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How to Prep Your Home for Family Visits

Friday, November 18, 2016

Chances are, your home is about to be hit with a slew of visiting relatives and friends for the holidays, which can put some unusual burdens on your home. Below are top tips from Southern Trust Home Services to help your home—and its appliances—prepare for a gaggle of guests.   

Check your drains. If they aren't flowing freely, find out why and get them cleaned.

Clean the microwave. Take out the microwave's rotating tray and scrub it or pop it into the dishwasher. Wipe down the microwave's interior with a soft cloth and a little soapy water. Make sure its air vents are clear of dust and grease.

Don't clean the oven. The self-clean cycle is so stressful that it could cause the appliance to fail, right before you need it most. Give a quick cleaning around the top burner elements, and clean it after the holidays.

Inspect the refrigerator. It's likely to be opened and closed more times on this one day than it is in a couple of weeks of normal use. Check for loose screws on the door handles, clear blocked vents, and replace burned-out lights.

Consider a tankless water heater. You'll be using lots of hot water over the next couple of months, and now could be the perfect time to make a change. Tankless water heaters only heat the water as you need it, rather than wasting energy keeping water heated in a tank until you're ready to use it. And you have an endless supply.

Inspect the dishwasher. Check the strainer/drain area in the bottom of the wash tub. Remove food debris and wipe off detergent residue.

Take care of the toilet. Toilets take a particular beating this time of year, and now's the time to take care of any malfunctions.

Replace burned out light bulbs. Pay close attention to lights that serve the front entrance and walkway that leads to the front door or other busy entrances.

Make your home slip- and fall-proof. Fix loose treads on exterior steps, loose deck boards or loose pavers on front walkways. Take care of all other tripping/falling hazards, like using double-sided tape to tack down slippery rugs.

Child-proof your home. Make all child-safety preparations in advance, such as covering electrical outlets, moving lamps and vases away from table edges and making provisions to block stairways to prevent hazardous falls.

Source: www.southerntrusthomeservices.com.

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