Home depreciation is a common but unavoidable problem for many homeowners. It can be tough to sell or live in a home that has depreciated throughout the years. In this article, we will discuss simple ways you can maintain your new home.
We’re all scared of a time when our home has depreciated fully, and we’re forced to spend thousands of dollars in renovation costs. This would be a fairly common occurrence, especially if you bought a budget home. But there are ways you can delay the inevitable and give yourself enough time to save up the money you need for a full-on renovation.
Preparing Your Budget for Renovation
Before you start, you should consider thinking of your budget as early as now. This is so you can start saving up. Then, consider it your goal by the end of the year or as a general way for you to take account of your progress.
If you aren’t entirely sure of the right budget for renovation costs in the future, you should consider using the one-percent rule. The one-percent rule entails that you should save one percent of the overall price of your home every year. So if you’ve purchased your home for around $300,000 (average cost of homes this year), one percent of that is $3,000. So save that amount of money every year, even if you don’t need to renovate your home entirely.
If we look into the cost of replacing various parts of our home, the prices vary entirely. However, one of the most expensive replacements is in HVAC systems.
Maintaining Your HVAC Systems
The average cost of replacing HVAC systems is around $6,000. This is higher than the one-percent rule we have stated earlier for average homes. This is why many homeowners do their best to maintain their HVAC systems. Here are ways you can do that.
Cleaning
HVAC systems, especially vents, are the most prone to dust and dirt in your home. Aside from depreciating the system from this inside, this can lead to frequent allergic attacks.
Cleaning your HVAC system requires you to have all sorts of equipment, such as an air compressor. If you don’t have this particular equipment with you, you should consider getting someone to clean your vents. It’s not that expensive if you compare it to a complete replacement, so utilize it as much as you can.
Proactive Repairs
HVAC systems, especially air conditioners, are prone to minor failures and damage early on. Although this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to replace them, it does mean that you have to spend money on getting them fixed. You require specialized equipment for this, so it’s better if you hire someone else to repair your air conditioning for you. This is the same situation for vents and other parts of your overall HVAC system, like smart devices. Make sure to get repairs the moment you notice your HVAC malfunctioning.
Maintaining Your Home’s Exterior
The next part that is always in need of maintenance is the exterior of your home. The roof, siding, and pathways are the parts of your home you should maintain the best way you can.
Any damage in your roof cost by depreciation or other factors such as the weather needs to be repaired immediately. If you have found any holes leading inside your attic or your home, consider hiring pest control to check your home. This can be a pathway for all kinds of animals such as bats and other birds, some of which might carry diseases. Additionally, this is the proactive way you can protect your home from damage caused by animals.
Your home’s siding is open to all sorts of environmental problems. It’s also vulnerable to dirt and grime. Thankfully, the best way to maintain your siding is by keeping it clean. Use water and wipe it with a clean cloth. This should remove any dirt or grime that might have stuck to the surface.
Cemented pathways, especially those found in front of your garage, can be vulnerable to grime. You’ll have to wash them with a pressure washer as it can be hard to do it only by hand.
Adding More Light to Your Home
One proactive way to reduce the grime and mold that would damage your home is to add more light to your home. The light can be in the form of natural light, which is healthy for your eyes and overall health. But LED lights that have a yellow tint are also a good choice. This can be a great way to proactively protect your home and reduce maintenance costs in the future.
Maintenance costs can be expensive, especially for bigger homes. But by cleaning and utilizing home services proactively, you should be able to save a decent amount of money. It should be enough to cover a full renovation cost in the future.
