Unbeknownst to many homeowners, appliances often require seasonal or annual maintenance. For example, a hot water tank is recommended to be flushed at least every 6 months at min and ideally more if water is extremely hard. The furnace, too, can have both significant energy savings and increased longevity simply by annual maintenance. Here’s a full list of spring home appliance maintenance to help them to last as long as possible:
- Hot Water Heater
- Check for leaks
- Flush if needed (most manufacturer recommend every 6 months) usually only a portion of the tank is needed to be drained and refilled.
- If tankless, they have their own seasonal maintenance requirements – flushing the mineral deposits & cleaning or changing the sediment screen if any (some units have); if not descaled the unit can overheat on tankless units
- If tank or tankless units are set to higher temperature settings or extreme hard water is present, manufacturers recommend additional maintenance schedules
- Furnace
- Annual Maintenance (if not done in Autumn)
- Change Air Filter
- Check for air leaks
- Air Conditioner
- Switch the thermostat from air to heating
- Clean & uncover exterior portion (if a cover was placed over the unit in autumn)
- Remove Leaves & Debris from on and around on exterior portion where safely accessible
- Duct System
- Duct Cleaning (every 3-5 years, or more if sensitive to dust dander microbes etc)
- Duct Sanitization
- More cost effective to schedule dryer vent and bath vent cleaning at the same time as the ducts
- Water Filtration System
- Checking and changing where necessary any UV bulbs & encasing tube, Calcium Filters/Sediment or particle filters, seals, gaskets, springs, all of the various components that your system uses
- not changing uv bulbs and the encasing can cause the ballast to burn out in many units
- Water Softener
- Resin cleaner / rust cleaner application
- Check for leaks especially around the shutoff valves
- Check for bridging (where salt becomes solid block underneath the top salt)
- Heat Pump
- Filter Change- cleaning/vacuum on inside unit
- Check for debris removal on outside condenser unit (check for critter nests etc) where safely accessible
- Clothes Dryer
- Check for vent blockage
- Washing the lint screen – removal and wash under hot water where applicable
- Check back connections to the vent hose exhaust
- Washing machine
- Service the gunk cleanout reservoir
- General tub cleaner – special for clothes washing machine to clean out old soap and lint etc.
- Refrigerator
- Vacuum back of fridge
- De-ice venting inside (see manual that came with machine)
- Dishwasher
- De-gunk/scaling cleaner (either a specified product made for dishwashers or some people use vinegar)
- Check for leaks or any signs of leaking around seals and the floor and adjoining cupboards
- Central Vac
- Check bag
- Test system for clogs and pressure (ie does it have decent suction or does it seem weak)
- Gas fireplace
- Check igniters
- Clean cobwebs
- Clean glass if needed as per the manufacturers instructions
- Replace backup fan batteries in both the stove and the remote where applicable
- Defrosting Chest Freezer
- Built up ice can compromise the seal and be problematic
- Removing ice buildup seals the gasket better if up around the top of the unit; can help reduce energy costs
- Bathroom vent cleaning
Other things to Consider
- Smoke Detectors / Co2 Detectors
- Change batteries
- Test operation
- Automatic door lock
- Check batteries for corrosion
- Test battery strength, getting locked out is unpleasant
- Lawnmower
- Clean out all debris, grass and dirt from underside of deck
- Have a service sharpen the blades
- If a metal lawnmower deck – is it rusty or paint peeling or bubbling? If so consider painting/rust proofing (with brush or spray on)
- Painting the mower deck can add years to the life of the mower for a few hours worth of effort on a nice sunny spring day, also makes it easier to clean
- unStoring the Barbeque
- Clear out critter nests or seeds
- Clean grills, replace grill cleaner tool
- Clean burners & covers
- Empty grease tray and clean bottom drip tray
- Wipe down outside
- Find a good cover, some have a small section of mesh venting to prevent moisture buildup inside
- Pull tank out of storage, test fill level, reattach
- Cleaning chimney
- Calling the chimney sweep company (if not done in fall)
- Book autumn chimney cleaning appointment now, to ensure your position in the cue in their busy season
- Caulking windows
- Some caulking may have dried out over the winter or cracked and need to be replaced
- Check for leaks
- Gutter cleaning
- Have a service remove debris and leaves
- Check downspouts to ensure they are not clogged with leaves or critter nests or other debris
- Check for leaks in the eaves troughs after a rain, survey ground below is there evidence of puddling or pools?
- Is water is pouring over the eaves troughs during heavy rain? If so, determine cause, sometimes it is clogs other reasons can be the roof pitch, and additional eaves trough basins are needed, especially where the roof is v-shaped.
- Turning on outside water mains that connect to the outside water taps (not the mains for the dwelling) after risk of freezing temperatures is past.
Using a spring home appliance checklist you can manage consistently every year, the longer your appliances will generally last, with ideally great savings in the long term. Canaduct Cleaning can take care of some of the items on your list that would be hard to do on your own for example: duct cleaning, furnace maintenance, dryer & fan ducts, air conditioning maintenance and more. You can call us directly at: 416-410-3777 or through the contact form on the right side of this page.
We offer fast efficient appointments for our commercial & residential clients for these services:
- Furnace maintenance & Repair
- Humidifiers
- Duct cleaning
- Air vent cleaning
- Indoor Air Quality Specialists
- Odour removal Specialists
- Fire or Flood restoration
- HVAC services
Canaduct’s service area in Southern Ontario includes the Greater Toronto Area. No need to deal with multiple companies, technicians and locations. One call will solve it all 416-410-3777.
Types of Buildings:
- Offices: high rise, low rise and ground floor, Warehouses
- Retail stores & Grocery stores
- Medical buildings & Hospitals, Spas, Hair Salons
- Schools; Elementary, Secondary, Public, Private; Day-cares
- Seniors homes, long term care facilities, retirement homes
- Real estate buildings & holdings, high rises, rental properties
- Detached Houses, Townhouses, walk-ups, low rise, homes, condos, lofts
Call if the building isn’t listed above, we can make arrangements.
Our Residential and Commercial Duct Cleaning Service Area Includes: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington, Oakville, Georgetown, Milton, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, Islington, Rexdale, Weston, The Beaches, East York, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Bradford, Aurora, Innisfil, Markham, Stouffville, Uxbridge, Unionville, Vaughan, Concord, Woodbridge, King City, Bolton, Caledon, Pickering, Bowmanville, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa
