Monthly Matters

Home Maintenance – What, When and How Often?

Posted on August 31, 2026 6:00 AM by Admin

^{Before we get started on this month's topic, a huge thanks and shout-out to our Maintenance Committee, co-chaired by Rich Allers and Scott Stevenson, and ably supported by committee members Rick Balthazor, Joe Donovan, Sandy Frenzke, Mike Magruder, Terry Schaafsma, and John Wieliczko.}

^{Over the past two weeks, a whole slew of Arbor Grovers participated in the dryer vent cleaning and smoke detector battery replacement program (Thank you, Bourbonnais Fire Protection District, for being so willing to help!). These two seasonal activities remind us of the importance of general home maintenance. The contents of this article were shared in an earlier edition of Monthly Matters back in 2024.}

^{Between maintenance recommendations from Rich Allers, American Home Inspectors Trainers, and other online sources, there are plenty of great home maintenance suggestions, including schedules.}

^{Some schedules available online, like the one from AHIT, include exterior maintenance, which, thankfully, our Maintenance Committee and Landscape Committees take care of for you. We highly recommend everyone take an occasional walk around the outside of your home to observe any changes or potential issues that need to be addressed. We have had several large storms over the past year, so this has become even more important. If something doesn't look right, please complete a Maintenance Request Form to report a concern. We need to keep our exteriors in great condition.}

^{The same goes for your home's interior, so please note anything that looks off or is in disrepair. If something needs to be done and you don't have the expertise or ability to do it yourself, don't forget: there is a list of recommended vendors on this website.}

^{The fall season is rapidly coming upon us. This is a really great time of year to be sure everything is in good condition, especially for you lucky snowbirds. You'll want to make sure everything is taken care of before you leave, including arranging for someone to check your home monthly, so that, if God forbid, an unforeseen issue comes up.}

^{We have put together a comprehensive maintenance checklist with suggestions. It is not the be-all-and-end-all by any means, just a compilation of information from a variety of sources. You can view the form by clicking here.}

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