Hello World! Welcome Friends! Owning a Texas home is an absolute dream. Texas homes are affordable, while the state is a melting pot of diverse cultures and has the perfect climate for people who can’t stand the cold. But keeping that dream home looking top-notch and working smooth can be difficult if you don’t perform home maintenance tasks regularly.
There are the obvious tips like keeping your chimneys and exhausts clear because they act up very quickly. And then there are the not-so-obvious ones like the list below; these 5 tips are commonly neglected, and then the resultant breakdowns end up costing thousands of dollars to fix.
Try these five important home maintenance tips, and you will be amazed at how your home care costs drop.
Cleaning and Tuning Up the HVAC System
We’re all guilty of paying too much attention to our new HVACs and taking it for granted when it ages. A poorly functioning system can cause illness and distress, especially to the children and elderly, if the thermostat fails.
It’s necessary to change out your filters every month if your family has pets and allergies; and once in 2-3 months otherwise. Make sure that you only use high-quality filters. Stale, poorly circulated air can hold many toxins that cause harm.
You should arrange to have your HVAC system serviced by a licensed professional. You can opt for a home warranty policy from top companies that offer pre-season A/C tune-ups, perfect for getting before the summer.
Regular Garbage Disposal Cleaning
Texas can be pretty hot and arid or humid based on the county where you reside. That can accelerate the rate at which your garbage disposal causes annoyances like gunky residues clogging up and emanating a horrible odor.
You can get rid of such blockages by running two cups of ice cubes through the disposal. The ice shards scrape away the deposits and sharpen the blades as well. Then, pour in a paste of baking soda, letting it sit overnight, and add vinegar in the morning for half an hour before running it clean. Don’t pour bleach or drain cleaner down the disposal for deep cleaning as both can damage plumbing.
Another significant reason for malfunctioning garbage disposal is spoons, bottle caps, jewelry, and other things accidentally falling in. Always check for them before you run the disposal.
Make Your Own Citrus Scented Cleaners
An underrated home organization-cum-maintenance tip is to get a pretty bottle with a fancy DIY-printed label where you keep homemade vinegar cleaners infused with citrus peels and herbs. It will motivate you to get on that cleaning routine that otherwise makes you groan.
Try making scented toilet cleaning bombs. Mix 1 cup baking soda with ½ cup citric acid and dampen the mixture with some hydrogen peroxide. Add about 20 drops of essential oil (fresh and citrusy scents suit Texas perfectly). Shape them into balls and let them dry up a bit, and then spray some more peroxide to make them less crumbly. Finally, dry them overnight.
Toss in a few bombs between deep cleans. Your toilets will show you to be the perfect housekeeper with no one knowing how little effort it took!
Smoke Detector Checkups
Texans are famous for their smoked and barbecued preparations, and it doesn’t always happen outdoors! Therefore, Texan homes need smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Ensure that you test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. You must make a note of their battery life and change the batteries on time.
Clean The Refrigerator Coils and Parts For A Long Life
It’s so easy to forget the back of the refrigerator or wherever the coils are, but dirt and gunk get on them very quickly. This accumulation drastically reduces the refrigerator efficiency as the device has to work harder to pump out heat.
Make it a weekly or monthly duty to clean around the vents and coils underneath and behind your refrigerator. Also, check that there are no gaps when the door closes to prevent your cool air from escaping and taxing the refrigerator motor.
If reading these tips has exhausted you, then don’t be! They barely take any time to do but save a great deal of money. Another way to cut down household expenses is to get a home warranty policy for inexpensive repairs and replacements of worn-out systems and appliances. Many industry leaders provide home warranties in Texas, and you can read reviews to choose the best ones from HomeWarrantyReviews.com.
Click the links below to visit scenes of Christmas Past:
Christmas Home Tour – Home Office
Christmas in the Colonial Foyer
Christmas in the Breakfast Nook
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Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
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