September Home Maintenance Checklist

Inspect and Clean Your Chimney

WHAT: If you're among those who enjoy a toasty fire inside when the temps start dropping outside, now is the time to schedule your professional chimney inspection and any necessary cleaning or repairs before you use your fireplace this winter.  Whether your home features a wood-burning fireplace or a gas fireplace, this maintenance item is important to keep your home safe from chimney fires, and your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.  September is National Chimney Safety Week, and the Chimney Safety Institute of America has posted some really helpful guidelines to help you avoid chimney fires and health hazards.

WHEN: Annually 

HOW:  Call a pro to inspect your chimney.  There are three levels of chimney inspection: 1, 2 and 3 as outlined here:   Inspection Levels  .  

Need more Help? The Chimney Safety Institute of America offers tips on how to find and hire a credible chimney sweep:  Click Here

Schedule Contractors for Inside Projects

WHAT: Have you been thinking about remodeling a bathroom, kitchen or other interior space, but contractors have been hard to come by this summer? Generally, their outdoor projects start wrapping up in October, and their time becomes more plentiful.  Now is a good time to start calling around to schedule contractors for interior projects that could be done during colder or wetter months.

WHEN: As needed

HOW:  Finding a pro may sound like a daunting task.  Experience with a pro speaks volumes.  Friends, family and others who share their experiences can be your most reliable source for finding a pro. It's also advisable to get references, liability insurance proof, and to research candidates.  The highly experienced folks at This Old House offer these contractor-hiring tips.  Other great sources include Facebook Marketplace, HomeAdvisor and Taskrabbit. According to HomeAdvisor.com, "Georgia requires a license for work on single-family or two-family homes, or single-family townhomes less than four stories tall, and for projects exceeding $2,500. Pros must also pass a Business and Law exam, as well as a licensure exam."   You can search the GA Secretary of State site to verify anyone's license status.  

Establish a Family Emergency Plan

WHAT:  Establishing a family emergency preparedness plan can not only help keep your family safe, a good plan for a fire or natural disaster can also help protect your home investment.   There's nothing like a surprise pandemic to remind us that emergencies can happen at any time, and catch us off guard.  Planning ahead can help you act quickly and efficiently in the face of many kinds of surprise events, help ensure every family member knows exactly what to do to safeguard property, and know where to go to safeguard health in an emergency. 

WHEN: Now, with annual review and updates

HOW:  Set a time for the family to talk about what kinds of events could threaten your safety or create the urgent need for you to immediately communicate with each other, or to find safety.  Consider your communication methods (and backup methods), escape routes, food sources and emergency shelter locations. 

Need more Help? We found this to be most helpful: Click Here 

Recurring Monthly Maintenance 

Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors

WHAT: A carbon monoxide detector or CO detector is a device that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide gas to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. 

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: To test a carbon monoxide detector, hold down the “test” button until you hear two beeps sound off. Once you hear these beeps, release your finger off of the test button. Recreate this event, but this time hold down the test button until you hear four beeps. If the four beeps are heard, you know that a signal was sent to your monitoring station. After 10-15 minutes the CO alarm will return from test mode back to its original setting. If for some reason the device doesn’t return to its original setting, you’ll need to perform a power cycle. 

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here

Test Smoke Detectors

WHAT: A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire. 

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: This style of testing occurs when an operator simply clicks on the test button that is present on a smoke detecting device. Pressing this button alone will conduct a test. Once the button is pressed, a few seconds will pass before the test starts, but you’ll know the test in process whenever you begin to hear a loud, piercing siren that comes via the smoke detector. 

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here

Clean Garbage Disposal

WHAT: A garbage disposal unit is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The disposal unit shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than 2 mm —to pass through plumbing. 

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: Kosher salt is an effective abrasive cleaner that can adequately dislodge slimy residue. First, pour a large cup of ice cubes into the garbage disposal, switch it on while adding a half-cup of the salt. The ice and salt combination should grind away what remains of the odor-causing residue. This is yet another quick fix to a dirty drain using simple items that you already have in your freezer and pantry. For FULL instructions please check out this article HERE.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here

Run Water & Flush Toilets in Unused Spaces

WHAT: Run water and flush toilets. This helps prevent the buildup of grime. You will also refill the trap which blocks sewer gas from entering the home.  

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: Run the water through unused faucets and shower/baths for 2 minutes. Also flush all unused toilets.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here