The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Your house is more than the place where you live. It's your home Ð and your most important investment. And whether you rent or own, carrying out a regular program of maintenance and repairs can help you protect that investment for as long as you live in your home, and help keep your family safe and sound in every season. This fall, for example, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has a variety of simple tasks you can perform to put a stop to the most common Ð and costly Ð problems before they occur, in just a few minutes a week, including: Check and clean or replace your furnace filters on a monthly basis. Have your furnace or heating system serviced by a qualified service company (every two years for a gas furnace and every year for an oil furnace). Bleed air from the hot water radiators, and turn the gas furnace pilot light on. Vacuum electric baseboard heaters to remove dust, remove the grills on forced air systems, and vacuum inside the ducts. If the heat recovery ventilator has been shut off for the summer, clean the filters and the core, and pour water down the condensate drain to test it. Check the sump pump and line to ensure proper operation, and that there are no line obstructions or visible leaks. If you have a septic tank, determine if it needs to be emptied before spring. Replace window screens with storm windows and ensure all windows, doors and skylights shut tightly, including the door between your house and garage. Ensure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall to prevent water from draining into the basement. Clean leaves from eavestroughs and downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the roof, and check chimneys for nests or other obstructions. Cover the outside of air conditioners and drain and store outdoor hoses. Close the valve to outdoor hose connection, and drain the spigot (unless it is frost proof). Winterize landscaping by storing outdoor furniture, preparing gardens and, if necessary, protecting young trees or bushes for winter.
