A home can provide a secure and comfortable place to live in. It can also serve as a way to earn extra by leasing some of its rooms or selling your estate to acquire capital to start a business. Your home can help you do more than merely serve as a place to relax. With this, it only fits that you maintain it in optimal shape to withstand the test of time.
With the challenges posed by the harsh environment and undergoing various climates, your house has a lot more to deal with than you expect. To give you the chance to pass down your property to your children or use it as a source of income, here’s a maintenance checklist to use.
Check the Foundation
Your home’s foundation is easily the most vital aspect: it supports everything and gives you a solid barricade from the outdoors. Despite using the sturdiest materials to build your foundation — usually a combination of steel and cement — cracks will still appear over time.
Even though these cracks begin at the size of a hairline, they can grow and make way for more problematic issues. That will require expensive renovations. To prevent any significant and costly repairs, you should use a filling solution or joint compound enough for the cracks to look smooth on the surface.
Inspect Your Downspout
Heavy rain is another foe you have to face in the quest to maintain your property’s integrity. If your abode is weak to rain, you’ll have to deal with the effects of water damage. With water damage, you’ll have to abandon any hopes of selling since this issue paves the way for molds and other problems.
The first step to preventing this is by checking your downspout and pipes. Your roof’s downspout is close to your foundation, and once it no longer works, water can easily seep through your walls and damage interiors. To keep it in excellent condition, using a mesh wire and regularly sweeping the edges of your roof will stop leaves and debris from creating a blockage.
Look Into Cracks and Crevices
Pests are also one of the most brutal enemies you’ll meet once you give your home a complete inspection. Insects and small animals can all cause damage to your property, but it’s termites that you should be on the lookout for, mainly if your home contains plenty of wooden materials.
All pests need are entrances, and even small crevices and cracks will do. A brilliant move you can make is to fill up and cover holes to ensure that insects cannot turn them into their homes and breed. Slathering your house with anti-termite or anti-pest coating can help. Apart from covering cracks, you can also install a fence around your home to deter pests and other wild animals from breaking into your property.
Protect Your Flooring
Like your foundation, your floors also have to deal with daily wear and tear, including heavy foot traffic. That can eventually show signs of deterioration after many years. Repairing floors is incredibly expensive, considering how you’ll need to hire contractors and have each part replaced with new materials.
To avoid undergoing invasive and costly repair, you can begin protecting your floors. It’s best to install Life Deck coating systems to safeguard your floors from any damage. You can also install rubber feet on your furniture and use rugs and carpets to lessen the damage on the flooring.
Repair Loose Wires
Even though not as expensive as repairing your house’s foundation and flooring, fixing electrical wires is a priority since it can lead to life-threatening situations if left in a damaged state.
To spot signs of electrical damage around your home, you need to stay alert and take note of signs like odors coming from burning wires, flickering lights, electrical ground, and even power surges. Some wiring issues do not require professional help. But if you’re not in any way familiar with complex repairs, especially involving electricity, it’s best to call a home repair service.
Optimize Heating and Cooling Systems
Since the primary purpose of your house is to keep you comfortable all year round, using the best heating and cooling systems should be in your home maintenance checklist. When you choose the best cooling and heating equipment, you help alleviate pressure from your household budget.
To start, you can insulate your walls with excellent and eco-friendly materials. Using sheep’s wool and polystyrene will help retain warmth during the winter months. They can prevent cold air from escaping once temperatures drop, keeping you comfortable and making work easier for your cooling system.
You can adopt little maintenance habits and regularly check your home for damage. This way, you can prevent having to undergo massive repairs in the future and even save money.
