10 Things Homeowners Should Do Annually, But Don’t

Date Published: 27 May 2022

We love a good list, and a list of ten is universally acknowledged to be the best kind of list. So we’ve pulled together the 10 things home owners should do annually… but probably don’t. How many do you do? If the answer is less than 10 don’t worry, you’re not getting a telling off. Just use this article as your chore list for the weekend and if you get it all done you can watch some TV.

Clean the gutters: Rain water has to go somewhere and if it can’t go down the pipes then it will end up somewhere else.  Somewhere not very pleasant…

Clean the dryer vent: It’s ok, that fluff is clean. But it also making your dryer work harder to push the air out and costing you extra power.

Check the fire extinguisher: Ok, first buy a fire extinguisher. We know most of you haven’t.  And then once a year, check the expiry date to make sure that it’s going to do it’s job when you need it the most.

Clean your chimney: Especially after a nice warm summer when the birds have found a comfortable place to nest.

Smoke Alarms: This one should actually be done twice a year. The Fire Department recommends doing it when Daylight Savings rolls around. Listen to the Fire Department. They know what they’re talking about.

Water Pipes: Check the walls for unusual mouldy spots where leaks might be occurring behind walls or in ceiling cavities. Check the pipes and connections behind your washing machine and the dishwasher.  The plastic can wear over time.

Stairs and Paths: 30 seconds. Spray and Walk Away. Get rid of that mould that has been building up on the path before you end up as another ACC statistic. Also, high-pressure hoses are fun.

Check your insulation: It keeps the house nice and warm, which means it’s a lovely place for mice to build their own palace. Check to make sure no uninvited guests are dwelling in your Pink Batts and evict with extreme prejudice.

Clean your garage: From a mortgage broker‘s point of view, all that junk could be sold on TradeMe and used to pay down your mortgage. That barely used gym equipment is just being used as an expensive clothes rack.

Inspect multiplugs:  We know it’s a pain throwing stuff that seems to work perfectly well away but if the plastic casing is “1980s computer monitor beige” or the chord is showing the inner wiring, it’s time to throw away those multiplugs. Bunnings will have them on sale, we promise. While you’re at it, check your electric blankets; if they’re more than five years old they should be tested or replaced.

On reflection, getting all that done in a weekend is a bit of an ask. Plan instead to tick every one of these off in the next month. Then feel free to smugly ask other homeowners if they’ve done these things in the last year too (warning: loss of friends may result).

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