5 Essential Indoor Maintenance Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

Doing home maintenance checks to keep your house in order might seem like a lot of work, especially for a first-time homeowner, but it is essential to keep everything functioning and to ensure the best quality indoors.

Maintaining your indoors will not only avoid future failures, but it contributes to a healthy environment for you and your family.

Inspections

Do simple inspections of things inside your home to ensure they are functioning sufficiently.

• Weatherproofing - You should make sure that your windows and door caulking, as well as the weather stripping, is in good condition to ensure energy efficiency.
• Crawlspace - Make sure there's no water damage to the foundation of your home. Check out that crawlspace and see if there's any water down there.
• Plumbing - Faucet leaks are obvious to spot. Make sure any exposed pipes beneath your sinks are still watertight.
• Electricity - You should test the GFCI circuit monthly by pressing the test button, which can be done by using a voltage tester. And any light bulbs that are not working anymore can just be replaced.
• Security - By inspecting the sensors of your home security system one by one, you will sleep peacefully, knowing that your security system is in working order.

Cleaning your first home

Cleaning certain appliances from time to time can help them stay in good working condition.

• Vacuum the exhaust duct of your dryer and the refrigerator coils at least once a year.
• The condenser and central air conditioner should be cleared of leaves and debris every season.
• If you make use of your fireplace, make sure to clean it annually, a chimney inspection is also in order. If too much creosote builds up (this is a chemical byproduct of burning wood), this could lead to fires, or to carbon monoxide poisoning.
• The faucet aerator (the spring inside the end of the faucet) can get a good clean every four months, and it is a good idea to run cold water through the garbage disposal after use to keep it well maintained.

Replace on a schedule

The filters of the furnace should be replaced as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure its efficiency. Fire detectors are there to prevent the unfortunate.

Therefore it is critical to replace the batteries yearly and make sure that the backup batteries get replaced as well, just in case.

Improve the air quality

Cleaning your home frequently is the most efficient way to ensure that the air quality of your home is up to standard. You can do this by minimizing the dust by dusting off, vacuuming and mopping at least once a week.

If you want to spare yourself some work, then a doormat can prevent dirt from entering your home. In many cultures it is customary to take off shoes before entering the house, this is a good habit to get used to as it can spare you a lot of time in cleaning.

Before you turn on the air conditioner or heater at the start of the day, it is always good to open the windows that allow fresh air to enter and toxins to escape, ventilating your home will help improve air quality.

By bringing in some nature in your home, you can increase the air quality as well.

Some plants can capture pollution in the air in small scales, and therefore it is better to get rid of those polluting air fresheners and add a little green to your life.

Control the humidity

The humidity in your home should be kept between 30% to 50% which will limit dust mites and mold in the air.

Mold can become very problematic once it starts to grow, it tends to spread very quickly on walls which will cost you a repainting job after a chemical cleaning process. Keep your home's humidity under control to prevent this dreadful process.

If you are not sure about the moisture in your home, you can buy a device or install a humidity tracking app on your phone. A dehumidifier can also be used to control the humidity and allergens in the air. Opening windows during cooking and after a shower is a simple way to minimize the moisture.

Your home provides you with safety and comfort, and at the same time, it is also considered one of the most significant investments most people make. Therefore, it is essential to take good care of it. Regular maintenance will help preserve the value of the home.

Tri-Star Savannah is a heating, air, and plumbing company located in Savannah, Ga.