You are living in your own home after years of saving and paying off mortgage. Congratulations! However, the work is not all done. You can’t afford to allow your home to deteriorate and thus, regular maintenance checks are vital. Repairs and replacements keep the house in top condition for you and your family. If you wish to sell sometime in the future, regular maintenance will help keep pre-sale costs down whilst getting you close to your initial asking price. Here are some proven tips you can work with. You can do some of these on your own but don’t hesitate to call in experts where necessary.
Maintaining the exterior
Roof
Always check for moss or mold, damaged flashing, piled up debris, missing shingles etc. The presence of these means a moist roof. Left unattended you may have to pay some tidy sums to deal with the damage caused by moist roof. Check to see that your attic vents and insulation are working properly to also avoid excess heat induced damage. Are there any overgrown branches that are close to your roof? They allow pest passage (think squirrels) into your home so trim them.
Gutters
Are the gutters damaged in any way? Keep them free of leaves and other such debris. You equally need to ensure that downspouts are not too close to the foundation.
Windows
Are your windows properly sealed? Fill them with weatherproof sealants if there are any gaps. Apart from helping you avoid moisture damage, properly sealed windows can reduce heat loss thereby saving you a decent sum on energy bills.
Landscape
Are there any trees that can be classed as hazardous around? These are trees that have cracking or broken branches, a visible root system, trees already dying etc. They can fall at any time to damage your property or cause injuries to inhabitants around the property.
Maintaining the interior
Plumbing system
Your plumbing system is vital for the overall comfort of the property. Do you have broken or leaking pipes? Is there water leaking from pipes? Is there occasional bad smell from the sewer? Are drainage blockages a regular occurrence? These are signs that your plumbing system needs a makeover. Call in an experienced plumbing expert to guide the maintenance process.
HVAC
The heating and cooling systems in the property are often neglected but you shouldn’t fall into that trap. As you would expect, break downs are costlier than routine servicing. Have the systems looked at yearly to ensure optimal efficiency and reduce wear and tear. Check for plants growing around the exterior air conditioning unit. They may be restricting air flow.
Water heater
Your water heater needs to be freed of dirt and sediment every now and then. You can find a detailed guide for cleaning the heater in the manual. If you are resident in an area where water sediment is a big concern, you may have to clean the water heater monthly.
Fireplace
Clean your chimney annually. If you allow creosote to build up excessively, you may be leaving your property exposed to a chimney fire.
Flooring
Whether your floor is made of wood, carpet, vinyl or tiles, there is need for regular maintenance. Of course the maintenance process will depend on the floor type but leaving things to chance could lead to a completely defaced interior over a short period of time.
Author
Joe Elvin