You're a homeowner and it's the beginning of the year. You know you have a lot on your 'To-Do' list. Have you thought about home maintainence? Realtor.com listed some of the important, yet overlooked tasks. So here they are below just as a reminder.
Clean your refrigerator drip pan
Did you know many refrigerators have drip pans? I did not. But as you can imagine from the name, it's a thing you really should be cleaning once in a while. Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance, puts it this way: “Failing to clean the refrigerator drip pan will result in mold growth."
How to do it: To clean it, first you have to find it.
"Remove the kick panel at the bottom of your fridge, and trace the defrost drain line to the pan, which is where it empties out," says Rogers. Use a flashlight if you need to.
"Be sure to gently pull the pan out as it may be full of water, and dump any excess liquid in the sink before cleaning with an all-purpose cleaner," he says.
Wash your dryer lint screen
You know that thing gets gross, right? You're always scraping piles of lint, shredded tissues, and other weird substances off of it. But it can get clogged in less obvious ways, too. The residue from dryer sheets and fabric softener can start to build up on the screen, blocking the airflow. That can lead to less efficient drying and even fires.
How to do it: "Soak it in hot water and dishwashing soap designed to remove grease and oil. Gently scrub the screen with a soft brush, rinse it, and let it air-dry before reinserting it into the slot." (Realtor.com)
It's a small thing, but it'll help extend the life of your dryer, reduce your energy bills, and keep your home safer.
Reseal stone countertops
If you have granite or marble countertops, you should be sealing them every year, or possibly more often. The only exception is if you have a presealed countertop. In that case, you're excused from this one. Not sure if you need to seal? Put some water on your countertop. The more quickly it is absorbed, the more porous your stone is, and the more frequently you should be sealing. That's also a good test to see if your sealer has worn off: If the water doesn't bead on the countertop, it's time.
How to do it: Wash your countertop with mild soap and water, and wipe it dry. Apply a stone sealer, let it sit 15 minutes, then wipe away the extra.
Reseal your grout
When your tile was installed, whether it's floor tile, bathroom surround tile, or countertop tile, the grout was sealed to protect it from wear and tear. But did you know that you're supposed to reseal it every year? Most grout is a mixture of sand and cement, which can absorb water, bacteria, and stains.
How to do it: To reseal grout, apply grout sealant, wipe off any excess that gets on tiles, wait 15 minutes, apply a second coat, then clean the tiles again. Let it cure for 24 to 48 hours. After it cures, test it: Water should bead on top of the grout instead of being absorbed.
Flush the water heater
"Flush" the water heater? What does that even mean? Great question. According to Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter plumbing, you need to remove the water sitting in your water heater to remove any sediment that may collect there.
"Sediment causes corrosion, reduces efficiency, and shortens your water heater’s life span," James explains.
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