Just moved to Northern Utah, what's my maintenance checklist look like?

Since you've got six huskies, that monthly filter change is non-negotiable. In Northern Utah, those winter inversions trap all kinds of junk in the air, and your furnace is going to be working overtime. For the HVAC, I’d pay for a profesional **pre-season tune-up** every fall. It’s usally about $100-$150, and they’ll catch things like a failing capacitor or a cracked heat exchanger before it dies on a sub-zero night in January. It’s cheap insurance compared to an emergency Sunday call-out fee. For the water heater, you don’t relly need a pro. Just **flush the tank** once a year to get the sediment out. Since you did concrete and grading, check your exterior drainage every spring. Those heavy snow melts can wash out soil near the foundation. Make sure your downspout extensions are actualy moving water five or six feet away from the house. If water pools there and freezes, it’ll heave your slabs and mess with your foundation over time.

Don't ignore the garage door. In our climate, the metal contracts and expands like crazy. Buy a can of **silicone spray lubricant**—not WD-40—and hit the rollers, hinges, and springs every six months. It stops the motor from straining and keeps the door from binding when it hits -10 degrees. Also, since you’re worried about the dishwasher, just pull the kickplate off once in a while and look for moisture. Or better yet, grab a few cheap **water leak alarms** and toss them under the dishwasher and the water heater. It’s way better than finding a rot problem six months too late.

The power washing is fine every couple of years, but watch the pressure on your siding so you don't blast water behind the weep holes. Spend that time checking the **caulking** around your windows instead. The Utah sun eats thru sealant, and gaps there will kill your heating bill faster than anything else. Most of this stuff is just about keeping an eye out before a small leak turns into a massive headache.

I hadn't even thought about the window caulking, so I'll definatly add that to the list. Since I used to do concrete, I'm worried about the driveway salt. Do you guys bother sealing the driveway every year to protect against the road salt from the cars? Also, with all the snow we get, shoud I be worried about ice dams on the roof? I've seen people using those heat cables but wasn't sure if they're actualy worth the effort or if they just hike up the power bill.

Skip the annual driveway seal; just use a high-quality siloxane sealer every few years. It keeps the salt from pitting the surface way better than the cheap DIY stuff. As for ice dams, heat cables are usally just a band-aid. They suck alot of power and don't solve the real problem, which is almost always poor attic insulation or bad venting. If you've got hot spots on the roof melting snow that refreezes at the eaves, you're better off adding more blown-in cellulose. It’ll keep the roof cold and save you a fortune on that heating bill during those Utah winters.

With six huskies, you need to clear your dryer vent way more often than the average person. That fur gets past the lint trap and builds up in the ducting fast, wich is a major fire risk in the dry Utah air. Get one of those brush kits that attaches to a drill and run it trough the vent line twice a year.

Also, vacuum the coils under or behind your fridge. If those get caked in dog hair, your compressor will burn out years early trying to stay cool. It takes five minutes but saves you a grand on a new appliance.

Since you're in Northern Utah, you've gotta watch the water hardness. If you have a softener, keep an eye on salt bridges; otherwise, that annual flush won't be enought to stop scale from killing your heater's elements. While you're at it, check the anode rod every two years. It’s a cheap sacrificial part that keeps the tank from rusting out. Also, look at the supply lines on your washing machine. If they're just old rubber, swap them for braided stainless steel. Those rubber lines get brittle over time and a burst hose while you're at work is the fastest way to ruin your flooring.