Fischer: New year a great time to catch up on home maintenance | News, Sports, Jobs

It was early in the morning on the 26th of December that I anxiously began wrestling the tangled Christmas ornaments off the tree. It was as if each of the Rudolph-themed ornaments were hanging on for dear life, almost as if they knew this would be their last year. For the record, we do plan to change the theme next year, but don’t tell them.

While most of us would love to spend the next few days lying around the disarray of gifts in a food-induced coma, I had just been given an abrupt and unsolicited reminder that homeownership is not a passive task. A few days before, I had my trusted contractor over to give us an estimate on a few minor touchups and fixes I wanted done around the house. While they were there, I received a phone call from them at my office. “Jen, did you know your ceiling outside your bedroom is leaking?”

One would think a person who walks out of their bedroom door on the daily would have noticed something like that. However, it seems I rarely look up when I exit a doorway. Thus, this happened to be a surprise. “No, no, I was not aware. Holy crap. I don’t get where it could be coming from. The only things above the ceiling are the trusses and the roof. The roof is in good condition, so I don’t understand where the water is coming from. I’m on my way home to check it out.”

After popping up into the attic, we found the culprit. There were some PCV vent pipes for the plumbing system that the builder had installed in a precarious A-frame. Eventually, two of the pipes buckled (just gravity doing its thing) and pulled apart at the seam. This was a stark reminder that the entire home should be audited annually, including the attic. What better time to do it than the beginning of the new year?

While the roof, including gutters and downspouts, are best left to warmer months when there is no chance of slipping on snow or ice, it should still be monitored during the colder months. Heat tape on the roof is an inexpensive and efficient way to keep ice dams at bay during the winter. The interior of the home should be inspected now as well for the long winter months ahead. After all, the official winter season has just barely started, especially in Northern Utah. We still have some cold months ahead of us.

The onset of a new year is a great time to have your furnace cleaned and serviced. More than 90% of the homes I have had inspections done on have extremely dirty furnace filters. It is an indication to myself, as well as my clients, of how well the rest of the home has been maintained. This is a pet peeve of mine since it is something that can make such a big difference and it is so easy. It is a simple two-step process. Remove the old filter (this may take up to five seconds) and replace it with a new filter (another five seconds). Your furnace will last longer and run smoother, and you will breathe easier. Since we have pets, we do this every month, but it should be done at least four times a year at minimum. If you have a humidifier attached to the furnace, turn it on. It should be set between 40%-50% for the winter months. This can prevent dry, itchy skin and nose bleeds, and minimize the spread of illness. Humidity also minimizes snoring, an investment you can’t really put a price on. It is also a good idea to vacuum out the bath fans, refrigerator coils and freezer coils. These get very dusty and reduce the efficiency and life of the systems.

Don’t ignore the other indoor appliances either. The washer could use a good cleaning as well as the dryer. Be sure the vents are clean and clear throughout to prevent dryer fires (a frequent cause of home fires). Speaking of home fires, please unplug all small kitchen appliances when not in use, as well as space heaters, and blow the ding dang candles out before you leave a room, especially if you have a cat. Seriously. Ask your local fire department about this one.

If any hoses are still connected to outdoor bibs on the exterior of the home, drain them and be sure they are disconnected. If not, the water in the hose can freeze and expand, which could cause pipes to freeze and break. I learned the hard way on this one as well (as I tend to do). Check the windows and doors and replace any weather stripping if needed. If there is a sump pump in place, pour water down it to be sure it is functioning properly.

Once this checklist of items has been completed, then you can sit back and ease into the New Year … after you clean the bathrooms, change the sheets, vacuum and mop the floors, and put the dishes you only use once a year back into storage. As for me, easing into the new year looks like staying busy with real estate. Again, welcome to 2025.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.