We are often too occupied with work, household chores, raising a family, and many other responsibilities that we don’t have time to figure out which items in our home needs replacing. Furthermore, we tend to only remember to replace the most obvious items, such as our light bulbs and toilet paper rolls, as well as other things that are easily noticeable when they need to be replaced.
But what about smoke detector batteries, the fire extinguisher, or the air filters? If you’re worried that there are things in your home that probably need replacing, read on to find out what you may be forgetting to replace.
1. Garage door
Garage doors can last between fifteen and thirty years. If your garage door is not within this age range yet, then you probably don’t need to replace it. But if you have been lax on maintenance or have been staying in the house for fifteen or so years without replacing the garage door, then it’s probably high time to call a garage door installation company.
Like other things in your home, your garage door will deteriorate over time, even with good maintenance. That said, replacing your garage door in time will help reduce the chances of it failing and possibly causing an accident or perhaps allowing burglars to enter your home through the garage.
2. Kitchen sponges
We use kitchen sponges every day, but sometimes, we forget to replace them until they are already visibly dirty or falling apart. However, you shouldn’t wait for your kitchen sponge to become unrecognizable before you replace it. Even if it still looks clean, it already harbors millions of germs from repeated use, and there is virtually no way to get it 100% clean again.
Take this as a reminder to replace your kitchen sponge once a week, or once every week and a half if you live alone. If you have trouble remembering to replace your sponge, pencil in the date on your kitchen calendar and always keep spares handy so that you can readily toss the old one.
3. Air filters
HVAC air filters need to be cleaned or replaced once every three months. Since they accumulate dust, debris, and other contaminants from the air, letting them go too long without cleaning or replacing can decrease your home’s indoor air quality significantly. Furthermore, it can decrease the efficiency of your HVAC system and contribute to its wear and tear.
4. Smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries
Make it a point to check the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector at least once every four to six weeks. Place a note on your refrigerator or write a reminder on your kitchen calendar so that you don’t forget. Remember: keeping your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors juiced up can mean the difference between life and death.
The detectors themselves have expiration dates as well. Check the expiration date or manufacturing date on the panel to see if you need a replacement soon.
5. Water filter
The filters in your water filtration system or refrigerator need to be replaced every six months, or more frequently if you have a lot of people using them. These filters may be great at removing contaminants from your drinking water, but they can only do so much for so long. If you continue using them beyond six months, you may unknowingly be drinking contaminated water.
6. Loofahs
Loofahs are great for removing dirt from your body when soap alone is not enough. But even if they are technically washed and rinsed with every use, you still need to replace them at least once a month. This way, you are not inadvertently spreading the bacteria that has built up inside its holes over time all over your body.
The same goes for other bathing equipment, such as exfoliating mitts, washcloths, and sea sponges.
7. Fire extinguisher
It’s easy to forget (or even check) the fire extinguisher because you rarely or never have to use it. That said, check your extinguisher right now and make sure it’s not expired. The last thing you want is to need it only to find out that it is no longer functional.
Replace your extinguisher every 10 to 15 years or when the pressure gauge needle goes out of the green area. It also helps to have a spare one just in case.
If you’re like most homeowners, you probably have a few things on this list that you’re forgetting to replace. Now that you know what you should take care of after you read this article, you can rest assured that your home is at least a little bit cleaner, safer, and healthier.
