It’s hard to think about anything besides the enormous financial responsibility of buying your home. Still, it’s important to remember all the labor and time invested into the home. In the same way that your car will cost some upfront money but will also require the occasional oil change and wash, your house needs some regular maintenance to ensure you don’t have to spend even more money on a repair or total replacement in the future. Here are five home maintenance tips to save money in the future.
Indeed, the overall responsibility can certainly seem overwhelming, mainly if you have never owned a home. There’s no denying that maintaining a house is an involved process. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much experience to do most of it, and Google will be your best friend for small tasks. If you get stuck, a local handyman is well-equipped to give you some help.
Five tasks in particular should be monitored regularly to help you save money in the long run.
Check For Leaks And Fix Them
Of all the things that can damage a house, water is one of the worst to deal with. That’s because water leaks will lead to mildew and mold, which leads to rotting, and that can lead to carpenter ants, which love to chew on soft, soggy wood. On the other hand, taking care of the leak before water accumulates, there won’t be any rot nor any ants drawn to that rot.
What do you need to do? Check for any toilets that rock, stains on the ceilings, dark spots under the pipes, and dark spots inside the sink cabinets. Inspect the roof at least once per year as well. If there are any signs of a leak, be sure to fix them right away.
If you can’t, call a local plumber. A visit from a professional could cost you a couple hundred, and a roof repair could cost thousands. However, failing to deal with the problem will lead to areas of rot, which will require expensive structural repair, not to mention new cabinets and potentially new flooring in the kitchen. If the roof rots, you will need a brand new roof altogether, and you will have to pay to fix the rooms below the infected area.
Test The Backup Pump And Sump Pump
You don’t want to find out your sump pump is clogged during a storm, nor do you want to start designing a backup pump in such a clog. It is stuff that needs to happen before the rain does.
For backflow prevention, fill the sump pump with water and ensure it correctly sends water flow through the discharge line. Repeat the test with your backup pump after unplugging the main pump. If the batteries in the backup pump are older than two years, you will need a new sump pump. If you do not yet have a backup pump and rely on municipal water, then grab one constructed for water pressure. The battery kind is the only kind available for those on well water.
It’s free to test your battery backup sump pump, but installing a new backup and replacing the battery in the one you already have will cost a couple of hundred dollars. Failing to maintain your pump can cause your basement to flood, destroying just about everything inside. You’ll also have to pay for new carpet and drywall.
Protect Your Foundation
If something happens to your walls, whether it settles unevenly or serious cracks appear, you could have to pay for one of the most expensive repairs.
Every year, you must ensure that the soil around your house slopes at least six inches over 10 feet away from the foundation. This slope prevents water from hitting the foundation, which may cause cracks in the masonry, leaks in the basement, or leaning basement walls. It’s especially important to keep water away if you have a crawl space because water accumulation could attract insects, rot, and mold.
Topsoil usually costs about $15 per cubic yard, plus delivery. In the worst case, failing to maintain your foundation can cause basement wall cracks and cause your foundation to settle. Fixing this requires stabilizing and sealing the walls, costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Keep Your Window Wells Clean
You might not think about clearing your window well if you have never had a problem with water accumulation in this area. Turns out that can be a pretty costly mistake.
After an average amount of rainfall, clogged gutters could overflow and pour water down into your window well. Left also plugged, leaves in your wall can act as a liner in a pool, causing the water to accumulate until, eventually, the pressure breaks the windows of the basement, inviting gallons of water inside.
Watch Out For Recalled Appliances
According to the magazine Consumer Reports, more than half of the 150,000+ fires that occurred between 2006 and 2008 were caused by faulty appliances. Homeowners were not aware that their machines had been recalled for defects, resulting in 3,670 injuries and 150 deaths.
To prevent tragedy, know the model and serial numbers of all your appliances and verify them all at www.recalls.gov. You’ll need to do this regularly because it can take years for specific problems to reveal themselves.
That is just a no-brainer. It doesn’t cost anything to check your appliances, and the worst-case scenario involves death and the destruction of your entire house. Ensure all of your machines are entirely safe regularly to avoid risking your safety or that of your family and loved ones.
