After buying a home, many people make the mistake of assuming the house will take care of itself and maintenance is not important. In fact, this is not true and regular checks are necessary to ensure that the house is always in tip top condition.

Whether your home is new or old, you should perform regular checks so that you can detect anything that needs repairs and fix them immediately to avoid the problem becoming bigger as more severe household problems are more expensive and complicated to fix. These regular checks also help you detect if and when your house is suffering from infestations of any kind, like pests or moss.

Regular check-ups for your house should be done at least quarterly, meaning once every 3-6 months. The following is a list of places in your house you should check and clean. This list is not exhaustive and if you believe there are other aspects not covered, feel free to go ahead and include them:

• Stove hood filters – Check and clean the filters on your stove as they will be filled with oil and muck from the cooking process. Cleaning is usually done with warm soapy water and then rinsed in clean cold water

• Air conditioner filters – This can be cleaned by calling in the air- conditioning service guys or you could go ahead and lift the front flap and wash the filters yourself

• Test automatic doors – If you have an automated front gate, test all its features by opening or closing it fully to make sure nothing is obstructing it and the electronics still work.

• Inspect Roof and Rain Gutters – Check the roof for cracks and clean rain gutters to avoid water pooling in them. Not only do gutter puddles spoil your roof by making it damp and crumbly, the puddles are also breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.

• Check drains – If you house has outdoor drains, make sure they are free from algae, soil and muck that can clog them. This sometimes means you have to really scrape and brush them until the cement bottom can be seen clearly.

• Inspect smoke detectors – If you don’t have one, it’s time to install them. If you do, good on you! However, you’ll have to dig out their manual and see how you can check if they’re functioning correctly. Be sure to replace their batteries often too.

• Make sure your burglar alarm is functioning – For the sake of your home’s safety, and because crime is on a sharp rise in these difficult economic times, it’s imperative that all your anti-theft mechanism are working in tip top conditions.

• Inspect the outside of your house – Things to look out for include cracks and peeling paint. Another significant thing to look for is a trail that is made of sawdust or wood dust. This is a clear sign your house is under siege from termites. Ant hills are another thing to look out for and is easily destroyed by pouring hot water on it and spraying with mild pesticide.

• Check trees – If you grow a big tree or fruit trees in front of your house, please make sure they are not touching the electrical and telephone lines. If yes, those meddling branches need to be cut. If you have potted plants, make sure you clear the excess water at the base plate.

• Check water tank – If you have a water tank in your house, especially if it’s in the garden, please check them to ensure there are no mosquito larvae and that it is covered tightly. Any pools of water are also hazardous for small children as they may fall in.

• Check below your sink – The pipes to your kitchen sink are often hidden in a cupboard so you need to open it to make sure it’s not dripping and causing moss to grow and your water bill to shoot up.