House maintenance
 

I think all the years of maintaining a checklist for my old cars rubbed off when it comes to the house. For example, here’s my fall annual checklist:

Turnoff outside faucets from inside.

Change furnace filter.

Clean & replace humidifier filter.

Clean A/C & humidifier drain lines.

Oil water heater blower & flush ½ gallon of water.

Change house waterline filter.

Change refrigerator filter.

Clean garage furnace pilot.

Clean dryer vent.

I usually do all this in November but this year’s weather made it feel more like October. Since it is starting to snow hard here today, I got my list out and just finished it. Do any of you do anything similar?

Did you change the batteries in your smoke/CO detectors? Lay in a supply of rock salt for the driveway? Close or block A/C vents?

I think turning the outside water spigots off is about all I do each winter.

This year I'll be expanding the list out of necessity. Just last weekend, I discovered that the pilot light on the gas unit heater in my garage was out. I re-lit it, and it ran fine for a day while I was working in the garage, but was out again the next day. I was unsuccessful in having it stay on after trying to light it again after that.

So it looks like changing a thermocouple and cleaning a pilot (the flame looked fine when lit, but I haven't cleaned it once in the 10 years, so I guess now is the time to do so) is on my list of things to do this weekend.

Wife regularly tests our battery smoke detector with her cooking (just yesterday). More than half of ours detectors are wired. I have new concrete driveways and wouldn't think of putting rock salt on them. I've no idea what a separate A/C vent is? Our HVAC system uses the same system for all.

:lightblb:

My problem for time immemorial is that I have this list in my head, and I: a.) never write it down, b.) never pick a day (AND HOLD IT FAST). It'd make my life so much easier if I did that at least 2x a year (Spring, Fall).

. . . I'll let you know what happens. :LOL:

a list no, lots of crap to do... oh yes.
salt in the water softener
filters in the air handlers
getting the oil burners serviced
putting up the markers for the plow guy
liming the lawn, although I might outsource that to get a heavy load done.
changing the well water filters ( all six of em)
flush the hot water heater
which reminds me I have to go buy some shear pins for the snowblower.

technically we have the faucets that go through the wall and won't freeze up.
I the past for reasons I do not understand I have found them on.
totally buried under an undisturbed foot of snow but they creep their way into a high flow position.... :duh:

My spring check list includes cleaning the well and changing furnace filters again- this time for A/C.
I in fact ordered a delivery of water softener salt today; I wish I could wait 6 months before I need to do it again.
I just got the leaves up yesterday in time for today's snow.
I had a freeze-free faucet fail me last winter (was almost 50 years old) so I put in an inside shutoff as a backup to the replacement freeze-free.

No real list here. Rick tends to yard and cars. Gets the generator out from a shed, makes sure the snowblower is ready. Around the house, not so much on the to do list. Filter gets changed on the gas furnace regularly, a few other things get done as we go along...

I have a new one-item list.

1. Read Dave's list.

Very different lives.

Keep firewood at the ready for those evenings in front of the real fireplace.

Still mowing the lawn but not as frequently, once or twice a month.

Keep the chickens, geese and guinea hens fed.

Potassium chloride for the water softener. 3" tabs for the pool.

Clear the back 3 acres with Mr Bulldozer so the place won't burn down next year.

No heating oil in this state. Propane for us.


Saw the line for flushing hot water heaters. You may want to look into electric (plug in) adapters for the anode. Maintenance free and do a good job.

Never had an outside faucet freeze on me in Ohio. Ever. Looking under the Virginia house today for a shutoff -- no basements here. Maybe just put a cover on the outside part?

I winterized my small camper (RV) a month ago. New anode required for the water heater. House water heater I just drain a few gallons from the bottom where sediment can occur.

This house has an in-ground sprinkler system that I had blown out a month ago.

Sold my snowblower before leaving Ohio this Fall. :)

-- Chuck

Faucet covers
 

I add the styrofoam outside faucet covers with the rubbet gaskets to my list. They insulate the faucet from northern winter's cold. My daughter, who lives in Ohio, had a very expensive frozen waterline episode last summer, despite having turned off the water from inside. She's adding the outside insulators this year.

I should close the outside faucets, but I have to admit that the long stem shut-off valves do a great job preventing freeze-ups.

Just make sure that there is no hose hooked to them (speaking from experience). :banghead:

:stupid:

I not only remove the hoses and hose caddies, but I drain them out before putting them in the shed. Those hose reel caddies are expensive and will fracture if they freeze up.

^^Smart man!

Same here. We have two that really get a workout. I've had to replace brass parts because the of the over use.

Finally got around to cleaning the dryer vent today. I try to do it annually but got lazy and didn't do it for 3 years. I think we talked here or one of the threads that it's important because of lint buildup which can eventually lead to a fire. It was not as bad as the picture suggests but none the less I dismantled most of it, vacuumed it, and then washed it as well.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...ade3a0df70.jpg

That's a fire waiting to happen!

I know it looks that way, for sure, in the photo. That was the most dramatic buildup at a pipe joint at a mid point joint in the pipe..... as they say, one picture is worth a thousand words and I know some here were unaware of the possible hazzard. Believe me, it was not packed as it appears; still good to know its all clear now.

I know it's been a long while since that has been done at our house. I think I need to start a "honey do" list so Rick won't get bored on rainy days after he retires.

I had all of my vents including dryer cleaned out 2 years ago. I could not believe all the crap that came out. It filled multiple XL leaf and grass bags. Cheaper than a fire.

I have my check list memorized after all these years.