Expert Home Service Guide For Easy And Quiet Retirement
Work Schedule / How To Find Reliable Tradesmen
The following is a time table listing the home maintenance tasks for each month. You need to find tradesmen for each task that you cannot perform yourself. It is an essential part of this home service guide.
HOME SERVICE WORK SCHEDULE BY THE MONTH
This blog post ‘Home Service Guide’ is tailored for Toronto and surrounding areas. Please note that the start and end of seasons may vary in other locations, which could necessitate adjustments to the schedule.
Home Service Guide – Find Reliable Tradesmen For Regular Maintenance :
List Of Subtrades For Your Routine Needs:
Plumber, Electrician, Heating and Cooling Contractor
Roofer, Eavestrough and Downspout Installer
Pest Control, Tree Cutter, Painter/Caulker
How I Find My Tradespersons For My Own House:
When I used to build houses, I primarily worked with subcontractors. These professionals typically do not handle maintenance work. Consequently, to find tradesmen for my own home, I often turn to local platforms like HomeStars to find the services I need. I make sure they cater to my area. Then I would select a potential service provider based on positive reviews on HomeStars.
Furthermore, I would validate their reliability by checking their reviews on Google Search. This ensures consistency in their ratings. Finally, I’d contact the proprietors of the services directly. That allows me to gauge their professionalism and approach. Just make sure the proprietor is the one that is going to do the work. However, when time does not allow, I may use ChatGPT 4 (or later versions) to handle the initial legwork for me. I’m offering you my experience in this home service guide so that you can keep your houses in good repair. And this is important if you want to age in place and enjoy your golden years in comfort and serenity.
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CBC has written an article on questionable reviews on Google Map listing of appliance repair services. It is also applicable to many home service contractors.
Essentially, cross-checking reviews and ratings across multiple platforms, such as BBB, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber, is necessary but time-consuming. I look for service providers with at least seventy-five reviews on HomeStars, predominantly positive. It is also critical to read through the negative reviews to understand any potential issues. For additional insights, platforms like NextDoor can be useful. They can help verify if any service providers have engaged in fraudulent activities or acted in bad faith.
It’s important to note that each country has its preferred subcontractor review platforms. In Canada, HomeStars and Google are good starting points. In the U.S., many trust Angi.
Throughout my career, I have worked with many reliable subcontractors. Nevertheless, circumstances can change unexpectedly. They may face financial difficulties, go bankrupt, or retire.
Therefore, it’s crucial to regularly update your list of service providers and have backup options ready. Do check prices if you feel your current tradesmen are overcharging you. Just make sure they are all quoting on the same things. All in all, don’t neglect your home service maintenance work as problems do get progressively worse.
While personal referrals from friends, relatives, or neighbors can be valuable, I typically seek multiple reviews. Additionally, I trust recommendations from reputable construction professionals who have long-standing relationships with the subcontractor in question.
To find licensed electricians in your area, click this list : Electrical Safety Authority ESA. Use it for cross-checking purpose only.
Remember to always verify the credentials and insurance coverage of any service provider. A $2M policy is the norm in Toronto. But sometimes contractors only have a $1M insurance policy. Additionally, consider getting multiple quotes to ensure you are getting a fair price for the services you need.
In Canada, plumbers are either licensed or have the title of Master Plumber, so make sure to get their credentials verified. Similarly, HVAC contractors should be fully licensed and possess the equivalence of a TSSA license. This license gives them the authority to work with fuel and natural gas lines and appliances.
Beware of “Appliance Repair Services” with good Google reviews. Many are just a centralized call number for a collection of unknown and questionable repair services that don’t have fixed pricing for their work.
To Find Tradesmen :
Research and Verify: In addition to reading reviews and checking ratings on platforms like HomeStars and Google, verify the tradesperson’s credentials. Ensure they have the necessary licenses and insurance.
Ask for References: Request references from previous clients to gauge the quality of their work and reliability.
Clarify Scope of Work: Ensure that each quote clearly outlines the scope of work to be done so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison.
Warranty and Guarantees: Check if the tradesperson offers any warranties or guarantees for their work, which can provide additional peace of mind.
Payment Terms: Understand the payment terms and schedule. Be cautious of tradespersons who demand a large deposit upfront.
Negotiate: Don’t hesitate to negotiate the price, especially if you have lower quotes from other providers.
Most images featured on this site are generated by MidJourney AI based on prompts created by the site owner.
Check Fireplace & Chimney
Determine if your fireplace is built of masonry with a clay flue, insulated metal double-wall type, or the hybrid type. This is important because the service personnel for different types of fireplaces are different. Since it is winter and the annual check is crucial to ensure your chimney draws properly.
Also check to see if the fireplace damper is closing and opening correctly. When it is closed, be sure there is no cold air leaking into the room. Additionally, check for backdraft, gas leaks (if the fireplace is gas-burning), flue leaks, and proper draw of the chimney. If you haven’t done so, call in a fireplace or chimney expert to inspect the assembly.
For masonry fireplaces, call a verified masonry fireplace or chimney inspection service. These are mostly bricklayers or masons who specialize in fireplace and chimney maintenance. For metal fireplaces, call a zero-clearance fireplace inspection expert. Some masonry fireplaces have been fitted with metal chimneys. Typically, masons can handle that type of hybrid installation. Here is a link to an extensive fireplace and chimney inspection manual for maintenance purposes:
Without knowing it, your sump pump may not have come on for a long time. However, when you need it, you expect it to work. Therefore, do check it once in a while to make sure it is working. The best time to do this is in winter because spring and summer are busy times for tending to the outside of the house.
To test your sump pump, use a garden hose if you have a faucet nearby. Or use a bucket to fill your sump basin with water until the sump pump comes on. If you have filled up the sump basin and the sump pump still doesn’t come on, check the power source. Is it plugged in? Is the breaker tripped? If your sump pump still isn’t working, call your plumber to check it immediately.
The picture above shows two sump pumps: one lower and one higher. The upper pump, as a backup, is connected to a 12V battery in case of power failure. The lower pump is always plugged in to the 120V wall outlet.
How To Remove Ice Dams and Icicles
This Old House has an excellent article on the subject of removing icicles and ice dams without damaging the roof or hurting yourself.
Do you know that ice dams can cause significant damage to your home? They allow water to back up and leak into your house from above. Especially if you lack adequate eave protection. A reliable method to prevent this issue is by applying a stick-and-peel waterproofing underlayment, such as Ice and Water Shield, along the eaves under the shingles. This underlayment should ideally extend about five feet up the roof from the edge. It will effectively shield the vulnerable areas where ice dams typically form.
How To Prevent Ice Dams & Icicles
For homes with unheated attics, it’s crucial to ensure that there is substantial insulation above the ceiling of the top-most heated floor.
Most importantly, make sure there is proper attic ventilation. There should be continuous airflow from the soffits (bottom of the roof overhang) to the ridge of the roof and the gable ends.
Increasingly, roofers are not only applying waterproofing along the eaves. They are also applying it across other critical areas such as ridges, valleys, intersections with walls, dormers, and roof projections. In many cases, nearly 50% of the roof surface gets covered with this waterproofing material. However, it is essential to leave some areas of a wood roof unsealed to allow the wood to “breathe” and prevent moisture accumulation.
The Difficulties
A word of caution: Insulating your roof while maintaining free airflow above the insulation can be challenging. Especially in older homes where the roof pitch is low, and space may be limited due to the presence of insulation. If it is not possible to achieve adequate ventilation through soffit vents, consider installing roof vents at different levels or adding one or two turbine vents, also known as “whirlybirds,” to improve air circulation.
If ice dam forms above ceilings, or persists despite added insulation and ventilation, using a heat trace system may be necessary. It’s essential to hire a professional installer for this solution to ensure it is done correctly and to obtain a long warranty. Be aware of potential issues with heat trace systems, such as heating cables slipping off the roof due to the force of sliding snow, inadequate heating, lack of nearby electrical outlets, and the high cost of electricity.
Vent covers on the outside of your house tend to have louver blades missing. This will give birds, insects and animals the perfect chance to come inside your house. Besides, missing louver blades let cold air in. Check your outside vent covers from time to time. If you notice any blades missing, replace the vent covers with new ones. Be careful climbing up a ladder outside. Better yet, get a maintenance person to do it for you.
Wasp and hornet nests in various places around your house – best to call a professional for the removal task before they find a way to come inside your house. Very often you’ll need a tall ladder to reach the nests and it’s not a task for seniors. After removal, the nest often leaves marks on light-coloured surfaces which can be unsightly.
If you see signs of your roofing asphalt shingles curling, cracking and becoming brittle, get a trusted roofer to come and check it out. If your roofing is cedar shakes or shingles and they have cracked, curled, darkened and with signs of fungus, algae, moss and lichen growth, get your roofer to look at it. It may be time for replacement. Make sure while replacing the old shingles, your roofer installs the necessary underlayment of Ice and Water Shield Waterproofing. Beware of door to door salespeople who scare you into doing unnecessary house repair work. Follow my guide above to find reliable roofers.
Sloping the grading away from the house is often the simplest and most effective solution to prevent water from entering your home. However, there are circumstances where this may not be feasible, such as, when the neighboring property is at a higher elevation than yours. In such cases, it’s crucial to contact your local building department to seek a resolution.
For instance, possible solutions may include constructing a low retaining wall, creating a swale, or installing a French drain. Nevertheless, these are complex interventions that typically require the expertise of professionals and can be quite costly. Consequently, it is essential to thoroughly evaluate your options and consult with experts to determine the best course of action.
Raccoons and squirrels can chew and tear through wood and sheet metal to gain entry into your house. Especially where there are places for them to stand while they are breaking in. Look around your house for potential entry points. If you notice any exterior material damaged or missing and there are visible signs of entry by animals, don’t block up the openings yet.
Your animal removal expert will first try to trap the animals and remove them from your premises. After that, it is time to block the openings and make the blocking secure. So the animals will not try to get in from the same spot again. However, they may still try to enter from the same spot or somewhere else. Therefore, checking your house exteriors for animal entry should be a routine endeavor.
Household Appliances Need Maintenance & Replacement At the End Of Useful Life
Here is a general guide to the expected lifespans of your household appliances. Keep them well maintained and they will last longer.
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The information provided on this website, including but not limited to suggestions related to home safety, lightening personal possessions, and house maintenance, is for general informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date content, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the information provided. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.
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Please consult with professionals where necessary and take personal responsibility for the actions you choose to implement in your home.