ᐅ What types of maintenance and repair work are typically required in a house?

Hello,

I have now been living in my newly built house for three years. You could say I am like the caretaker, having to gradually take care of many small issues that inevitably arise. I want to make sure I’m not forgetting anything important that could become costly in the long run if not properly maintained. Somehow I feel I might be doing too little. What do you usually do?

What I regularly do:
- Keep an eye on the heat pump myself, with professional servicing once a year (whether this is really necessary can be debated, but that’s not the topic here)
- Regularly replace filters in the central mechanical ventilation system (cone filters in the exhaust vents in the rooms, large filters in the ventilation unit), clean the unit’s interior from mold and spider webs/insects, and clean the external air intake duct including the outside grille from dirt

What I have done at least once:
- Renew cracked silicone and acrylic maintenance seals, inside and outside. Partly for appearance, but in some places this also helps with airtightness
- On the attic (currently used as storage), additionally seal poorly bonded or opened gaps in the vapor barrier
- Remove insects from the external venetian blinds, especially when they have become entangled in the cords causing the blind to close unevenly

Basically, whenever something occurs or is noticed (shower drain, aerators, etc.)
You already mentioned controlled residential ventilation/heat pump.

Additionally, periodically:

• kitchen extractor hood
• flush water filter
• coffee machine 😉
• clean cistern pump/filter
• clean sewage lifting unit
• fan inverter
• test smoke detectors
• adjust/lubricate windows and doors

It is always important to keep moisture and dampness away from the house.

Clean and inspect gutters regularly. Check the drains as well. Every few years, I would recommend flushing and inspecting the sewer pipes from the house to the main sewer line, preferably using a camera inspection. It doesn’t cost much. Residues always build up in the pipes, eventually causing blockages. Roots can damage and grow into the pipes. These repairs are usually very complex and especially expensive because they are underground.

Of course, the roof itself should also be checked from time to time. Look for cracked or displaced tiles, any signs of water infiltration, and so on.

Buchsbaum schrieb:

Every few years, I would flush and inspect the wastewater pipes from the house to the sewer connection.

Two weeks ago, I emptied our cistern through the long wastewater pipe, about 60-70 m (200-230 ft), which I consider flushing.
In the meantime, the rain has filled the cistern again.

The wastewater pipes for rainwater are not as vulnerable.

The wastewater pipes for sewage, however, are more at risk. Lime scale, urine deposits, grease, and similar substances stick to the inner walls of the KG pipes. This starts off small, but these clumps grow larger and harder over time. If roots manage to penetrate anywhere, the problem spreads, causing narrowing and blockages.

Therefore, I would suggest scheduling a camera inspection every 5-6 years. During the inspection, the affected areas can be flushed and the pipes cleaned. Once deposits form, they become as hard as concrete.

It saves a lot of trouble if you have the system checked every few years.

Important points, some of which I hadn’t considered. Do you need to flush the sewage line at the inspection chamber? Ours is buried under a bit of soil but could be fairly easily exposed.
I also hadn’t really thought about the kitchen exhaust, aerators, or lubricating the windows—definitely making a note to do that 🙂

Fortunately, I don’t have a cistern, lift pump, backflow valve, or basement… Seems like that saves me some work.