Home maintenance tasks may not be your favorite thing to do as a homeowner; however, home maintenance is crucial in the upkeep of your home. Plus, proper home maintenance is the best way to save yourself a ton of money on repairs and damages caused by neglected equipment. So do yourself a favor this spring and don’t skip these vital maintenance tasks.

House 1. Clean Your Refrigerator Coils. Hey, it’s spring cleaning time anyway, you might as well add the refrigerator coils to your checklist. Regularly cleaning your refrigerator coils will save you money on an expensive repair bill down the road. These coils can be found either at the bottom or in the back of your refrigerator. Over time the coils become clogged with dirt, dust, hair, cobwebs, etc. when this happens your fridge can’t release heat properly, leading to the compressor having to work harder and run for longer periods of time, this waste an excessive amount of energy and can greatly shorten the lifespan of your fridge.

2. Clean Your Dryer Vent. Each year, nearly 16,000 home fires are caused by lint-clogged dryer vents. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, these clothes dryer fires result in 20 deaths, 370 injuries and over $75 million in property damage each year. The steady, silent accumulation of fabric particles that get beyond your lint screen will not only decrease your dryer’s performance, it creates a fire hazard. Cleaning your lint trap after every load will slow this process, but cannot prevent it. As your vent gradually becomes caked with lint, your dryer’s airflow decreases. This not only prevents your dryer from drying as it should, it can cause it to overheat and ignite the highly flammable lint. Cleaning your dryer vent this spring can help protect your family and your home.

3. Remove The Built Up Sediment From Your Water Heater. Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. Follow the manufacturer’s directions or call us at (618) 484-9822 and we’ll take care of your water heater for you!

4. Clean Those Gutters. Removing the leaves and other debris from your gutters this spring will help prevent your gutters from getting clogged. Springtime in the Midwest is known to be a rainy time of year and clogged gutters can lead to expensive roof damage, flooding and damage around the foundation of your home, damage to your downspout or the gutters themselves. It is a lot easier to keep your gutters clean than having to deal with a headache and expense that comes with allowing your gutters to become clogged.

5. Have Your Sump Pump Operation Tested. Spring is the time for rain in our area and that means your sump pump will be working overtime. That’s why you want to make sure having your sump pump tested is at the top of your home maintenance checklist this Spring. If your sump pump fails, you can expect serious basement flooding and the expense that accompanies repairing all of the water damage. Call us at (618) 484-9822 to have a professional plumber come out and ensure your sump pump is working at optimal levels.

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