Protect Your Home in 2006, January

Here's a piece from Money Magazine that lists how you can protect your home in 2006. The promise of the piece is as follows:

Home upkeep needn't swallow your weekends and lay waste to your savings. "Do the maintenance in small doses and you'll avoid the big problems later," says David MacLellan, author of The National Home Maintenance Manual.

They then list suggestions of what needs to be done each month, and I'll be posting those at the start of every month throughout this year. So let's get started -- here are the tips for January:

• Grab a screwdriver and wander the entire house, tightening loose screws on doors, drawers, cabinetry and furniture.
• Conduct a home inventory for insurance purposes. 1. Walk through the house and garage and record all your belongings with a camera or camcorder. 2. Store these photos or videotapes in another place, like the in-laws' house or a safe-deposit box.
• Clean the range-hood filter. Grease buildup can damage the fan motor and plug the ductwork and can be a fire hazard when pan frying. Twice a year, run the filter through the dishwasher and clean the fan blades.

My thoughts:

1. I'll pass on the tightening. I'm assuming it's tight enough as long as it's holding on. Once it falls off, it's no longer tight enough. :-)

2. I've been meaning to do the home inventory for years now and as such I've added it to my set of New Year's financial resolutions (see the right side of the blog for the whole list). My plan is to use the camcorder and then store the tape at the office.

3. This is one for my wife. I'll give it to her -- she'll love it. ;-)

Comments

[Russell]

about cleaning range hood filters. I have a ductless range hood and have a aluminum filter and a charcol filter. Do I really need both? Its time to replace the charcol filter and clean the aluminum filter. I've cleaned the aluminum filter but wonder if I can just leave out the charcol filter without detriment.

[Drew]

One issue with Home Inventories is where to store them. Home inventory software is stores your inventory on your computer - which can easily be lost along with the rest of your house in a fire, flood, or other catastrophe. Your home inventory MUST be stored away from your home.

One solution: a free online home inventory like the one at www.createyourinventory.com. You can create and store your home inventory away from your home - online where it will always be safe.

[FMF]

I store my computer back-ups (which is everything on my computer) in my top desk drawer at work.