A new poll conducted by Home Inspector Secrets surveyed 31 home inspectors, asking them to pick which fall maintenance item they considered most important.
- Servicing and cleaning the furnace or heating system prior to turning it on was the #1 most important item with 59% of the vote.
- Servicing and cleaning the fireplace/chimney came in second with 18% of the polled inspectors.
- The 3rd most important fall item was the testing and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with a tally of 9%.
- Sealing air leaks around the home and adding insulation where needed was the #4 most important maintenance item with 6% of the vote.
- Keeping gutters clear of leaves and debris only got 4% of the home inspector vote.
- Winterizing exterior hose bibs came in last with a single vote.
The founder of Home Inspector Secrets, Arie Van Tuijl, (a licensed home inspector in Virginia) commented on the survey:
“It makes sense that the surveyed home inspectors considered servicing the heating system prior to turning it on as the #1 fall maintenance item with 59%% of the vote. The HVAC system is one of the most expensive systems in a home, and nobody wants their heat to go out in the middle of a cold night. Also, a poorly maintained furnace can cause safety hazards such as a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. The second top pick with 19% of the vote was servicing/cleaning the fireplace and chimney. A dirty fireplace can cause a buildup of dangerous creosote and lead to a home fire. Chimney blockages such as animal nests are dangerous as well.”