Many homeowners take on the daunting task of spring cleaning each year. They stumble through old clothes, dig through the year-old cans of vegetables and attempt to clean and organize every nook and cranny of their home. However, there are a couple of areas that are generally forgotten during this epic cleaning spree. Two of those forgotten areas are the home’s plumbing and HVAC systems.
The home’s plumbing and HVAC system are very important and sometimes complex components of your home. They also can have a tremendous impact on the home’s value, and spring cleaning is the perfect time to clean and inspect each aspect to make sure that value stays intact. Listed below are some traditional spring cleaning tips and some additional tasks that all homeowners should consider when it comes to their spring cleaning.
Spring Cleaning Checklist:
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Dust all surfaces
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Vacuum all floors and steam clean the carpets
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Wipe down all light switches and outlet plates
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Wipe all door knobs and handles
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Deep clean your appliances (oven, dishwasher, washing machine, etc.)
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Scrub toilets and showers
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Wash linens including curtains, bedding, and towels
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Flip your mattress
There are so many other tasks you can add to this list, but we just wanted to cover the basic spring cleaning list before we dive into a more specific type of cleaning for your plumbing and HVAC.
Plumbing Checklist:
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Inspect pipes in and around the home for cracks or leaks. If you notice something leaking get it fixed immediately before it turns into a significant problem.
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Clean your drains regardless if they are clogged or not. This will help keep them from getting clogged in the future and from causing a nasty sewage backup. You can use a drain snake bought at home improvement stores, but try to avoid liquid drain cleaners as they will only damage your pipes.
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Clean out the garbage disposal to keep it working efficiently and smelling nice.
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Inspect the water heater to make sure it is functioning correctly.
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Clean mineral build-up around showerheads, drains, and faucets. Not only will this improve the look of your plumbing fixtures, but it will also help them to function more efficiently.
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If you have a septic tank system, this is an excellent time to schedule a tank pumping and change filters.
HVAC Checklist:
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If the air conditioning unit has not been turned for a while due to colder temperatures, now is an excellent time to turn it on and see if it works and cools efficiently. If you haven’t had it inspected recently, now is also a great time to get your seasonal maintenance done, or call the experts to repair any issues or install a new unit!
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Clean the condenser coils on both the outside and inside units.
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Schedule an air duct cleaning to remove dust and allergens.
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Change the filters. This simple task increases the energy efficiency and the performance of your system while also improving your indoor air quality a great deal.
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Clean the ceiling fans. This could be on your usual list, but we’ve added it here because of the added benefit to your indoor air quality. Ceiling fan blades have the tendency to collect dust and every time you turn the fan on all of that dust gets circulated throughout the room.
Not neglecting the home’s HVAC and plumbing during spring cleaning is a great way to keep these systems running efficiently for a long time. If you are not sure how to go about these tasks, just call your local plumbing or HVAC specialist, and they will be glad to help you out.
At JSP Home Services, we have over 80 years of experience helping customers. Give us a call or visit our website to see how we can help you today!