Bathroom Caulking. The caulk joints in bathrooms need to be inspected and recaulked (if needed) every six months. This includes all joints, even where the tub/shower meets the floor. A silicone type caulk is best for this application. Exterior Caulking. This should be part of your pre-winter check list. Inspect all wood to wood joints, & wood to stucco joints. Check for deterioration at all caulking joints. Cut away the loose caulking and re-caulk with an exterior high performance grade caulking. Nail Pops & Drywall Cracks. This is something that usually happens in the first 12 months of buying a new home. The cracks typically happen around door frames, window frames, cabinets, and etc. They can easily be caulked and painted. Furnace Filters. They are usually located in the ceiling. Some houses may have as many as 3. These should be changed every 2-6 months, or as stated by the manufacture of the filter. Garbage Disposal. Fill with ice and turn it on. This will help clean and sharpen the blades. Air Conditioning Condensate Lines. Your home has 2 condensate lines. One is a primary line and the other is a secondary line. The primary line is located near the foundation and the secondary is located at the eave of the roof, in front of a window. During normal use, the lower one will be dripping water. If water is dripping from the upper one, you should have your unit serviced. This is a sign that your primary condensate line is clogged. Cleaning Window Weep Holes. All windows and sliding doors have weep holes and the holes need to be cleaned at least once a year. The small tracks and channels can get clogged with small bugs and other minor debris. They can be cleaned by using compressed air and/or pouring water into the bottom of the frame and watching the water run out of the weep holes at a moderate rate. Roof Maintenance. We recommend that your roof be inspected/serviced annually (by a licensed Roofing Company). Be sure to inspect all roof jacks, vents, water ways, valleys, crickets, saddles, gutters, and downspouts. It is very important to keep all of the above clean and free flowing so water can stay on its intended path. GFCI Plugs. This is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. These are the electrical wall plugs that have little reset buttons on the plug. These can be found in the kitchen, bath, garage, and outside. They have a test button on them and can easily be tested to confirm that they are working. Hairdryers most often can trip a GFCI. Kitchen Faucets. Some kitchen faucets have a pull out wand (spout). Periodically check the nut that connects the water hose to the wand. This nut can come loose over time and water will run down the hose and drip into the cabinet causing severe damage. Altering Finished Grades. The finished grade is designed to allow water to flow away from the foundation. Alteration of the finished grade (established by the Builder) by the Home Owner can result in house foundation movement and water wicking through the concrete slab which could stain flooring material. Concrete Patios Poured Too High. Concrete patios should be poured with a minimum of a 2% slope away from the house and should be several inches below the bottom of the exterior siding/stucco. Water needs to be able to escape from the weep screed located at the bottom of the stucco wall. Patios that are above the weep screed can trap water at the bottom of the wall and allow easy access for termites to enter your home. Covered Patio, Trellis, Etc, Attached Improperly. Any structure that is attached to the house improperly can cause a leak. There are proper ways to attach a structure to a house. Some cases we have found the structure to be fastened to the house with Nails or Bolts without the proper flashing materials. Note: Nearly all local governments require a building permit to attach a structure to a house. Irrigation Sprinkler Heads Spraying Against the House or Fence. It is very important to have all irrigation sprinkler heads spraying away from the house and the fences. Too much water can cause severe damage to the exterior of your home. Walking on the Roof. Walking on the roof should only be performed by a trained professional. Most roofs constructed today are made with concrete flat tiles, clay s-tiles, wood shakes, or fiberglass/asphalt shingles. Concrete and clay tiles can easily be cracked or broken. Cleaning the gutters should be performed annually. Overloading Closet Shelves. Be cautious not to overload your closet shelves. They are screwed to the wall and the brackets can bend causing the shelves to collapse. Try your best to ditribute the weight evenly. Storing Boxes and Materials on the Garage and Attic Trusses. The garage and attic trusses are designed to support the weight of the roof and nothing else. There are also many hazards in the attic such as nails protruding through the roof sheeting that can harm you if you're not careful. Tinting Dual Pane Windows. Tinting your windows will usually void the window manufactures warranty. Hanging a Ceiling Fan from a Light Fixture Box. Light fixture boxes are not designed to carry the weight of a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans are to be installed using an approved mounting system. If a ceiling fan is installed on a typical light fixture box, the vibration and weight from the ceiling fan can cause it to fall from the ceiling. Using Incorrect Fasteners to Install Mirrors/Pictures. Using nails, screws or bolts that are longer then required to install brackets, mirrors, & pictures to the walls can puncture pipes and electrical wires within the wall cavity. Use caution, and always determine the drywall thickness, before driving a fastener into the wall.