the drain at the base of the water heater and open the spigot to drain off several quarts of water into a pail.

Take Care of your Furnace

Make it a point to check the air filter for your HVAC system monthly and change it when it’s dirty. If you have pets or your home is exceptionally dusty, it may need changing often. A house cleaning company can help you lower the particulate load indoors by thoroughly cleaning your carpets, furniture, and window coverings on a regular basis.

An excessively dusty home may also indicate problems with your furnace or its ductwork. Schedule a service call with your HVAC contractor for regular maintenance and ask for a ductwork inspection. Leaking ducts can pull dust and other pollutants into your home from the areas through which they run and waste substantial amounts of energy.

Clean House

Put house cleaning at the top of your 2022 New Year resolutions for your home. If you don’t have enough time or prefer not to, consider hiring a house cleaning service to help you. A clean home is inviting, healthy and saves time, especially for the organizationally challenged. Cleaning it on a regular basis helps you avoid big cleaning jobs that will take much longer later.

Maintain the Plumbing

• Plumbing systems in homes are largely ignored until a problem occurs. Make it a point to clear your drains monthly by using baking soda and vinegar to clear any deposits from them. Using natural cleaners won’t harm the pipes or degrade indoor air quality.
• Remove the hair accumulations from sink and shower drains. A house cleaning company EuroMaids will perform this service for you.
• Deodorize the garbage disposal weekly and use it for soft foods only. Go by the rule most disposal manufacturers suggest: use it only for foods you can chew. If it’s too tough for you, it’s too hard for the disposal too.

Inspect the Attic and Basement

• It’s easy to neglect spaces you access infrequently, but inspecting them seasonally can prevent small problems from escalating down the road. During the winter, watch the roof line for ice dams. They indicate a problem with attic ventilation or insulation. Ice dams can do extensive harm to your attic and exterior.
• If you notice musty smells from the basement, look for foundation leaks or leaking pipes. Unchecked, mold will harm indoor air quality and your health.

The Bottom Line

Maintaining each of these home systems is essential as a homeowner. When time is an issue, a EuroMaids company, maid services, plumbers, and HVAC professionals can help you with the periodic chores that keep your home running smoothly. Contact us!