Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash
Raise your hand if you make New Year resolutions. Okay! Now raise your hand if you usually abandon them by mid-January. Don’t be embarrassed; this is very common. But there’s one set of resolutions you’d best not abandon: Your New Year home resolutions. These tasks will help ensure your home enters the new year with a shiny new attitude. Here’s what’s on this simple list.
Watching the detectors…
Photo by Lowes.
Winter and Summer are great times to check the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors. Even the electric models have backup batteries in them. Usually, there’s a button you can press to do the test. Some of them are quite loud, so you may want to wear earplugs. If you’re not sure how to test the batteries, please refer to the instructions that came with your detectors, or look up your model online for information.
Change your HVAC filters
Most HVAC companies recommend changing your filters at least every 30 days. Do it more often if you have pets who shed a lot of fur in your house. When your filters are clogged with dust and debris, your HVAC system has to work harder. This translates into higher energy bills, and over time can even shorten the life of your HVAC unit.
If you have a furnace, this is a perfect time to change or clean the filters (if they’re the reusable kind).
Clean your dryer vent duct
If your dryer is taking way too long to dry your clothes, chance are good your vent and ducts are clogged with lint. Not only is this a waste of energy, but since lint is very flammable, it can be a fire hazard! You can just use a vacuum; you’ve got to get a flexible brush to go through the duct pipe and the vent to the outside. If you haven’t done this for a long time, or maybe never, you may be shocked at the amount of lint that comes out of your vents.
Watch this video to learn how to get your dryer vent squeaky clean.
Get the yuck out of your refrigerator coils
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The coils under your fridge carry the coolant which keeps your food cold and frozen. Over time, these coils get caked up with dust. Just like dryer vents, out of sight and out of mind means this chore can be overlooked for years. Don’t let it happen to you.
Cleaning your fridge coils can lower your power bill, keep your food colder, and extend the life of your refrigerator. You’ll need a vacuum with an extension attachment, along with a soft, flexible brush for getting between the coils without damaging them.
Here’s a video that shows how to clean your refrigerator coils.
Unskunk your garbage disposal
Does your kitchen sink smell like something died in it? The culprit is likely to be your garbage disposal. There are several ways to clean it out, and all of them are easy to do. Some involve vinegar ice cubes, baking soda and vinegar, and 20 Mule Team Borax. In less than 30 minutes you can get your garbage disposal to come out smelling like roses. Well, maybe not, but you can eliminate those nasty odors.
Click here to see how easy garbage disposal cleaning can be.
Flush out your water heater
Over time, minerals and sediment build up in the tank of your hot water heater. This reduces the efficiency of the unit, and it can also become corrosive and begin eating through the bottom of the tank. Flushing out your hot water heater annually is easier than you might expect, and doing so each winter will extend it’s life.
Check out this video to learn how to flush out your water heater.
Change or clean your range hood filter
Another area that may go for years without cleaning is your oven range hood filter. Upon removing the filter, you may find it entombed in the crust of ages. One easy fix is to buy a new one at the hardware store, but you may experience sticker shock at the cost of a replacement.
Don’t despair. There’s an easy way to clean it without scrubbing, which involves a large sauce pan, some dishwasher detergent, and low heat.
Watch this video to see how easy it is to make that filter shine again.
So, while you may not be the type to set and stick to your New Year resolutions, resolve to complete these simple household tasks to keep your home running smoothly and safely in 2022.
