Spring Checklist: Protecting Your Edmonton Home
In Edmonton, temperatures swing in the spring. The weather and elements can be unpredictable.
Follow this checklist to prepare your home for warmer weather. After a long winter, run through our checklist that will give some attention to the outside and inside of your home.
Start Outside
Time to check for problems outside that you may have neglected over the dark, colder winter months.
Lighting and visibility
Outdoor lights often get overlooked after a long winter. Check each outdoor light, fixture, and motion sensor. Replace burnt-out bulbs and replace or repair faulty light fixtures or sensors. (Call us if you need help replacing your old outdoor light fixtures.)
Gutters and drainage
Melting snow can overwhelm your drainage system and cause water to pool near the foundation of your home. Clear debris from eaves. Check that downspouts are connected and able to effectively direct water away from your home. (This is really important to do before a big melt!)
Outdoor water lines
Don’t turn on your outside water too early in the season. If you use your outdoor water too soon, and then temperatures drop, ice can become trapped in your water lines and pipes.
Ice in your water lines can lead to expansion and damage.
If you like washing your car or doing some gardening early in the season, consider installing frost-free faucets that prevent ice from forming in the outdoor water lines.
Test your AC early
Don’t wait for the first hot day. Clean the outdoor unit carefully and ensure airflow is not restricted. A shop vac or leaf blower can be used to clean debris, such as leaves and garbage, around the AC's outdoor unit. Removing dust from the compressor can help your AC unit run more efficiently. Be very careful not to damage the fins. The metal fins in your AC compressor can be damaged very easily. Do not use a pressure washer to clean your outdoor AC compressor unit.
The Utility Room
There are a few checks and cleanings that can save you dollars down the road and help maintain your plumbing, heating, air conditioning & electrical systems.
Furnace filter and airflow
Your furnace has worked hard all winter. Change your air filters every month if you have pets or a busy household during months when the furnace is running most of the time.
Most often, we notice homeowners aren’t changing filters enough, so if you haven’t changed your air filter yet, now is a great time. Clogged filters restrict airflow and add stress to the components. You can expect to increase the life of your furnace if you keep your furnace clean.
We recommend scheduling a furnace cleaning every 2 years. (Not air ducts, but the furnace itself.)
AC air flow
Poor airflow can cause coils to freeze, reducing cooling and potentially damaging the compressor.
Clean and dust the utility room
Dust is an enemy to all electronics, including your electrical panel and the motherboard in your furnace. Clean around your furnace to increase clean air flow and ensure nothing is obstructing airflow. Ideally, 3 feet of clearance around your furnace is optimal. (It may require moving items you are storing near the furnace, hot water tank and electrical panel.)
Humidifier maintenance
Most of the furnaces in Edmonton are natural gas forced-air. (Less common are boiler systems and electrical furnaces.) Forced air can heat a room very quickly, but it also dries out the air. Because we have dry air in Edmonton, a furnace humidifier is very important. Humidity holds heat, so higher humidity reduces the cost to heat your home.
Mineral buildup can reduce performance. Replace the humidifier pad regularly rather than trying to clean it.
Water heater care
Drain sediment from your water heater tank. You can probably do this on your own without too much trouble. Minerals and sediment can build up in your tank over time.
The anode rod in your hot water tank needs to be inspected. The anode rod is a sacrificial component that plays a major role in preventing tank corrosion. (The anode rod is a metal rod that attracts ions that would otherwise corrode the inside of your hot water tank.)
It can save you thousands of dollars if it is checked in time. You may need this to be checked with the help of a plumber. (We do a thorough home inspection with every plumbing-related visit.)
If you have soft water or whole-home filtration in your home, your anode rod should be checked every 2 years. Be sure to check the anode rod within the first 4 years of your home.
On-demand water heater
If you have an on-demand water heater, it needs to be cleaned every one to two years, depending on the hard water in your area. Over time, scale builds up on the components because of the minerals in the water.
You may need help cleaning and descaling your on-demand water heater.
Scheduling regular maintenance/cleaning will extend the life of your on-demand water heater.
Main water shutoff valve
Know where your main water shut-off valve is, and make sure you can shut it off and on. In an emergency, this can prevent major water damage. In older homes, they are often difficult to open and close and most often use a gate valve. We recommend upgrading to a ball valve for preventative safety.
Electrical panel inspection
Check your electrical panel for tripped breakers. Run your finger down the panel. A tripped breaker will usually sit in the middle position. After trying to flip it onto rest, if it trips again, there could be a problem. We can help!
If your breaker panel is warm or smells like melting or burning, call us.
Sump pump testing
Spring melt can overwhelm systems quickly. Test your pump to ensure it activates properly by testing the floats. Most sump pumps can be activated by testing the floats in the barrel. Testing the floats should activate the barrel pump.
Inside the Home
Leaks and running water
Check under sinks, inspect faucets, and test toilets. Small leaks often go unnoticed but can lead to significant damage.
Laundry connections
Check the water lines to your washer for leaks. Hot water lines are prone to wear out faster than cold water lines or connections. Consider upgrading to braided stainless steel lines to prevent unexpected failures.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Test regularly and replace batteries every six months. Does your smoke detector also alert you to carbon monoxide? If not, purchase a plug-in carbon monoxide detector for each level of your home.
Moisture & Air Quality
Bathroom fans
Run fans during and after showers to control moisture. Aim for about 25 minutes after use. This will reduce the chance of mould or mildew growing in your home. If you have a loud bathroom fan, consider changing it for a quieter fan. A fan on a timer is a great investment that can easily save you money and protect your home in the long run. Moisture can do so much damage quickly. (If you are a landlord, consider installing a bathroom fan timer in every bathroom with a shower or tub…This will protect your investment.)
Adjust your humidity dial
Adjust your humidity dial. (This is not your thermostat!) Your humidity dial controls the humidifier connected to your furnace.
In Edmonton, where the air is dry, humidity can help keep our homes warm and comfortable. The humidity in the air holds the heat. Higher humidity levels in the winter reduce heating costs.
In the spring, turn down the humidity. It isn’t needed in the warmer months. (Watch for window condensation to signal when the humidity is too high.)
Too little humidity can lead to higher energy bills in the winter and to cracking wood or hardwood. Too much humidity can lead to window condensation, mould and mildew.
Below the Surface: What You Can’t See
Sewer line inspection
Older homes in Edmonton may have aging pipes prone to root intrusion. A camera inspection of your main sewer line can prevent unexpected backups. If your Edmonton home was built before 1970, you are at a higher risk of root intrusions because of the pipe material that was used previously.
If you need so help getting your home ready for warm weather and doing routine maintenance, please call us. We provide a free home inspection with every service call. (Many of the issues on this list can be inspected by one of our technicians.) Remember we can provide, plumbing, heating, AC and electrical services in Edmonton and the surrounding areas.