Your End of Year Home Maintenance Checklist

When the end of the year is creeping up fast, your resolutions for the new year aren’t the only things you should be a creating a list for. As a homeowner, you also need to go through a bit of home maintenance each year—and there’s no better time to do it than before you bid the current year goodbye. But what exactly should you include on that end-of-year home maintenance checklist? Dreamstyle Remodeling is here to help with some tips.

What to Check & Why

While you may be preoccupied with holiday shopping lists and Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas, don’t forget to inspect the different parts of your home. This will ensure that your guests are safe and your home is protected for the coming year, and all you need to do is follow these simple home maintenance tips for your roof, windows, and bathroom so you can start the new year with a well-kept home:

1. For Your Roof

When it comes to how well your home is protected from the elements, there’s little that matters more than the roof over your head. As such, your roof should be one of the first items you look at when completing your end-of-year home maintenance checklist. Here’s how to do it:

• Check your roof for damaged, loose, and missing shingles as leaks may start from them
• Inspect the flashing to see if harsh winds may have damaged it
• Clean your gutters and make sure they are free of debris so that water can drain properly

2. For Your Windows

Your windows offer a whole lot more than just expansive views of the outdoors—they can also have a direct impact on your home’s curb appeal and thermal performance. Make sure that your windows are in good shape by cleaning them and caulking any gaps. Check for stains and remove them by using a soft squeegee and a mild soap solution to avoid scratching the panes. There are precautionary measures that you must follow depending on the material of your window frames. Read the manufacturer’s manual so you’ll know what type of cleaning solutions you can and cannot use. If you experience problems with their mechanism, contact a professional as you may need to get replacement windows in Albuquerque.

3. For Your Bathroom

Your bathroom is prone to mildew growth as it is always exposed to moisture. To prevent mold formation, make sure that air circulates well by opening your windows from time to time and by installing fans for improved ventilation.

The end of the year is a great time to make sure you give each surface of your bathroom a good cleaning to make them all ready for your guests, but you’ll also want to check some components of the room that aren’t so easily visible. Give your bathroom pipes some preventative maintenance by pouring about half a cup of baking soda on the drain, followed by about two cups of hot white vinegar to ensure that they’re clear of grease and hair clog. Let the mixture dissolve stains. Then you may pour boiling water on the drain to get rid of the clogs completely.

4. For Your Kitchen

Your kitchen is one of the most used rooms within your home. Whether you’re cooking up small snacks throughout the day or crafting masterpiece meals for the whole family, your kitchen can take on a lot of wear and tear. Along with keeping your cabinets well-stocked with enough food to get you through the winter, you’ll also want to check the condition that those cabinets are in. If they’re showing signs of damage—such as peeling paint or any sense of dampness inside—you may want to schedule a consultation with a cabinet refacing company that can give them a fresh new look. The same goes for your countertops, backsplash, floors, and lighting fixtures.

When maintaining your home, it’s also a good idea to give your kitchen a true deep clean. There’s no need to wait around for spring cleaning to ditch any out-of-date products or items that are cluttering the space, after all. Remove the items from your fridge and give it a good cleaning, and throw out any expired products that may have slipped through the cracks while you’re at it.

5. For Your Outdoor Area

Have a deck, patio, or pool? These are all areas that should be on your end-of-year home maintenance checklist. These outdoor living features probably won’t be getting as much use during the winter months, giving you the perfect opportunity to complete any remodeling or repair projects that you’ve been setting aside. Check for anything that you may want to repaint, and be sure to keep any patio furniture in good condition—even if you aren’t actively using it throughout the season.

Complete Your Checklist With Help From Dreamstyle Remodeling

If going through this list already has you thinking of some things that you need to have done at your home, you don’t need to do it all alone. At Dreamstyle Remodeling, we have the skills, tools, and industry expertise to help you tick those big items off your wintertime home repair checklist. As a full-service home improvement company, we can provide services for:

• Replacement windows
• Roofing
• Bathroom remodeling/shower replacements
• Outdoor living upgrades
• Kitchen remodeling
• Exterior doors
• Stucco
• Sunrooms

Make sure that your home is ready for the coming year through proper maintenance and care, and improve some areas of your home while you’re at it to give it a brand-new feel.

To help you with your home improvement project, don’t hesitate to contact Dreamstyle Remodeling. We’ll be glad to assist you in remodeling your home, from your bathroom to your kitchen and almost everything in between.