ᐅ What types of maintenance and repair work are typically required in a house?
Created on: 26 Nov 2023 09:49
U
Urmelio
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
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
W
WilderSueden26 Nov 2023 13:36Most appliances nowadays will notify you when they need attention. You usually don’t have to worry about the range hood or the coffee machine.
The inspection shaft should always be easily accessible. If you have a pipe blockage, you don’t want to have to dig up the shaft first. I can’t quite understand why it was buried in the first place. You might need to mortar on one or two more shaft rings to bring it up to ground level. For combined sewer systems, I would also recommend a backflow valve, ideally installed outside the house in the pipeline with a small inspection chamber (for example, using a large PVC pipe).
The inspection shaft should always be easily accessible. If you have a pipe blockage, you don’t want to have to dig up the shaft first. I can’t quite understand why it was buried in the first place. You might need to mortar on one or two more shaft rings to bring it up to ground level. For combined sewer systems, I would also recommend a backflow valve, ideally installed outside the house in the pipeline with a small inspection chamber (for example, using a large PVC pipe).
WilderSueden schrieb:
It’s currently unclear why it was buried at all. Possibly, one or two manhole rings need to be mortared on to reach ground level. For combined sewer systems, I would also recommend a backwater valve, ideally installed outside the house in the pipeline within a small inspection chamber (for example, using a large PVC pipe). The landscaper said it looks better visually if it is covered with 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) of soil or bark mulch. In my case, a backwater valve would probably cause more potential problems than it would solve, since the lowest drain inside the house is at least 40 cm (16 inches) above the backwater level outside the house—at least in theory. A pipe blockage on the property causes issues both with and without a backwater valve, and without a backwater valve there is at least less maintenance required.
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xMisterDx26 Nov 2023 17:53Yes, that works fine. In the inspection chamber, everything comes together and is then discharged into the sewer. At first, you look for a clog between the drain and the chamber.
A pipe blockage is not like a burst water pipe where every second counts until the water is shut off.
While you wait for the drain cleaner, which can take a few hours to a few days, you can dig out the cover; that should be enough 😉
A pipe blockage is not like a burst water pipe where every second counts until the water is shut off.
While you wait for the drain cleaner, which can take a few hours to a few days, you can dig out the cover; that should be enough 😉
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WilderSueden27 Nov 2023 08:16The problem is detecting a pipe blockage promptly. I had one in the spring after some repair work on the sewer connection when the excavator hit a pipe. I noticed that, but not how much gravel had slipped inside. At first, it seemed to drain fine, but after four weeks, the water in the utility room drained very slowly from the sink. The trap wasn’t clogged, so maybe the pipe? I was able to verify this easily by opening the inspection chamber and checking if water was reaching there. If you first have to dig out the chamber, it’s not so simple.
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