Critical maintenance areas

Q: We recently bought our first home and want to maintain it in good condition. What are the major areas of maintenance that we should be aware of?

Number one on my maintenance list is to keep the water and the weather out. For people, water is necessary for survival. However, for a house, water can be a destructive force that can lead to rot, insect infestation, mould, and shorter life spans of roofing and siding. Water intrusion is usually a sign of a deeper problem with the construction of the home. If you notice any type of water intrusion pay close attention to it right away. You can minimize the damage by addressing the problem quickly and thoroughly.

It is really important to inspect the roof covering several times a year. Viewing the roof and roof penetrations from the ground using binoculars is a safe way for the homeowner to observe the roof. Inspect the roof for missing, damaged, and aging shingles. Clean out the gutters as required to ensure that water flows freely away from the roof structure. Check for any locations that the gutters may be pulling away from the house or leaking. Make sure the gutters are discharging the water they collect well away from the home and that the soil around the perimeter of the home is graded away from the structure.

Check the foundation for any cracks or deterioration. If you find foundation cracking that looks excessive, call for a professional assessment. Look for peeling or cracked caulk and weather stripping around doors and windows. Caulking and installing weather stripping is easy and the repairs can be completed in a small amount of time.

Water is also a villain on the inside of the house. Over time grout and caulk deteriorate and will no longer seal out water, potentially allowing water to leak into the walls and floors causing serious damage. Tiled shower walls are the most common walls that fail. Damage to shower walls most often occurs around the tub or shower pan lip, where water wicks up the wall behind the tile. Once deterioration starts, you really don't have a choice but to replace the walls in the shower area. If damage is visible to the tiles in one area of the shower, it is certain that other areas of the shower walls are not far behind and will ultimately fail.

Check toilets for any signs of leakage—either from the tank or around the base. Moisture around the base of a toilet is a problem that should not be ignored. It will not go away by itself and over time it can cause significant damage to the sub flooring around a toilet and if present, the ceiling below.

Mechanically, possibly the easiest is maintenance item is to change the furnace filter regularly. Clogged filters cause the furnace to work longer and harder to arrive at the temperature that the thermostat is set for. Traditionally, furnace filters were designed to protect the furnace and fans, now with increased air quality awareness filters are now installed to reduce exposure to air particles that can affect your health.

While you are changing the furnace filter shut the power off to the furnace and remove the service panel. Check the inside of this area for signs of scorching, rust, debris, dirt and corrosion. You should also check the chimney and appliance vent systems to make sure vent connections are secure and that there is no obvious corrosion, damage or blockage of the vent, chimney or combustion air supply. Consider making a licensed heating contractor inspect your home's heating system annually a mandatory maintenance item. A thorough check-up ensures that your furnace is operating at peak efficiency and most importantly, that it is running safely.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.