Water heaters, furnances, roofs and other key components of your home should be replaced before they fail, based on their average useful live span (in years) as shown below:

• Exterior painting                     5-10
• Furnace                                   15-50
• Roof                                          13-15
• Water heater                             7-15
• Wood Deck Staining                  4-7

The following maintenance checklist was taken from the February issue of Realtor magazine. This schedule will prevent small problems from turning into big headaches.

Inside tasks:

• Change your furnace filters monthly.
• Drain your water heater at least once a year.
• Check your circuit breakers.
• Watch out for drips on faucets. 

Outside tasks:

• Keep water out. Check for water damage each season.
• Inspect your home’s foundation for cracks or gaps.
• Look up to  see if your chimney shows signs of weather abuse and to see if your roof has loose shingles or dangling gutters.

January is an ideal time to test your home for radon. The EPA estimates that one in 15 homes in the US has elevated levels of radon. You can’t see, smell or taste radon but if you inhale enough of it, you can get lung cancer. If you use well water, it can even enter your home through water pipes. There are no warning signs of high levels of radon.

The only way to know whether you have elevated levels of radon is to have your home tested. For more information on radon testing, contact Chuck at 615.972.3133 and he will put you in touch with a home inspector who is qualified to perform radon testing.