Monthly home maintenance is important, but sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what we’ve done, the last time we’ve done it, and whatever else is on the list that hasn’t been done yet.
So we decided that we would help you out by creating a monthly home maintenance checklist for each month! That way you don’t have to worry about missing regular maintenance tasks in your home and you won’t have to worry about making the list yourself.
So without further ado, here is your list for December!
December Home Maintenance Checklist
Clean Your Circuit Breakers
It’s common to use more energy in the colder months because many people use additional space heaters and humidifiers in the rooms of their homes.
While this can make the home environment more comfortable, having a lot of appliances taking power from one breaker can trip the circuit breakers.
Be sure your circuit breakers are labeled correctly. This will assist in the event of a tripped breaker, or worse, an electrical emergency.
If you do trip a circuit breaker, unplug all of the devices first and then reset the breaker. While you’re at it, you can also dust off the breaker box to make sure everything is nice and clean.
Run Water in Unused Areas of Home
With the holiday season and all of the visitors that it brings, it’s a good idea to make sure the water is running well in less-used areas of your home.
Make sure to run the water and flush the toilets in bathrooms that aren’t often used. This is a good practice whether you have guests coming or not.
Inspect Fire Extinguishers
Having an in-home fire extinguisher is very important. And make sure you maintain it is just as important.
Once a year, you should inspect your fire extinguisher for corrosion, leaks, a clogged nozzle, or a broken locking pin. If any of these things are not working optimally, then you need to replace the fire extinguisher.
A fire extinguisher should be replaced every 5 years.
Test Electrical Outlets
Now is a great time to test the electrical outlets throughout your home. With the hanging of lights and other lit decorations, testing outlets is actually pretty easy and convenient.
You can also test the GFCI outlets around your home by pushing the “test” button. This will make the “reset” button pop out, and when you press that in again it will restart the outlet–then you can test it. If you find any outlets that aren’t working, then you can call an electrician to fix it.
Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors
Testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is something that should be done monthly. Go ahead and press the test buttons to make sure the alarms are still working.
The batteries should be changed out every year as well.
Stay tuned here each month for the latest Home Maintenance Checklist!