Home maintenance myths you’ll wish you knew sooner

Owning a home involves work. You know there are home maintenance tasks to keep up on, but are you doing these tasks correctly or as often as you should? We busted 11 home maintenance myths you’ll wish you would have known about sooner.

If mowing isn’t your favourite home maintenance task, you may be tempted to cut the grass short so you don’t have to mow as often. However, The Lawn Institute reports, “Cutting your lawn too short creates an environment for both weed and disease infestation. It also causes the lawn to lose moisture much quicker.” Instead, follow the one-third rule: “Select a mowing height appropriate for the turf grass species in your lawn. Then set your mower blade height so you cut off no more than the top third of the grass plant. This will encourage stronger roots.”

Make sure your mower is in good nick with our spring mower maintenance guide. 

If you think you only need to clean your gutters in autumn, think again. Gutters can get clogged with debris that prevents them from directing the flow of rainwater away from your home any time of year, resulting in damage to your home’s interior and exterior. They can also be a fire risk. “Clogged gutters can also become attractive homes to insects, rodents, and mould. That’s why it’s a good idea to have your gutters cleaned in both the summer and fall,” according to First Quality Roofing and Insulation.

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Adding insulation is a home maintenance task many homeowners will have to tackle at some point. However, more isn’t always better. “While you want enough insulation to prevent heat escaping into the attic, going overboard can actually cause problems,” according to National Property Inspections. “For instance, overloading your attic with insulation can cause the lower layers to compress, which diminishes its effectiveness. You can also end up blocking your eave or soffit ventilation, leading to heat or moisture build-up and mould problems.”

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By pressing the test button on your home’s smoke alarm, what you’re really doing is testing whether the sound is functioning properly, according to Security First Insurance. Instead, to properly test your smoke alarm, place a newly burned out match under the device. The smoke should cause the alarm to sound. Experts suggest you test your smoke alarm at least once in the spring and once in autumn – and change the battery annually.

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The bad news is, even if your carpet feels dry after having a water incident, that doesn’t mean it’s completely dry. “That’s because standing water can seep beyond the carpet and underlay, and into the subfloor,” according to People’s Trust Insurance Company. “Mould can grow in wood and concrete subfloor environments, and letting it linger can lead to serious and expensive issues.”

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If cleaning out the bathroom exhaust fan isn’t one of your regular home maintenance tasks, you’d better add it to the list. First Quality Roofing and Insulation notes mould and mildew can form in the fan. In addition, dust will build up over time and cover the motor, so make sure to clean and vacuum the fan cover and mechanical parts every six to 12 months.

If one of your home maintenance tasks is taking care of a pool, be sure to add chemicals after the sun goes down. That’s because adding chemicals when the sun is strongest can result in UV rays reducing the effectiveness of certain chemicals, especially chlorine, according to Security First Insurance.

Enjoy our simple guide to swimming pools. 

Many homes contain asbestos because it was widely used in building materials up until it was banned in 1978. However, if you do have asbestos in your home, you may not have to worry about removing it. According to the EPA, asbestos only poses a health risk when the material is friable (crumbled or pulverised) and fibres can be released. “If building materials in your home aren’t damaged and won’t be disturbed, you do not need to have your home tested for asbestos. Material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by renovating, for example) should be left alone,” the EPA says.

It may seem like since your dishwasher cleans all your dishes it is self-cleaning, but that isn’t the case. To keep it running well and smelling fresh, you should periodically clean the dishwasher. Remove any debris from the tub and filter to make sure it drains properly. Then, place a couple of cups of vinegar in a clean bowl near the centre of the bottom rack and run the dishwasher on a normal cycle without detergent. This will help sanitise and deodorize the washer. If your dishwasher still has a bad smell, it might be time to clean out your filter.

Next, keep busting myths with these 15 home improvement myths.

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Source: RD.com