Most people forget that homeownership involves putting in the time and effort to do maintenance. Homes can get damaged from extreme weather, accidents, or from daily wear and tear. Even if your home isn’t weather-beaten, you’ll need to perform these maintenance tasks to avoid future headaches and huge maintenance costs
Inspect the Roof
Inspect your roof after a hurricane or extreme downpour. You should check for any leaks, holes, or other types of damage that can cause water to enter and mold and mildew to grow or worse, create moisture damage leading to wood rot. Don’t rely on climbing up on the roof and a simple visual inspection for roof damage. If you don’t see any visible damage, check your attic for moisture or mold. Inspect your ceilings and walls for rings or streaks of discoloration. These are signs that your roof has a hole and rainwater has leaked into your ceiling and walls. Another sign is if utility bills have been steadily increasing, indicating a temperature leak from a hole in the roof. If you can’t find the exact areas of damage, consult an expert. If parts of your roof need repairs or replacement, call roof installers like this one in Miami.
Inspect and Replace HVAC filters
Should the filters of your HVAC system become clogged with dust or other pollutants, this may trigger allergies. Check all the HVAC filters for accumulated dust and dirt, and change them. Depending on the size of the filters, the presence of furry pets, the amount of dust or other pollutants in the air, and if you have smokers in the house, experts recommend you change the filters at least every 1-2 months.
Check for Insect Problems
Insect colonies often make their home in yours during summer, so check gutters, the basement, garage, tool shed and nooks and crannies in your home. If bees, wasps, spiders, termites, or ants have taken up residence, use the right insecticide or call an exterminator.
Maintain the Garbage Disposal
Don’t wait for your garbage disposal unit to stink up. Keep it free of gunk by freezing white vinegar in an ice cube tray, then dump the vinegar ice cubes to clean out and sharpen the blades. Do this once or twice a month.
Clean the Gutters
Clean, unobstructed gutters can save you a lot of money that you may have had to use on other repairs, particularly for your basement or landscaping. If rainwater isn’t properly directed to a storm drain, this can cause soil erosion or flood your basement and affect your home’s foundation. Clogged gutters can also host a variety of pests, or allow water to penetrate your walls; this causes moisture damage and mold growth. Do a weekly check and clear out your gutters of leaves, twigs, and other debris.
Check the Fire Extinguishers
There should be at least one fire extinguisher for the garage and one for your kitchen. Assuming you know how to use fire extinguishers, ensure they are easily accessible and the pressure gauge indicates it has adequate pressure. Check the extinguishers every month, and replace them every 5 years or if it has any broken or missing parts. If its inspection sticker is missing, replace it with a new one; don’t rely on a fire extinguisher with an unknown history.
These are a few of the simple and regular maintenance tasks you can do for your home. The list grows longer with the kind of appliances and features you have in your home, so do your research. Carry out simple maintenance for safety and to avoid complex, costly issues.
