Despite our famed “300 days of Sunshine,” and 70-degree days in the middle of December, Colorado does have four seasons marked by the Solstices and Equinoxes. These quarterly divisions at the change of seasons provide us with the perfect calendar reminder for some simple home maintenance.
1. Check your fire extinguishers: You have them, as in several... right? After years of inspecting properties, it still comes as a surprise the sheer number of occupied homes we enter each year that do not have a single working fire extinguisher! At a minimum, we recommend one per level of the home plus one additional unit each in the kitchen and furnace/utility room. Kitchen units should be rated "K" for grease and oil fires and the one in your furnace room should be rated "C" for electrical fires, or better yet "ABC" for multi-purpose fires. Ensure each unit is properly charged by checking the gauge – the needle should be in the green zone. Some of the more expensive larger units can be “recharged” but smaller, single use units may need to be replaced. (Pro Tip: Fill out the tag or sticker when you inspect your unit, it serves as a good reminder for you but also demonstrates a standard of care to an observant home inspector!)
This handy chart courtesy of OSHA.gov shows the type and recommended purpose for each type of extinguisher.
Check your local laws regarding disposal of expired extinguishers, which still may be under pressure and present a disposal hazard. In some jurisdictions they can be turned in to your local fire department or taken in on special “hazardous waste recycling” days.
2. Change your furnace filters: Manufacturer recommendations vary, but every three months is a good rule of thumb for a replacement schedule. Clogged filters can lead to decreased indoor air quality and introduce strain on your HVAC system. The filter is the least expensive component in your furnace and can have a profound effect on performance and service life.
Help your furnace run more efficiently by regularly changing the furnace filter.
3. Check your alarms – Smoke, CO2 and Water: These devices may be hard-wired into the electrical system, tied into the home automation/alarm system or simply be stand alone units powered by batteries. (The last category is the most susceptible to unknown malfunction.) Don’t have a water alarm or even know what one is? You aren’t alone – check out our previous blog post about these devices and be sure add one to your shopping list.
Some guidelines recommend replacing all batteries quarterly; in a practical sense this might be overkill but these are life-saving devices so we’ll let you make that call. At a minimum, we recommend checking them quarterly and replacing all batteries annually.
4. Check your Radon mitigation system: If you live in Colorado, you likely have one of these systems installed at your home. (If you don’t, contact us for a tamper-evident Radon test today, as our state is one of the worst locations in the country for Radon and you might be at risk.) Radon systems will have a liquid filled tube (hydrometer) on the exhaust pipe which indicates proper vacuum – meaning airflow is being pulled by the fan to the exterior.
The exhaust pipe on your radon mitigation system should have a hydrometer on it, similar to the one pictured above, which indicates vacuum.
The fans in these systems, typically located on the exterior of the home, have a serviceable life of about 5 years. If your hydrometer does not indicate that your system is venting to the exterior contact a radon mitigation company ASAP to have your system repaired.
Four quick steps for the four seasons… we will revisit this idea again in 3 months!
From everyone at AFI, we wish you a happy, healthy and safe holiday season!