Monthly Maintenance Tasks for January

Clean Up in the Kitchen
Many faucets have an aerator screwed on to the end of the spout that mixes air into the water to prevent splashing. The aerator has a screen with very small holes that can easily clog with dirt particles or mineral deposits. To clean, unscrew it from the end of the spout. If you can't get it off by hand, wrap masking tape around its body to protect the finish and remove it with channel-lock pliers. Clean it by flushing water through in the opposite direction, and then remove any particles lodged in the small holes with a straight pin. Be careful as you screw it back on the faucet so you don't damage the fine threads. The unit should twist on easily; don't force it.
Freshen the inside of the garbage disposal by grinding up small pieces of lemons or oranges while running warm water into the unit. Sharpen the shredding blades by filling the disposal with ice cubes, then run the unit until the noisy racket stops.
Clean the interior sides of a dishwasher with a paste made of baking soda and water. Check to see that the holes in the rotating spray arm are not clogged with food particles. Poke a thin stiff wire through any clogged holes to open them.
Remove the filter of the range hood fan and clean it in soapy water. Use a grease-cutting cleaner to wash the inside of the blower or fan housing. (Make sure the power is turned off.)
Clean the interior and components of the refrigerator with soapy water. If the unit has an accessible drain pan at the bottom clean it with warm soapy water. If it's not accessible use a meat baster to squirt a mixture of warm water and baking soda into the tray, which will help kill any foul odors. For most efficient operation, clean the condenser coil on the bottom or back of the unit. Use the crevice tool of the vacuum or the snow brush from your car to dust the coil.

Repair Damaged Wallboard
Survey walls looking for cracks and holes and repair them. Use a handy kit that comes with everything you need. Use the premixed compound or mix water and patching compound to fill all small holes, dents, cracks, and popped nails with the compound, smoothing it with the spreader in the kit or a wide-bladed spreader. When the compound is hard, sand it and paint.
For larger holes or cracks, bridge the opening with strips of the self-adhesive, fiberglass drywall tape and then apply the patching compound. When hard, apply a second coat of compound and then sand and paint.
For water-damaged wallboard or holes over 2 inches in diameter, cut away the damaged area with a utility knife or a keyhole saw. Measure the opening and cut a piece of new drywall to fit. Use the handy repair clips and screws included in the kit to hold the drywall patch in place. Then apply compound and tape the joints. When dry, apply a second and then a third coat of compound. Allow to dry between each coat. Then sand the patches smooth feathering the edges. Prime and paint the wall.

Think Spring!
Plan your garden by ordering seed and plant catalogs, which are filled with information and tips. Fire up your personal computer and use one of the many landscape and garden planning programs. Since planning garden and vegetable beds is half the fun, do it during the cold months when you can only think about being outdoors.

    Check out other Monthly Maintenance Tasks: February March

Monthly Maintenance Tasks for February

Test the Sump Pump
Check to see that the sump pump in your basement or crawl space is working. Shine a flashlight into the sump pit and check for debris. Then pour water into the pit to fill it enough to activate the float. If the pump does not turn on, check to ensure that it is not clogged and that the circuit breaker or fuse is OK.

Attack Condensation on Windows
If condensation or frost forms inside of the window, add a storm window or weatherstripping to the storm window. Decrease the moisture inside the house by using the vent fan in the bathroom and kitchen whenever possible or use a dehumidifier.
If frost or excess condensation forms on the storm window, air is leaking through the window. Weatherstrip the window and clean out the vent holes in the storm window so the moisture can escape.

Inspect the Attic Roof
Look for condensation or frost on roofing nails that penetrate through the roof sheeting. Frost on these nails is a sure sign of excessive moisture in the attic. Increase the ventilation through this area to allow the moisture to escape. Open an attic window slightly and plan to install more vents in the spring.

Repair Water Damage in Bathtub
The joint between the tile and the bathtub is always under stress and a likely place for a leak. Moisture passing through this crack will damage standard wallboard or plaster. To repair the area remove several rows of tile and the crumbling wallboard from the rim of the tub and replace it with Durock, a cement board designed to withstand water and high moisture and humidity. Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions and then reinstall the tiles to this solid surface.

Check out other Monthly Maintenance Tasks January

Plan Ahead
If you're planning major remodeling or repair projects for the summer, spend time getting ready. Assemble sketches and put together a folder with magazine pictures of ideas or product brochures. A good place to pick them up in a one-stop shopping locale that is also entertaining would be one of the many HOME SHOWS that pop up all over the country at this time of year.
Call your local building department regarding permit requirements, make any financial arrangements necessary, and contact contractors for bids.

Inspect Door and Window Screens
Inspect combination storm door and window screens and give them a good wash-down. Make repairs if they're needed. Aluminum screens are easy to fix using a screen repair kit with fiberglass screening, spline, and spline roller. Use a pair of pliers to pry out the old screen spline, which is the thin rubber gasket that holds the screening in the frame. Clean the screen frame and cut a piece of screening 4 inches larger then the old piece. Spread it across the frame so the overlap is even all the way around. Then run the new screen spline around the frame and use the spline roller (it looks like a pizza cutter) to force it into the groove of the frame. Trim the excess screening away with a sharp utility knife.

Tune Up Fans
Check out fans and clean them. Unplug a box or window fan and remove the front or back grill. Vacuum dust and dirt from the motor housing and wash the blades with water and a mild liquid soap. Apply a few drops of lightweight machine oil to the fan shaft where it exits the motor housing.
An exhaust fan in the kitchen or bathroom needs attention, too. Both wall and ceiling-mounted exhaust fans can be taken apart easily for cleaning. Turn the power source to "off" and make sure that the power is turned off at the fuse panel. Remove the grill panel, which is held in place with a few screws. Use the crevice tool of a vacuum cleaner to clean the inside of the fan housing and a rag to wipe away the dirt. Wash the blades with a damp rag and reassemble the unit. If the fan has a filter, remove and wash it in soapy water.
Clean the large blades of a ceiling fan with a vacuum and damp rag. To cure a wobbly fan, tape a washer or coin on top of one of the paddles or blades and see if the fan wobbles less. If not, try moving the weight to another location. With trial and error you can usually rebalance most fans.

Clear Out Clothes Dryer Vent
A buildup of lint will sooner or later clog most dryer vent systems so they don't work efficiently. Make a visual inspection of the dryer vent duct. The duct is secured to the exhaust port of the back of the dryer with a hose clamp. Use a screwdriver to loosen the screw of the clamp and remove the duct. Look inside and remove any wads of lint that have accumulated. Slip the duct over the dryer's exhaust port and tighten the hose clamp with a screwdriver.

Start Seeds Indoors
Get a head start on the season and plant seeds for the garden. You can buy individual seedling pots with seed-starting soil mix and seeds ready to grow. Keep the soil watered and place the pots in a sunny, draft-free area. Cover the top of the pots with plastic wrap to contain the moisture. As the seedlings grow towards the sun, rotate the pots so they'll grow straight up and not lean in one direction.

April

Clean Windows, Screens, and Storm Doors
Dust and wash window sills and around the frame. Wash window and storm window glass using a squeegee and your favorite glass cleaning solution and replace the storm windows with screens.

Service Fireplace and Wood Stove
Spread an old sheet around the fireplace to protect the floor and use a whisk broom and dustpan to sweep out ashes. If there is a clean-out pit at the bottom of the hearth that is accessible from the basement or crawl space empty it. Close the chimney flu in the fireplace. Wash the screen and fireplace tools with a damp rag. Squirt a little light oil on a rag and wipe the fireplace tools with it to keep them from rusting during the summer.
For a wood stove, remove as many of the ashes as possible from inside the stove with a small shovel, then use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a crevice tool to clean out the ashes in the corners and hard-to-reach areas. Check to see that the stove gaskets on all movable surfaces are in good shape and seal tightly. If the gasket is burnt or black it is probably leaking air and should be replaced. Purchase a gasket replacement kit from the stove manufacturer. It comes with the proper sized gasket material, stove cement to hold the gaskets in place, and installation instructions.

Tune Up Bicycles
Get a jump on the cycling season with a quick bike tune-up. Inflate the tires to their recommended pressure, which is printed on the side of the tire. Then check the adjustment of the hand brakes by squeezing the handles as hard as possible. If they touch the handlebar, the cables should be tightened. Loosen the clamp nut on the brake arm, squeeze the brake shoes against the wheel, and hold them there while you retighten the clamp nut. If the brake shoes rub against the rim loosen the cable a bit. If the rubbing is caused by a wobbly wheel take your bike to the repair shop and have the wheel straightened. Prevent coaster brakes from squeaking by putting a couple of drops of lightweight oil in the hub.

Attend to the Lawn
Give the lawn a good raking to remove leaves and twigs, and then rake a second time to break up matted grass and aerate the soil to increase the supply of oxygen to the grass roots. Use a mulching mower instead of bagging the clippings and you'll have a healthier lawn with fewer weeds. The experts at Garden Way, who manufacture Troy-Bilt and Bolens mulching mowers, say that mulching, not bagging grass clippings, produces a natural source of nutrients for a lawn because the mulched clippings recycle nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients and organic matter back into the soil. This keeps them out of landfills, which makes it doubly environment-friendly.

Set Up Outside Spigot and Hose
After the last hard freeze it's time to set up the garden hose. Turn on the water to the outside spigot, but don't forget to replace any drain plugs that you may have removed from the turnoff valve in the fall.
Check the rubber washer in the female end of the garden hose, because it often gets lost over the winter. If it is old and cracked the hose will leak no matter how tight you twist the hose on the spigot. Purchase a package of washers from your local home center.

May

Get Up in the Attic
Before hot weather arrives and the attic becomes uncomfortably warm, sort through the items stored there and discard anything you don't plan to use. Now's the best time to replace winter clothing with the warm-weather things.
Since air conditioning is found in most parts of the country, proper insulation is just as important in the summer as the winter. If you have less than 6 inches of insulation in the attic consider adding more insulation. Plan the project now and save on cooling costs as well as heating expenses next winter.

Spruce Up Wooden Decks and Stairs
Wood takes a beating during the winter so a little time spent sprucing up a deck will not go unnoticed all summer. Look for wobbly nails that have worked loose over the winter. Replace them with galvanized, all-purpose deck screws driven close to the old nail. Then fill the old holes with a wood filler.
Rent a power washer for a few hours and use its strong blast of water to strip decking of dirt and mildew. These tools will do wonders to bring back the original color of your wooden deck without having to spend hours scrubbing. When clean and dry, apply a water sealer or stain to the clean wood with a paint roller. Purchase an inexpensive extension handle for the roller so you can work standing up. Begin applying the sealer on the decking nearest the house and work your way out away from the house. Use a paintbrush to apply the sealer in the corners and between tight spaces like the railings or steps.

Clean Walls & Windows, Floors & Ceiling
Dust rooms thoroughly to remove cobwebs and wash any areas where dirt or grime has accumulated. Remove window curtains and wash them.

Set Up Air Conditioners
Remove the winter cover from window air conditioners or the outside condensing unit of a central air conditioning unit. Install window units so they're level and check that the condensation drain is open and can drain freely. Check the area around the units for overgrown tree branches or shrubs that may impede the free flow of air through the unit. Prune back shrubs close to the unit, but don't remove branches that may shade it. Wash the filter in warm water and mild detergent and let it dry flat.
Now is a good time to clean the 'A' coil or evaporator coil of a central air conditioning unit. It is usually located on the top of the furnace in the main duct. Most coils are accessible through a removable inspection cover. Use the crevice tool of a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dirt and dust. Most of the dirt will be on the underside of the coil. Be careful not to bend the thin fins. When finished straighten any bent fins with a putty knife and replace the inspection cover.

Focus on Yard Work
Prune trees and shrubs to increase the density of the plant, making it sturdier and keeping its size in bounds, often called "heading back." It opens up the plant to more light and air circulation.
The folks in the know suggest that when pruning a newly planted tree remove about a third of the top growth after planting it. Remove whip-like suckers and any damaged wood. If you want to walk under the tree in later years, cut away low-growing or downward pointing branches.
To cut back an overgrown hedge, prune plants down to 6-inch stumps in the spring. Feed and water them liberally and they'll sprout dense new growth.
There are two types of hand pruners, bypass pruners, which have two sharpened blades that overlap when making the cut, and anvil pruners, which have a sharpened bade that closes down onto a flat anvil. Bypass pruners give the closest cut. When pruning, cut near a lateral (side) bud that points in the direction in which you want the new branch to grow. Support the end of the branch and cut at a slant.
Prune out dead or diseased wood at any time. Rejuvenate hedges by cutting back hard in early spring and trim to maintain shape in early summer. Trim branches away from doors and windows so they don't provide a hiding place for an intruder.
In the garden beds loosen the soil so it is ready for fertilizer and new seedlings or plants. Use a garden fork to work the soil in large areas or a handheld cultivator for the soil surrounding plants.

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