You don’t think that you are very handy. No problem, there is always a first time. Our houses are always in need of something…why not do some of the things which aren’t too expensive or “tool heavy” and leave the complicated things to other specific professionals.

Here are five minor potential issues with ongoing monitoring and maintenance can prolong the life expectancy of your home and save you money.

1. Downspout Extensions. Most downspouts at ground level, do not terminate far enough from the foundation. They should be directing water to at least 6-7 feet away from the building to eliminate potential pooling of water along the foundation. By adding an extension or changing the “terminus” of the downspout to further use the natural slope of the land you can help prevent water from potentially entering your home.
2. Caulking. It is used both inside and outside your home and DOES have an expected life expectancy. Take a little time and walk around your house and see if it is cracked, separated or deteriorated, and if you are up for it, try to remove the old caulking till you get a good substrate and redo it. If you are not up for it, call in a handyman and let him know ALL the locations which need re-energization.
3. Furnace filter. You would be surprised at how infrequently these are changed. It just doesn’t show up on our radar. Change your disposable filter every three months or change to a re-useable one and wash it. Better airflow means your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard and will last longer.
4. Water Hammer. When you shut off taps or the shower, do you get noise from behind the walls? There are built-in locations within the water supply which “soften” sudden shutting off of water flow, they are air pockets which over time get diminished and it is a good idea to recharge them once a year (maybe more if you have teenagers). Turn off the main water supply and at the Hot Water tank, drain all of the water lines in the house, both hot and cold, and then reverse the process. This will improve and help protect your water supply lines.
5. Drain Hot Water Tank. Most water supplies in Eastern Ontario, either public or private, are fairly “clean” of debris, but some debris always makes its way into the system. This is important in the hot water tank as most of this debris is metal (product of the supply lines). Some accumulate in the bottom of your hot water tank. We then expend energy heating it up over and over as we heat our water. If you drain the equivalent of 1 bucket out of the bottom of your hot water tank every six months, not only will you save on energy, but prolong the life expectancy of your tank!

If you have any questions do not hesitate to call!

Chris McArthur