This appliance maintenance tip is for the dishwasher and garbage disposal here's where a lot of people get into trouble. Take a look at this picture. You will notice a high concentration of mold in the cabinet. Many of us keep a lot of products under the kitchen sink. We hardly ever get on our hands and knees and inspect this area. It's important that twice a year you remove everything from under the sink run your faucets, garbage disposal and your dishwasher. What we are looking for are water leaks. Failure to identify any ongoing leak can lead to mold and mildew. Look for signs of corrosion around the garbage disposal. This will sometimes manifest itself as corrosion like blisters. If you find evidence of leaks around the garbage disposal it’s time for replacement. A simple dishwasher maintenance tip is to use CLR, according to the manufacturer’s instructions to clean any calcium build up in the appliance.
Our first yearly maintenance tip is the refrigerator. We sometimes take this great appliance for granted. It does its job pretty much without any help at all. What we fail to realize that the refrigerator at times literally holds hundreds of dollars in food. The most important maintenance tip I can give you is to vacuum the refrigerator coil. These are located in a few different places. The most common location is at the bottom of the refrigerator the second location as to the rear of the refrigerator. If yours is at the bottom front, you simply need to remove the base grill, place your brush attachment on your vacuum and clean away. If you're condenser coil is that the rear of your refrigerator you'll need to slide the refrigerator out of its location and get behind it. Then proceed to vacuum the coil clean. While you have the refrigerator out it’s a good time to check for any loose or leaking connections pertaining to your icemaker water line. Now your coils are clean the refrigerator will run much more efficiently and last you a lot longer
Clean Coil
Well it's November in Southern California and the rainy weather is upon us. As a professional home inspector I like to offer some basic maintenance tips that will help you get through winter with ease.
Tip #1: Window maintenance
Wood Windows: Older wood sash windows may need prep and paint of the mutton's and rails. Windowsills and stucco molding may also require prep, paint and caulking. Some wood windows will require new glazing compound for single glazed windows. This will help prolong the life and the originality of the window. This will also prevent water intrusion around the window.
Aluminum Windows: These Windows also require maintenance. Cleaning of the lower window channel to allow water to drain freely from the window frame will prevent water intrusion at frame corners. At times it's necessary to re-caulk the inner corner of the aluminum frame. If you're noticing blistering of the plaster or drywall at the corners of your aluminum windows it's probably time to perform some general maintenance.
Vinyl windows: Vinyl windows are are great and are known for being very low maintenance. However if you have vinyl retrofit Windows more than likely they were installed and caulked in place. It is important that the caulking be visually inspected and replaced as needed.
Tip #2: Hot Water Heater
November is a great time to flush your hot water tanks. This will reduce any sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank and allow the burner to work more efficiently.
Tip #3: Furnace and Filters
If you have an older floor furnace installed. Now would be a good time to vacuum any debris that may have fallen to the floor grill. If you have a forced air unit now's a good time to replace the air filter and dust the interior of the unit. We recommend that you unplug the unit prior to doing any dusting.
Tip #4: Fireplaces and chimneys
Homeowners should conduct a visual inspection of the fireplace and chimney prior to putting them into winter service. Cleaning out the ash pit along with inspecting the firebox and brick for signs of cracking or damage. The storm cap and spark arrestor at the top the chimney should be inspected to ensure that they are installed properly and in good condition. Log lighter's and gas valves should also be tested for gas leaks. We recommend that a professional chimney inspection be done every 2 to 3 years to ensure that these items are in good working order. It's always best to bring in a professional to make recommendations and evaluations if you don't feel comfortable or confident to conduct this type of inspection. We do not advocate that homeowners climb on roofs or using tall ladders unless they have been properly trained to do so.
Tip #5: Roof and gutter maintenance.
Now is a great time to make sure your rain gutters and downspouts are not clogged. Make sure that your downspouts are extended 3 feet from the homes foundation, take a moment and observe your roof valleys and flashing's. Consult a roofing contractor if cleaning or maintenance is necessary.
Tip#6: Smoke detectors
This is also a good time to change any smoke detector batteries and retest smoke detectors for proper operation.
David Salvato
David Home Inspection Services
Serving Los Angeles San Bernardino and Riverside Counties
626-629-8499
909-908-7494
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