Purchasing a home is a goal for many Americans, and achieving it can be an incredible milestone in life. However, owning your home is only the first step in your journey as a homeowner, and owning property comes with a lot of responsibilities for you to take on. One of the primary responsibilities you’ll have is for the maintenance of your home, and you want to make sure you never neglect it or put it off.
Home maintenance isn’t just essential if you want to keep your appliances and home systems functioning properly, it’s also necessary for creating an environment that is healthy and safe for you and your family. If you’re not sure where to start, read on to learn some home maintenance tips you shouldn’t ignore.
What are the benefits of home maintenance?
Many people would be surprised by all the ways neglecting home maintenance can affect their health and the safety of anyone living in their household. Ignoring maintenance on your home systems and appliances can result in malfunctions, breakdowns, and emergencies that can range from inconvenient to potentially fatal. Hazards like carbon monoxide leaks, poorly maintained appliances, and outdoor pests are all manageable, but only if you take the time to do preventive maintenance on your home.
Not only is home maintenance essential for maintaining a healthy and comfortable environment at home but it also helps to preserve the value of your home and the investments you’ve made in it. Appliance repair can cost thousands, as can fixing damage to your lawn or the rest of your home. As a homeowner, your best bet is to be proactive and consistent in taking care of your property.
What home maintenance projects should you prioritize?
When it comes to choosing what projects to prioritize, it’s essential that you learn what exactly the consequences are for ignoring certain areas in home maintenance. Your gutters, for example, leave you vulnerable to roof damage, damage to the foundation of your house, and even flooding in your basement in certain cases. Your HVAC system should also be maintained and inspected regularly. Typically, experts recommend having it inspected annually and changing your filters every 1-3 months if you want it to operate with peak energy efficiency. Security systems and emergency devices like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should also never be neglected, as the effects of a house fire or carbon monoxide leak can be deadly.
Your needs can also heavily depend on the climate. For example, you will want to make sure you have high-quality storm windows in Florida, as hurricane season can be devastating. Ask your contractor which glass options are best and what styles are the most effective when it comes to being storm-resistant. No matter where you live, you should make sure you inspect windows and doors annually and address any cracks or crevices as soon as you see them. Not only can they let in hot and cold drafts, forcing your HVAC system to consume more energy, they can also let in moisture, debris, and other outdoor contaminants.
The presence of unwanted animals and pests can also be a major issue. When it comes to handling pest deterrent in the backyard, what issues you have to deal with will largely depend on where you live. Geese can be a particular menace if they start to show up on your property. Make sure you invest in the best goose deterrent to keep them far away from your home, especially away from your landscaping and your pets. A goose problem is especially common near bodies of water.
There’s no replacement for spending time, and money, on keeping everything in your home well-maintained and in working order. Not only will neglect cause your appliances to operate less efficiently, they can also make your home significantly less safe and put both your health and the structure of your home at risk for significant damage. It’s important to focus particularly on the parts of your house that you interact with on a regular basis, and that pose the largest safety risks if ignored. Quality home maintenance can be pricey sometimes, but investing in protecting the safety and value of your home is one of the safest investments any homeowner can make.