In a perfect world, keeping up with a home maintenance checklist would be easy. There would be no work emergencies, kid’s soccer games, or holiday travel to distract homeowners from giving their home their undivided, year-round attention. We don’t live in that perfect world, and no homeowner is perfect when it comes to home upkeep. Procrastination and prioritizing other things is just part of life.
It’s one thing to put off painting the fence or cleaning the baseboards for yet another weekend. It’s an entirely different matter to procrastinate on urgently needed repairs to your home. In this article, we’re going to review some of the problems you should address immediately, and how any delayed action could lead to significant headaches and expenses in your future.
Leaks, clogs, and plumbing problems
By the time most homeowners notice water damage, the clock is already ticking until the problem gets worse. Whether the water has gotten into the home through the roof or through a leaking pipe, it may have already started to cause structural damage and mold growth. Addressing the damage, repairing the origin point of the leak, and getting an expert out to your home for mold remediation can already cost thousands. However, this isn’t a problem that is going to go away on its own: the only way to limit the damage to your home and your expenses is to act right away.
This same principle applies to clogs. Most clogs are relatively innocuous and can be cleared with a plunger. If all the drains—sinks, showers, and toilets—in your home are clogged at once, however, it’s a strong indication that your sewer line is clogged or blocked. Regardless of its origin, a sewer line blockage can lead to a disastrous sewer backup and thousands of dollars in damage to your home. This is not something that can wait even an hour: you need to turn the water supply off and immediately call a licensed plumber in your area.
Roof and drainage damage
Season after season, your home’s roof protects its structure from the elements. Roofing issues tend to start seemingly minor, and then—with enough time or the right conditions—suddenly escalate into a serious situation. For most homeowners, the trouble starts with missing or torn shingles. Without this protective shield, the roof’s underlayment is exposed to the sun, wind, and rain. It’s common for homeowners to wake up to puddles in the living room after the first rainstorm in a few weeks—their underlayment deteriorated without them even noticing.
For similar reasons, you should act quickly to deal with any drainage issues on your roof. Your gutters and downspouts are responsible for carrying rain and snowmelt down to the ground. If they are clogged or broken, water will pool, potentially leading to the need for roof repairs or, if the situation is serious enough, a new roof.
HVAC issues
Most people think of their air conditioner and furnace as essential to their home’s comfort, but, in many places throughout the United States, a working cooling and heating system is also critical to your home’s safety. Without a functioning furnace to provide heat on below-freezing nights, your home’s pipes could freeze and burst. A broken-down air conditioner on the hottest and most humid days of summer could be dangerous. If your HVAC systems aren’t performing right, are making strange noises, or have stopped working altogether, the time to call in a professional is now.
Taking quick, decisive action can be the difference between a home nightmare and life quickly returning to normal. While that grass in your front lawn can probably go another weekend before it really needs to be cut, some home repairs require your immediate action.
