You’ll Regret It If You Forget It: Spring Maintenance!

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As spring continues to wake up, get started on these necessary home maintenance tasks so you can enjoy your home for years to come.

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Spring cleaning can cover a lot of projects; inside and out of your home.  However, there are plenty of other things to do and, not only will these likely prevent expensive damage to your home, but could also be life-saving and cost-saving measures.

• Automate your thermostat. Start saving money right away and invest in a smart thermostat. With this technology, your thermostat can make sure your home is at a comfortable setting when you’re home, or set itself to a more economic setting when you’re not!
• Check for roof damage now! Inspect your roof for missing or damaged shingles, and de-gunk your rain gutters and downspouts.If your roof has sustained damage over the winter, without proper maintenance now, you could face some serious water damage!
• Fireplace or wood stove care. Have your wood burning stove or fireplace inspected for damage and creosote buildup. Creosote is a naturally occurring residue during the wood-burning process that can build up in large amounts on the walls of your chimney and can become very hazardous if not cleaned properly.
• “Childproof” your electrical outlets, even if you don’t have kids. Outlets facing exterior walls are big, leaky culprits, accounting for 2%-5% in energy losses per year! Especially in older homes with poor insulation, plugging up the unused outlets can significantly reduce your energy output.
• Change all air filters. Replace the air filters in your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air condition) systems, to keep them running more efficiently! A $10 filter can save you thousands on repair costs.
• Clean your refrigerator coils. You can eliminate more than 70% of service calls with this simple spring cleaning step. Clean these twice a year if you have shedding pets! Their fur clogs up the coils pretty fast!
• Clean out your dryer lint vent. We don’t mean JUST in your dryer. Those deceptively harmless looking little fluffs love to snuggle down in your vents and lint traps. However, they are extremely flammable if you let it build up!
• Flush your hot water heater. Get rid of the gunk and mineral deposits that accumulate, prolonging its life and saving you money in the long run.
• Get Homeowners Equipment Breakdown and Service Line Coverage. Equipment Breakdown and Service Line Coverage extends your homeowners policy to protect appliances and equipment, as well as critical systems like water, power, and sewer. This affordable coverage offers peace of mind and can save you thousands in the event of a major breakdown.
• Bundle your car and home insurance. A really important strategy for homeowners is to bundle insurance policies.Preferred Mutual can offer significant discounts for consolidating all of your insurance needs!

As spring continues to wake up, get started on these necessary home maintenance tasks so you can enjoy your home for years to come. Speak to a Preferred Mutual agent today to discuss ways you can live assured.  With Preferred Mutual protection, save money and time for the things that matters most!

This information is intended for educational purposes only and is not legal advice and/or an authoritative guide.