Test your sump pump to avoid flooding

Sump pumps are often found in basements and are the last line of defense against floods, condensation build-up, and water from drains. Unless you’re happy to end up with a flooded basement or damaged foundation, you need to test the pump at least every 6 months. Here’s how:
1. Remove debris from the outside pipe
2. Restart the pump so to test if it’s running (unplug and plug it back in)
3. Pour water into the sump crock and ensure the pump starts running and pumps the water away
For extra protection, consider getting an automatic leak detector.

Check for mice nests near wiring

It’s not fun to have mice living with you, regardless of where they are. However, when they nest in places like your A/C units, garden machinery, and near electrical wiring, it can be disastrous.
Make sure to check for mice in your home, or risk electrical faults and fires. Here’s how:

Clean your chimneys yearly

You’re lucky to have a home with a wood-burning fireplace — don’t let it become a danger. A buildup of dirt, birds nests or objects ending up in your chimney can easily catch fire and burn your house down. Not to mention, a chimney that doesn’t efficiently air the house out can cause a build-up of smoke or deadly carbon monoxide.
Don’t try and do this yourself. Instead, hire a chimney sweep. They can inspect your chimney and tell you if it even needs to be cleaned. Better safe than sorry.

Regularly clean refrigerator coils

Over time, all kinds of dust, grease, and dirt get stuck to the coils behind your refrigerator. It makes your appliance inefficient at best, dangerous at worst.

The coils are what your fridge uses to cool down, so if they are insulated, the fridge will have to work harder to get colder or overheat. The best way to clean the coils is with a vacuum cleaner. Unplug the fridge, pull it away from the wall and find the coils. They should be either behind a metal plate at the back, or behind the fridge under a grill lower down. They look like this:

Use the brush attachment of your vacuum, and work the grime away without forcing it. Use a cloth to gently wipe them down to catch anything the vacuum missed. There you go! Enjoy lower running costs and the reduced risk of a house fire.

Bleed your radiators every year

Don’t trust your radiators to maintain themselves! It’s likely they will need bleeding each winter to ensure they’re running at full efficiency. Bleeding a radiator gets the excess air out, and means the radiator can get warmer with less power consumption.

To bleed a radiator, release the valve and hold a rag underneath it to catch drips. You should hear air seeping out. When the sound stops, tighten the valve up.

Keep your gutters in top condition

Cleaning the gutters out is something no one really wants to do, but it can save you money on replacement gutters, and even on repairing roof damage. Clogged gutters can overflow and break, and put a strain on the roof itself. In the winter, they can fill with ice that causes thawing damage or strains the material. You can get special gutter cleaning tools, or do it the old fashioned way:

• Put on a long-sleeved top and rubber gloves
• Steady the ladder against the side of the house
• Scoop the dirt out with a small shovel
• Dump it onto a tarp, not your lawn
• Flush the gutters out with a hose

Give your HVAC a complete tune-up

Make sure your AC is functioning at peak capacity by getting an HVAC tune-up at least once a year. You might not know exactly if and when you need this, so it’s safest to schedule it annually in advance or risk your unit breaking down on the hottest day of the year.

Check your toilet cistern for leaks

Leaks account for 12% of all water use in America, and it’s often the toilet that’s at fault. If you want to save on your water bill try this:

1. Remove the lid on the tank
2. Drip 10 drops of food coloring into the tank

Replace the lid

3. After 15 minutes, look in the bowl

Is the water in the bowl food-colored? If so, you’ve got a leak and need to replace the flapper. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Turn off the water supply by turning the valve located behind the toilet
2. Remove the lid and flush
3. Mop out excess water with a sponge
4. Remove the chain from the lever
5. Slide the faulty flapper up and off the overflow tube.
6. Replace the flapper, re-hook the chain, turn on the water and test again

Test your electricity

If your heating runs on electricity, the last thing you want in the winter months is for it to be so cold you’re seeing your own breath. It’s too cold to work outside, so take the opportunity to schedule a little electrical maintenance. Make sure the main service panel isn’t sparking, and inspect the breaker wires for bad insulation and discoloration. See this video for more information:

You can use a multimeter to test power flow through just about any kind of electrical circuitry. Extension cords, wall sockets, you name it. If you don’t have a multimeter, they only cost around $20 and can save you a ton of headaches. Use the tool to test your appliances, including the power flow through any type of heating system you may have.

While you’re at it, it’s time to test your ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). To do this, just press the test button and use a multimeter to check there’s zero power flowing through.

Repair window screen damage

Window screens can easily get torn, but as long as the frame is in good condition, it’s easy to make repairs.

1. Using a flathead screwdriver, pry the old screen out
2. Lay the new screen over the frame, leaving an inch overhang

Cut each overlapping corner at a 45-degree angle

3. Using a screen rolling tool, push the overlapping material into the frame
4. Use a utility blade to trim the excess

Flush your water heater

Every year, you should flush your water heater to remove sediment build-up. This keeps running costs down and reduces the risk of a breakdown.

1. Turn your heater off at the breaker
2. Turn off the cold water valve to your heater
3. Turn on the hot water flow from a faucet
4. Attach a hose to the heater’s drain valve
5. Run the hose into a bucket
6. Open the drain valve, and repeat until the bucketed water is clear, not cloudy

When you’ve done this, your heater will be as good as new!