February:  Home Maintenance Checklist

It's usually the little things that can creap up on you & turn into big problems. So with this in mind, this year we will be offering a monthly checklist for maintaining your home. Following these simple checklists will help you tackle those little projects in a timely manner and help to prevent major issues down the road.

• Remove drain traps under sinks and clean them thoroughly. Clean pop-up drain plugs. Inspect the linkage for pop-up drains to make sure they are set properly. To adjust the linkage, squeeze the finger-operated pressure lock to release it and slide it up or down as necessary.

• Inspect grout and caulk around tubs, sinks and showers. Chip out cracked grout and replace missing grout. Stained, discolored and mildewed caulk should be cleaned with trisodium phosphate or other household cleaner. If the caulk remains discolored, remove it and replace it with fresh, mildew-resistant caulk.

• Refinish furniture in a heated garage or workspace equipped with ventilation fans. Otherwise, use water-based strippers, paints, stains and varnishes that are especially formulated for low odors.

• Musty closet odors can be reduced or eliminated by removing the closet's contents and washing walls with a diluted solution of chlorine bleach. In addition, try replacing solid doors with louvered doors. Note: If the mustiness is the result of moisture, find the source and correct it. Otherwise the problem will come back.

• To keep valves from sticking and check for leaks, turn all water valves off and on. This includes outdoor faucets and valves to toilets, bathroom and kitchen sinks, laundry, bar, etc.