It’s back-to-school season, which means a whole new schedule for you and your family. Beyond the opportunity to set your kids off on the right foot this year, back to school is also the time to put your home on a new routine.
Here’s a rundown of what to do for your home, from checking over safety features to ensuring your systems are in top-notch shape.
And of course, if you have any questions at all, Blue Sky’s plumbing, HVAC and electrical experts are just a phone call away!
1) Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Fire and carbon monoxide detectors can save your family’s life, especially when no other signs of danger are present. Carbon monoxide buildup is often undetectable, odorless, and invisible without a detector to alert you to the risks. Each year, hundreds of Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to fires, with over 100,000 visits to the emergency room and over 14,000 hospitalizations.
Test your detectors and make sure you have appropriate batteries on hand year-round. It’s also wise to keep a travel carbon monoxide detector on hand to protect your family while away from home.
2) Change Your Furnace Filters
Clogged air filters do more than drag down the efficiency of your units and increase your utility bills. Dirty filters can also produce higher levels of carbon monoxide, which could harm your family’s and your pets’ health. They also increase the chances of a fire, making it essential to keep your carbon monoxide and fire detectors in good working order.
3) Inspect the Mechanical Room for Any Leaks or Odors
Carbon monoxide dangers can lurk around your mechanical, basement, and laundry rooms. Get back into the school season by checking for any leaks or odors around your equipment or areas. If you don’t have them in place already, install a carbon monoxide and fire detector in the forgotten corners of your home to stay on top of your safety.
There’s more to consider than carbon monoxide poisoning. Foul, rotten egg odors are a red flag for gas leaks and should always be treated urgently. Call Blue Sky today to assess your home and ensure it’s free from leaks or issues that could compromise your safety and comfort.
4) Check for Any Running Toilets
Depending on the severity of the problem, studies show a leaking toilet can waste up to 5 gallons of water a minute or 7,200 gallons of water a day! It wastes water, drives up your utility bills, and can impair your family’s health. If your toilets are running, leaking, or not flushing correctly, they could also be growing bacteria or allowing harmful wastewater into your home.
5) Check for leaks Under Sinks
The area underneath your sink is often out of sight and out of mind. But just like a leaking toilet, they can drive up your water bills and compromise the integrity of your home, health, and plumbing system. Leaks and clogs can also point to more serious problems lurking in your sewer that you can’t see. Call Blue Sky Plumbing to send out a certified plumber to check on the issue and make any necessary repairs before they spiral out of control.
6) Verify That all Electrical Outlets are Functioning
It’s essential to verify that all of your electrical outlets work. Beyond the safety of ensuring your home is in good working order and doesn’t have problems with your electricity, a bad outlet can cause a circuit breaker to trip. The results could wreak havoc on your air conditioner, furnace, boiler, and other systems that keep your home comfortable.
Call the Experts at Blue Sky Today
The back-to-school season is an opportunity to get your home in good working order and on a maintenance schedule. Trust the Blue Sky team to review your electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and heating systems, and anything else going on in your home. We’ll help you maintain it, stay ahead of any repairs or problems, and restore your peace of mind. Call us today to schedule an appointment!