A home maintenance routine, like your regular health check-up, is essential for the upkeep of any property. Owning and caring for a house, especially if you’ve gone to great lengths to acquire it, is a job that needs effort and time.
The home that you have found in real estate listings and websites may be perfect at first. But over time, it will need repair and maintenance. If, on the other hand, you bought a secondhand or pre-owned home, you should be ready for more checks and repairs.
Don’t worry, though, with the appropriate repair equipment and the proper maintenance advice, you can live comfortably. Using this checklist, you can easily manage your house’s annual maintenance requirements.
Exterior Cleaning
Be sure that your house is clean both inside and out. Everyone that passes by your home will be able to see all the leaves that are spread everywhere, so make sure you clean and throw everything. Also, be sure to cut the grass in your yard and, if necessary, power-wash the walkways and fence.
It would be best if you also cleaned the windows outside and the roofing of your house, as they are visible to passers-by. Clogged gutters may cause a roof to leak or water to penetrate your home, so consider them as well while cleaning the exterior of your home.
Appliances
Appliances are the types of equipment that use electricity and have an expiry date; inspecting them annually will save you money and keep you safe. There are several dangers associated with using defective or outdated appliances. It would also be more efficient since inspecting it once a year would allow you to verify if it is still in good working condition and save you both money and time.
Heating and Cooling Systems
If you have air conditioning, make sure to have it maintained at least once a year. Get it cleaned and repaired if anything is damaged. If your home is heated by steam, it has a boiler that stores and warms the water. Call your plumber for a yearly inspection. It would be best to empty the boiler to remove any silt accumulated and settled in the tank.
Before you turn it on, make sure the tank is full. A plumber or heating professional may also inspect your radiators to ensure that the valves are in good working order and are not worn out. By doing so, you will be able to avoid unexpected breakdowns, reduce the frequency of repairs, assure appropriate cooling/heating, have good quality air inside, and improve the lifespan of your cooling and heating system.
Plumbing
Examine your pipes thoroughly, especially under sinks. Ensure there are no signs of leakage. Look up at your ceilings for water stains, which are a sign of a leak. Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Do this after winter, since there is a possibility that pipes may burst when the water freezes during winter. Fix what you can yourself, then get a plumber for the rest.
Electrical Systems
The electrical wiring in your home is mostly hidden, which is why it is often neglected. The wires deteriorate over time, which influences the equipment and appliances that use the circuit. You will eventually have to deal with electrical issues more frequently than you used to if it is not maintained at least annually. You will substantially profit from doing so since it will decrease energy costs, safeguard your appliances, avoid fire dangers, maintain productivity, and protect the building’s inhabitants.
Security
Besides minimizing property loss and the safety of inhabitants, good security system maintenance has various other advantages. Electronic and mechanical security devices must be maintained regularly to avoid premature failure. A lack of adequate care of CCTV cameras, for example, means that dust, grime, oil, and other impurities can accumulate substantially, causing them to produce fuzzy pictures or stop operating sooner than planned.
Access control and other home security systems can be expensive to buy and install. The longer you can keep your present system in good working order, the longer it will survive, saving you the cost of purchasing and installing new ones.
Basement/Garage
Basements and garages are frequently neglected areas of the home. It often acts as a storage area for residents. It is more probable that some old items are left there and not thrown away. That said, it frequently serves as a home for rats, cockroaches, and other pests. As a result, you should clean your basements and do pest control at least once a year.
Dispose of everything that is no longer useful to you and your family. You will not only create extra room, but you will also prevent bugs from residing in your home and diseases spread by those pests.
Please do not wait till the appliances or systems in your house stop working before you fix it. It will save you time and money to maintain your property at least once a year. Continue to inspect the outside of your home, your appliances, your heat and cooling system, plumbing, electrical systems, safety, and basement or garage parking to prevent problems.
