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Tips on Home Repair and Maintenance
Once you’ve finally settled in, you may start to view your home
with a more objective eye. Perhaps there are things you’d like to
change — the kitchen cabinets or the flooring, for instance. Perhaps
there are things that require repair or replacement, such as the
plumbing or the windows. You will soon realize that maintenance,
repair and renovations are a normal part of homeownership.
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 Curb
appeal: How attractive the home looks from the street. |
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Do Regular Maintenance and Repair
By doing
regular maintenance and taking care of small repairs right away,
you’ll avoid more costly repairs down the road.
One of the best things you can do is get to know your new home.
Here are some things you need to know:
- Your home is made up of various components that work
together. These include mechanical systems (heating, air
conditioning and ventilation) and the building envelope
(foundations, floors, walls, windows, doors and roof ).
- You need to learn enough about the major mechanical systems
of your home to be able to perform routine maintenance and
handle various emergencies. Every adult member of your household
should know the location of and how to operate the following:
- Main shutoff valves for water and fuel (oil or natural
gas);
- Emergency switch for the furnace or burner;
- Hot water heater thermostat and breaker;
- Main electrical switch;
- Fuse box or circuit breaker box.
- Renovations targeted at increasing energy-efficiency may
affect appliances venting by a chimney. Check chimney
performance if you tighten the envelope or add exhaust fans.
Remember that homes, like people, get old. It’s a good idea to
inspect your home regularly and replace or repair parts and
materials that wear out with use and time. And remember that since
different components of your home work together and affect each
other, minor repairs can quickly become major ones if they are not
immediately taken care of.
We have included a
Maintenance Calendar at the end of this Step that will help you
know just what to inspect and when to inspect it.
You will probably be able to do many of the repairs yourself.
However, if you feel you cannot handle the job on your own, it is
best to call an expert. No matter who carries out the repair,
remember that the work has to be well done. Bad materials and poor
workmanship will end up costing you more in the end. Don’t forget to
keep records of any repairs and improvements you make.
Home Improvements
Besides doing regular maintenance and repairing your home, you
will also want to consider renovating or making improvements. These
changes will not only make the home more pleasant for you to live
in, they may also increase its value.
Change is good but be careful not to go overboard unless you plan to
stay in your home for many years. If you are planning to sell your
house, you also have to ensure that the changes don’t make your home
worth a lot more than the other homes around you. Remember that the
value of your home is closely related to the other homes in your
area.
Here are some things to keep in mind when planning a change or
renovation:
- Think about how changes would appeal to someone buying your
home in the future. You can make very personalized changes with
paint because it is inexpensive and can easily be changed.
However, things like flooring, cabinets and countertops have a
longer life — make choices that will also be appealing to
others.
- Think about getting your home energy-rated. This will tell
you how energy efficient your home is and what improvements are
possible. Visit the Natural Resources Canada Office of Energy
Efficiency at
www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential to learn more about the
ecoENERGY Retrofit program.
- Updating the bathrooms and kitchens in an older home can
increase its resale value.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of landscaping. The right
planting can improve the appearance and value of your home.
- Updating your exterior paint, installing new roofing,
resurfacing your walkways and driveway, adding attractive
mailboxes and front-yard planting will also help make your home
more appealing.
- Over time, some renovations can practically pay for
themselves, especially if they result in savings on utility
bills, a higher selling price or years of greater comfort and
enjoyment in your home!
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Make Sure Your Home is Fully Secure
- Change all the locks when you buy a new home.
- Add dead-bolt locks and window locks where necessary.
- Consider getting a security system. Your property insurance
rate may be lower if you have one.
- Get fire extinguishers for each floor in the house.
- When you are away from home, use lights and radios on
automatic timers and arrange to have your mail and newspapers
picked up or discontinued. This way, people won’t be able to
tell that you are not home.
- Get to know your neighbours and keep an eye out for each
other.
Be Prepared and Stay Safe
Have a fire evacuation plan and make sure everyone in your home
knows how to get out of the home from each room in case of a fire.
If you have a second floor, you need a special escape plan to get to
the ground. Check to see that windows have not been painted shut.
Although doors and windows should always be securely locked, you
have to be able to open them in an emergency.
A few tips:
Fire extinguishers must be easily accessible at all times. If
you have a two storey home, there should be one on each floor.
Remember to check your fire extinguishers at least once a year, and
to replace them if they are 10 years old or older. To help you
remember, make a habit of doing it when you set your clocks to
Daylight Saving Time.
In some areas, it is a legal requirement to have smoke
alarms in your home. Even if it is not a legal requirement,
you will still want them in your home. Check the batteries at least
once a year. Carbon monoxide detectors are also
important to have. They will let you know if there are high levels
of carbon monoxide in your home and can save you from illness or
death. To make sure that they are working properly, check them at
least once a year. It is a good idea to make a habit of checking
your fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at the
same time.
Paper, paint, chemicals and other clutter can be a fire hazard. Make
sure they are stored in a safe place. If you no longer need them,
hazardous materials must be disposed of at a community toxic waste
center. Never put them in the garbage.
Collect your important papers and store them in a safe place — for
example, a fireproof box or a safety deposit box.
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers (including 911, poison
prevention line, doctors, relatives, neighbours and friends) close
to the phone and make sure your children are aware of it.
Maintenance Calendar
| Month
|
Activity |
| January/February |
- Clean or replace furnace filter
- Check/clean heat recovery
ventilator (HRV); wash or replace filter
- Ensure that air intakes, exhausts
and meters are clear of snow
- Clean humidifier
- Clean range hood filter
- Check and fill basement floor
drain
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| March/April |
- Clean or replace furnace filter
- Check/clean HRV; wash or replace
filter
- Clean humidifier and turn it off
- Check sump pump
- Check gutters and downspouts and
clean if needed
- Inspect air conditioning; service
as needed (usually every two or three years)
- Inspect basement or crawl space
for signs of seepage/leakage
- Open vents to outdoor crawlspaces
- Ensure that ground slopes away
from foundation wall
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| May/June |
- Open outside hose connection
- Clean windows, screens and
hardware; install screens
- Check that air intake and
exhausts are clear of debris, nests, etc.
- Clean range hood filter
- You can turn off your HRV if your
windows are mostly open in the summer; if you have air
conditioning and keep your windows mostly closed you can
keep it running
- Undertake spring landscape
maintenance; fertilize young trees
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| July/August |
- Use dehumidifier in damp
basements
- For central air conditioning;
clean filter in air handling unit
- Check exterior finishes
- Check exterior wood for
deterioration
- Check caulking and
weather-stripping around windows, including around entry
door from garage and home
- Check basement floor drainage
trap; replenish with water if needed
- Have furnace/heating system
serviced (every two years for an electric furnace)
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| September/October |
- Check fireplace and chimney;
service or clean if needed
- Clean range hood filter
- Clean leaves out of eavesthroughs
- Check roofing and flashing for
signs of wear or damage
- Close outside hose connection
- Close windows, skylights
- Clean and reactivate HRV, if it
was turned off
- Winterize landscaping
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| November/December |
- Clean or replace furnace filter
- Check/clean heat recovery
ventilator; wash or replace filter
- Clean humidifier and turn it on
(if needed)
- Check exhaust fans
- Ensure gas valve is clear of ice
and snow
- Test space heating system
- Close vents to crawl spaces
- Check and clean furnace
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| Annually |
- Dust or vacuum electric
baseboards
- Vacuum ducts behind warm air and
return air grilles
- Test plumbing shut-off valves to
ensure they are working
- Test pressure relief valve on hot
water tank; drain water from tank
- Do safety checks: smoke alarm,
fire escape routes, fire extinguisher, door and window
locks
- Check and, if needed, oil door
hinges
- L ubricate garage door motor,
chain, etc.
- Check attic for signs of moisture
in summer or fall
- Check septic system; clean if
needed (usually about every three years)
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| Every 2-5 Years |
- Check and repair driveway cracks
- Check and repair the chimney cap
and the caulking between the cap and chimney, recaulk as
necessary
- Refinish wood surfaces, including
window frames and doors
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Untitled Document
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Prime Today: 2.75 % |
| |
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Banks |
Our
Rate |
| |
6 Months |
4.95% |
4.65% |
| |
1 Year |
4.05% |
2.64% |
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2 Year |
4.55% |
3.30% |
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3 Year |
5.10% |
3.74% |
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4 Year |
5.74% |
4.29% |
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5 Year |
6.25% |
3.99% |
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7 Year |
6.59% |
5.25% |
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10 Year |
6.90% |
5.59% |
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Variable |
Closed: prime
-.65%
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Variable |
Open: prime +0.6%
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Self Employed:
3.99%! |
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Zero Down:
5.79%!! |
A great rate is only step 1!
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Rates subject to change without
notice. |
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