Suggested Eichler Preventive Maintenance
As a new Eichler owner, I'm learning that there's a lot to keep in mind in terms of maintenance.
Does anyone have a list of things periodically that can be done to minimize problems w/ the radiant heat, plumbing, electrical, etc?
I'm all for preventive maintenance if I can avoid costly repairs from neglect.
no one has any input? I was looking for some advice too as I've had my Eichler for a year now. From what I've read the main difference between a "normal" home and an Eichler is the radiant heating. So maintenance of this is probably the main concern. I've been told that it should be used regularly to prevent problems and the pressure in the pipes should be monitored in order to spot leakage problems early. Some will also say that you should clean and oil the pump yearly.
Being constructed entirely in wood, I would also suggest preventive maintenance from pests, like termites. That's about all the input I have. Hope you get more as I'm interested too.
here's my 2 cents after one year in our eichler: never turn off the boiler.
sounds crazy, but it worked in our case. the previous owner kept the thermostat at 68* all year long and never turned off the boiler; and he did that for 40 yrs. the original boiler is still purring and the pipe presure is fine. for a 55 yr old set up, that's sounds pretty good to me.
since the boiler was never turned off, it never needed to be fired up for the winter. it just went to sleep over the summer. the ol' boiler seemed happy & obedient this past winter, chugging along well during the freeze in january.
may seem like a waste to run the pilot all summer, but it seems to have worked here. couple bucks a month in summer gas usage vs. thousands for a new boiler or new heating system.
and as i write this, i'm frantically knocking on my head to keep the good luck coming!!!
yes, this is anecdotal and may not be 100% approved by the mechanical engineers in the audience. but it's worked for this house decades - so if it ain't broke...
There's always the roof maintenance to keep your flat roof happy.
Check the roof occasionally during the winter to make sure none of the drains are blocked. Big pools of water can cause the roof to sag, which causes more ponding, which causes sag... Ponding water might also produce leaks in the house. While you're up on your roof, check out your neighbor's roof and tell 'em if they've got a blocked drain.
You can also check drains during the year by walking around the house during a rainstorm. If one of the drains isn't generating as much water as it usually does, you may need to do some cleaning.
Check your roof for debris before the winter. Get rid of the worst of leaves and the like. We've got a huge liquid amber tree next to our house, so I need to climb up and remove seed pods at least once in fall, and usually a couple times during winter.
If you've got a white roof, clean your roof before summer so that the house stays cooler. Hose off any dark debris.
Don't forget to check out the panorama of the Santa Clara Valley while you're up above the nearby houses.
Robert
