S2000 Vintage Owners Knowledge, age and life experiences represent the members of the Vintage Owners

House maintenance

Old 12-07-2017, 11:23 AM
  #1  

Thread Starter
 
dlq04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Mish-she-gan
Posts: 41,178
Received 4,914 Likes on 2,980 Posts
Default 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?
Old 12-07-2017, 11:34 AM
  #2  

 
Legal Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canton, MA
Posts: 34,103
Received 106 Likes on 78 Posts
Default

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?
Old 12-07-2017, 11:57 AM
  #3  
Registered User

 
elmmx5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Crack house in Norton, MA
Posts: 6,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by dlq04
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?
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.
Old 12-07-2017, 01:24 PM
  #4  

Thread Starter
 
dlq04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Mish-she-gan
Posts: 41,178
Received 4,914 Likes on 2,980 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Legal Bill
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?
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.
Old 12-07-2017, 02:56 PM
  #5  
Moderator

 
UnkieTrunkie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SJC
Posts: 109,021
Received 1,541 Likes on 1,418 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by dlq04
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:
. . .
Do any of you do anything similar?


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.
Old 12-07-2017, 04:31 PM
  #6  

 
boltonblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: bolton
Posts: 31,492
Received 3,494 Likes on 2,362 Posts
Default

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....
Old 12-07-2017, 04:45 PM
  #7  

Thread Starter
 
dlq04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Mish-she-gan
Posts: 41,178
Received 4,914 Likes on 2,980 Posts
Default

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.
Old 12-07-2017, 04:51 PM
  #8  

 
Lainey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Smalltown
Posts: 62,529
Received 2,733 Likes on 1,613 Posts
Default

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...
Old 12-07-2017, 06:34 PM
  #9  

 
hecash's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: West of Chi., IL
Posts: 9,919
Received 352 Likes on 209 Posts
Default

I have a new one-item list.
  1. Read Dave's list.
Old 12-07-2017, 07:22 PM
  #10  

 
Legal Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canton, MA
Posts: 34,103
Received 106 Likes on 78 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by dlq04
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.
Very different lives.

Quick Reply: House maintenance



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:39 AM.