5 Essential Home Maintenance Tips

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 23 January 2018 18:36

Home maintenance is important in helping you to protect and get the most out of your biggest investment. If you practice regular routine maintenance, you can prevent a lot of costly repairs. Caring for your home requires some effort. But a little effort now is worth the headaches and expense you could face later without it. Here are some home maintenance tips to keep your home running at its best.

 

Prevent Pests

 

Pest such as mice and insects can create havoc in your home. Not only do they multiply and create waste, but they can legitimately affect how things like your appliances work once they get inside. And, weren't rats involved in spreading the plague?

 

The most obvious way to keep pests away is to keep your home clean. By sweeping up crumbs and putting food away you reduce the food sources that attract them in the first place. Less well known is to make sure to seal gaps around your foundation where they can get in. Also, if you are going to use a ground cover around your house, choose gravel instead of wood mulch because it is less pest friendly. Do not store piles of wood or anything else up against your house as these make good places for pests to hide and can create a bridge into your home. And consider planting things like mint around your foundation as these plants tend to deter pests.

 

Prevent Air Leaks

 

One of the best ways to save on your energy bills is to seal up air gaps. Make sure the caulk around window and door frames is not wearing thin or coming loose. Installing weather stripping around windows and doors should help to prevent air leakage, too. Finding and sealing gaps can help to keep your home comfortable with out paying more for utilities.

 

Check Smoke Detectors

 

Smoke detectors may not affect the way your home functions, but they are essential items nonetheless. It is important to ensure that they work properly to keep your family safe. Smoke detectors should be checked every six months to ensure that the batteries still work and the detector still functions normally. Batteries should be replaced annually. A smoke detector can alert you to danger, but can not put out the fire. It is, therefore, also a good idea to make sure that you have home insurance and that it is up to date.

 

Clean Out Gutters

 

Gutters collect water from your roof and move it away from your house. If your gutters are not working properly, water can be directed back toward your house and cause problems for your foundation. Unfortunately, gutters were designed to collect debris easily. They are placed in the perfect place to collect debris from your trees which causes clogging and can result in water being directed back toward your house. It is in your best interest to clean them once or twice a year. If you install a guard to prevent the biggest pieces of debris from falling into your gutter, your job may be easier.

 

Change HVAC Filters and Have It Serviced

 

One of the simplest things you can do for your home to help keep one of its most expensive systems running smoothly is to change your HVAC filter regularly. How often you change it will depend on the filter, so check the packaging. The filter prevents contaminants from entering your furnace. When lint and dust particles get into your furnace they can prevent it from working properly and could potentially cause it to burn out more quickly. To this end, it is also a good idea to have your HVAC system serviced every year. The technician will give your HVAC a thorough cleaning and lubrication. This too will keep it running at its best.

 

Most home maintenance is pretty simple. Keeping it up to date will help you ensure that your home is operating at its best. A home at its best will present homeowners with fewer serious problems and be less expensive over all.

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Carol Evenson

Carol is a home renovation specialist with a background in organization and sales. She assists realtors with business management and growth.

https://twitter.com/cmill_com

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