Anyone who owns a home knows that maintenance is essential for keeping it safe, happy, and in good shape. While maintenance needs and expenses will vary each year of ownership, a general rule of thumb is to save one percent of the cost of the home for repairs and upgrades needed throughout the year. These savings will also help cover emergencies, which can strike at any time and in any house area. While some emergencies are worse than others, handling them properly is always important. Although it can be tempting to make DIY repairs, the emergencies below require the help of a skilled professional.
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Broken Doors or Windows
Broken doors or windows may not seem like imminent threats, but they can compromise your safety. Even with the proper barricades, it’s still easier for break-ins to happen, especially when you’re not at home. For this reason, you’ll want to have repairs or a replacement done as soon as possible. Most contractors can handle these jobs, although you’ll see that they can be complicated because of the sheer size and weight of both doors and windows. To make your home safe as quickly as possible, you’ll want to have this done right away.
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Lock Out
When you lose your key, your key breaks, or your lock is broken, it can be difficult or impossible to gain access to your home. In these situations, a locksmith is someone you should call right away. Their experience, combined with their inventory of intricate tools, can help you change out your keys or locks, so you are no longer left waiting outside of your home. If you want to upgrade, they can also help install smart locks that provide access without any key required.
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Animal or Pest Problems
Whether a raccoon is getting into your trash cans or ants crawling in your kitchen, it’s essential to tackle these issues right away. Any pest can pose a danger to your household, whether it’s through biting your family or damaging your actual property. In these situations, it’s important to call either wildlife management experts or pest control professionals. They’ll bring traps, sprays, and other solutions that will allow you to regain control of your home.
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Water Damage
In situations where water damage has occurred, restoration is the only way to recover the home and help bring it back to a healthy state. This is especially true if mold or mildew is present, as both can pose a danger to your family. When you have a restoration technician help, they will restore or replace the damaged materials to be clean and structurally safe. Their ultimate goal is to help make your home whole again so you can get back to life as usual and forget the damage ever occurred.
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Electrical Fires or Smoke
If you notice any smoke coming from an outlet or a fire has occurred after sparks fly from a light switch, you need to call an electrician. Trying to do your electrical work can be a recipe for disaster, especially if it’s something you’re not familiar with. Your best bet is to hire someone who can find the issue, replace the wiring, and take care of the necessary repairs. With their help, you can have peace of mind that your wiring won’t be left in bad shape.
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Your Roof is Leaking or Falling Apart
Roofers can help with emergency problems that you may experience with your roof. This can include repairs for storm damage, replacement roofs for old and worn down, or updates for roofs that need a little bit of care. Their help will ensure moisture cannot enter your home and cause further water damage than what might already be there. In addition to this, their repairs will ensure your roof will be strong and sturdy so it can survive the next storm that comes into the area.
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Your Carbon Monoxide Alarm is Going Off
If your carbon monoxide alarm has been going off, don’t take this problem lightly. Immediately open doors and windows before turning off appliances that may run on gas, such as your dryer, space heater, furnace, or water heater. After that, call a technician immediately so they can inspect your home and find the source of the problem. Since carbon monoxide deaths are increasingly common, this isn’t a problem you should ignore.
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You Have Plumbing Leaks or Flooding
Plumbing problems are perhaps some of the most common issues that homeowners deal with. However, these problems can quickly turn into emergencies when they cause flooding within the home. If you’re in this type of situation, don’t try to do your repairs. Instead, the professionals at Conrad Martens Northside recommend calling in licensed plumbers to help with the problem. Their extensive knowledge and experience will give you peace of mind knowing that your plumbing is fixed properly.
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You Put Out a Kitchen Fire
Even if a small kitchen fire has been put out, it’s essential to have a restoration technician come to your home for assistance. They will address and eliminate smoke and fire damage that has occurred in the home. This will get rid of any damaged materials and help improve the safety of the breathing air around you.
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Your Gutters are Damaged or Clogged
If heavy rains have left you with gutters that can no longer do their job, you need to have a contractor help clean them out as soon as possible. Without working gutters, you could be left with water damage from any rainstorm in the future. Therefore, it’s better to tackle this problem right away so water can drain properly without any risk of problems.
Is Your Home Happy and Healthy?
It’s an unfortunate reality that emergencies happen within homes at any given time. Fortunately, there are professionals you can rely on to help you. With their assistance, you won’t have to risk the health of your home by trying to do DIY fixes that may not work.
