It is our nature to take good care of what we consider valuable. However, we frequently ignore basic maintenance activities on our houses. You may not think about the money you'll need for home repairs and upkeep when you purchase a house. Home maintenance jobs may be stressful and costly. But remaining caught up on them may avoid expensive repairs and greater issues in the future.
You should spend between one and three percent of your home's purchase price each year for the standard homeowner upkeep. To be safe, put aside 3% of your annual income for renovations if possible. Keeping up with the chores around the home regularly might help you avoid expensive repairs and save money in the long term. You'll have to deal with certain repairs as a homeowner, but regular upkeep is a worthwhile investment.
Monthly Maintenance
You may save money by maintaining your home. A roof leak, for example, may quickly get out of control if left ignored. A modest roof or gutter problem is a very straightforward remedy, but you'll deal with mold development and water damage after enough time. These monthly home maintenance activities will save money and time on the road.
Roof inspection.
Clean gutters and check the roof.
HVAC system inspection.
Test lawn irrigation system.
Garden or grass grooming.
Test your sump pump.
Inspect the foundation and crawlspace.
Check the kitchen vent/range hood filter and Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Trip your GFCI outlets.
Yearly Maintenance (By Season)
Keep an eye out for any signs of damage to your home and any issues with the inside of your home. You may use this home maintenance checklist to help you plan out your seasonal upgrades, repairs, and cleaning tasks. To keep your home in optimum condition, run over the list once a month and at the beginning of each season.
Spring
Make sure your outdoor drainage is working correctly; clean up the gutters;
Prepare your air conditioner for the hot weather;
Window screens that are damaged should be repaired or replaced.
Remove dead plants and bushes from around the home.
Make sure trees don't get in the way of power cables.
Summer
Landscape your yard and garden; inspect and repair tiles in your home; if necessary, replace them.
Check for leaks in the plumbing and clean the aerators on the faucets.
Do your best to get rid of any bugs you may be dealing with;
Repair and maintain the deck or patio if necessary.
Clean the dryer vent and any other vents on the outside.
Your garage has to be cleaned out.
Fall
Disinfect and winterize air conditioning systems by flushing and removing sediment from the heater.
Get your heating system ready for the cold season;
Shut off and flush the outside water faucets.
Get your chimney cleaned (if you have one)
Verify for cracks in the sidewalk or driveway.
Winter
To the best of your ability, do an electrical system test;
Tighten any doorknobs or door handles that may be loose.
The locks and deadbolts on your doors and windows should be inspected;
Caulk around showers and baths should be checked.
Remove the showerheads and remove the sediment.
When you take care of your house, you keep it in good working order, saving money on your energy costs. Your HVAC system will have to work harder to cool or heat your house if you don't clean the furnace filter. Keeping food cold becomes more complex and requires more energy when the evaporative coils beneath your refrigerator are not cleaned properly.
To build equity in your house, you must spend money on home renovation and maintenance initiatives that boost the value of your property.
Repairing or replacing systems and appliances is often only offered to homeowners who have attempted to maintain them. If you neglected to change your HVAC system's filters for a year and the fan failed due to overwork, a home warranty typically would not cover the repair or replacement costs. It's possible to save tens of thousands of dollars each year by cleaning and maintaining your systems and appliances.
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