Getting your mortgage approved means the beginning of a new chapter because a home is one of the biggest investments that you can purchase. However, any good investment requires effort to sustain it- maintaining it is a must. While maintaining a home can feel like an arduous and daunting chore to tackle, it is important. However, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming for you to undertake. That’s where this house preventive maintenance checklist comes into play.
A home operates like a well-oiled machine, it comes to life in the spring and summer seasons and hunkers down in the wet and cold winter season. This is why you should ensure that you take the necessary precautions to keep it running and follow its natural arc throughout the year no matter the season.
We have compiled a practical house preventive maintenance checklist that can help you keep your home durable for a long time.
Inspect Potentially Dangerous Elements
Once winter is over, there is a lot of debris that remains behind that can cause a myriad of issues for the external environment of your home. Doing thorough spring-cleaning by raking up any leaves and fixing the mulch in your flowerbed is the first step towards executing a house preventive maintenance checklist. You can assess the drainage system and gutters for any damage caused by the icy snow. If you have a residential lawn service provider who can take care of the outside cleaning, it is best to contact them to get the cleaning done professionally. The following are some of the things that you can consider maintaining outside your home.
Trees
Trees need to be inspected by an experienced arborist who can assess any signs of damage. Some problems can be missed by an untrained eye and pose a safety hazard for the natural environment in your yard.
Gutters
Your gutter plays a significant role in protecting the roof and foundation. A damaged gutter means that there won’t be control of rainwater. This can cause leaks into external features and the house in certain situations. Residential roofers can assess any damage to your gutter and ensure that it is adequately maintained. Hiring a professional can help you avoid any mistakes that could lead to dangerous falls from the ladder.
Roof
The roof is highly susceptible to various degrees of damage. Falling trees and icicles can cause damage to the shingles during the winter months. Conducting regular roof repairs before and after winter can help to protect your home adequately.
Paint
Having a durable layer of paint on the outside of your home is beneficial for protecting your exterior and shingles against weather damage over time. However, external paint requires regular touch-ups to ensure that it is still effective against weather conditions. You can also consider adding house siding to the exterior of your home to weatherproof it effectively. It is a durable way to retain lasting color while enhancing curb appeal.
Another thing that you can consider is washing the outside of your home with a hosepipe. It is important to cover windows and hedges with a plastic sheet to avoid any damage and to enforce erosion control measures around the edge of the house. This is a good way to scrub out any grime that may have built up during the snowfall season.
Assess Your Heating and Cooling Systems
A decent heating system is an important aspect of your house preventive maintenance checklist. Do you know how to conduct HVAC closed loop cleaning? Then, this is the opportune time to learn. Taking care of your heating and cooling systems is important to ensure that it runs efficiently for a longer period.
You need to ensure that your filters are replaced and that you clean your air condensing unit. To do this, you need to visually inspect your system to remove any overgrowth of leaves and vegetation.
Failure to clear out any leaves and vegetation can cause your system to malfunction due to the interference of airflow. If you don’t know how to conduct an assessment on your system, you can enlist an HVAC services provider who can do the job at an affordable fee. A licensed professional can perform preventative maintenance before problems ensue.
Fix Plumbing Issues
A house preventive maintenance checklist is not complete without any plumbing maintenance. Understanding plumbing issues before they happen can help you avoid unexpected expenses. Your water system includes an array of interconnected systems from your water pipes to appliances such as your refrigerator. Regular maintenance of these systems and appliances can help you prevent any damage.
You can start by fixing any leaking faucets around the house, this includes your shower head. When you have dripping faucets, your water and electricity bills increase. This results in a myriad of unplanned expenses tapping into your budget. A regular check on all the faucets around the house can help you assess the damage before it becomes extensive.
Gutter repair is also an important aspect of preventing plumbing issues. When the gutter is clogged up, it can cause damage such as leaks into the house piping system.
You can do this yourself by researching home preventative measures, or you can call in a professional to unclog any blocked drains and to assess the status of your gutter.
Moreover, assessing all the exposed pipes can help to sort out your house preventive maintenance checklist.
Start With The Kitchen
A house preventive maintenance checklist requires careful consideration of the inside of the home. Once you have completed the external inspection and maintenance plan, you can move on to the kitchen. If you feel as if you have amazing ideas to upgrade your kitchen then you can schedule it for a maintenance repair service. Below are some ways that you can improve the appearance of your kitchen without breaking the bank.
- Stick to the existing layout.
- Reuse and refurbish your appliances.
- Paint
- Spruce up existing furniture.
- Give your cabinets and cupboards a makeover.
- Resurface your benchtop or splashback.
Enter the Bathroom
When you go over your house preventive maintenance checklist, the most important thing to consider is that everything should remain affordable. You should not have to spend a fortune to repair and replace most things in your house. However, some things may require you to spend more than you anticipated. But your bathroom does not have to be one of them.
The first thing that you need to determine is how much can you afford to spend on maintaining your bathroom. Does your house preventive maintenance checklist cover adding new fixtures or can you refurbish the ones that you have? Below, we have compiled some ideas for you to help with your bathroom maintenance.
Save on Tiles
Maintenance on tiles can become expensive over time. You have to hire a tiling contractor to lay them out professionally for you. Sometimes, you may need to buy additional tiles to cover any that may break in the installation process.
And did we mention the noise from drill I and the shaping of the tiles? You can save yourself from headaches by scraping out tiles from your bathroom completely. But you can leave one or two that you can use as the accent in your bathroom.
When you limit the tiles in your bathroom, you can add more creative elements to brighten up space. Moreover, your focus can shift towards the more high-impact areas such as the flooring and the shower stall walls.
Save on Counter Tops
Bathroom counters can make or break the aesthetic feel of your bathroom. If you are trying to save money, you can opt for a slab that contains imperfections over the popular trend of splurging on granite countertops. You can find creative DIY ways to hide the imperfections on the slab. Check out what sets our maternity photographer from others in California at portraitsbyz.com/ website. Be on the lookout for trends that budget DIYers are doing currently. This can include creative designs for sinks using old dressers as pedestals.
Consider Painting
If you are working on a very tight budget, painting your bathroom can save you a lot of money. You need to inspect your walls for any potential growth of mold and mildew that can develop as a result of moisture locked within the walls.
While repainting is seen as an inexpensive alternative to maintenance, you may have to invest in high-quality paint that contains a satin finish. This will help you save money in the future due to the durable nature of such a paint.
Update Your Fixtures
Assess what type of maintenance your fixtures in the bathroom require. Have your pipes given up and now make an unbearable cracking noise whenever you wash your hands?
You may have to update your fixtures with the help of a plumbing maintenance company. If you cannot afford the items that your plumber needs you to buy, you can find reliable ways to replicate them.
Buy Used Materials and Go Green
Scour various sites that can provide fixtures on a budget. For instance, there are sites where artists upcycle differently items. All you have to do is imagine what you want your item to look like, and they will have it done for you. Executing your house preventive maintenance checklist does not have to put a dent in your pocket. You can prevent any potential damage in your bathroom by installing items that are made from repurposed materials. This can help you choose energy-efficient materials that are aimed at saving you money in the long run.
Lighting Fixtures
Steps for electrical maintenance are crucial to improving the efficiency of your electrical system. Safety is always an important factor when you are handling maintenance of your electrical system.
Dirty and dimmed light bulbs waste a significant amount of energy in your home. If you can wipe them down with a microfiber cloth you can effectively remove the dust that may affect energy consumption.
The ceiling lights are prone to housing a vast amount of dead bugs and grime. But warm and soapy water can help you deal with your problems expeditiously. You must have to remove the cover and soak it in a container full of warm, soapy water to get all the grime out. Thereafter, you can dust the light bulbs before you put the cover back on.
If cleaning the light fixtures is not sufficient for your maintenance plans, and you want a permanent solution for your electrical system, then you should consider installing solar panels. There are various benefits of calling a company that specializes in solar panel services to help you maintain your electrical system. We have summarized these benefits below.
Reduction or Elimination of Energy Bills
If you live in a state with a sufficient amount of sun, you can power your house adequately even if it is a net-zero energy consumption level. When you have a solar system, you generally generate more energy than your average household can consume.
But there’s more! Solar panels are continually drawing energy from the sun. This means that when the weather is cloudy you never have to take any preemptive measures in case there is a blackout.
You Can Earn Taxes and Rates
Did you know that in the United States you can get paid money for your solar system? Yes, you read that right. A federal income tax credit is payable for your solar equipment and installation during tax season.
This incentive is aimed at promoting and prompting people to use solar panels instead of conventional electricity systems as a way to save on energy consumption.
You Save
The main idea behind your house preventive maintenance checklist is to save. Solar power not only offers you long-term savings but also benefits you by increasing your resale value. Prospective homeowners want a home that is massive on energy consumption without the inconvenience of having to install solar panels themselves. Additional, solar panels are ideal for protecting your roof overtime from dangerous elements and weather conditions.
Benefits the Environment
Renewable energy efficiency is important for sustaining the environment. When you opt for solar energy, you are playing a massive role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This is significant for combating greenhouse emissions. Moreover, when you focus on using renewable energy in your home, you are helping to improve the quality of public housing.
A house preventive maintenance checklist is important because it provides you with adequate ways to protect your home against potential damage while saving you money. Maintenance does not have to be considered an expensive exercise. Sometimes, doing the maintenance yourself as a long DIY project can help you learn new skills while you find new ways to save money on your home.