The pride of home ownership also comes with some extra responsibilities and expenses to keep it in good shape, which in turn helps your house hold it’s value (and that’s always a good thing!). Here are five maintenance tips to keep your home looking as impressive as the day you bought it.
5.) Gutter Cleaning
Frequency: Every 6 months, or as needed
One of the most sneaky ways a home’s value can go south is through gutter damage. Clogged gutters may seem harmless, but in truth, they can do a number of bad things to your home. For example:
- Clogged gutters allow water to seep under your roof, resulting in mold or roof rot.
- Blocked gutters can get saturated with water and freeze, causing gutters to burst and break.
- Rainwater isn’t mitigated from your home, which can cause flooding in your basement or crawl space.
When you consider your home’s structure and roof’s integrity, cleaning your gutters twice a year isn’t such a big expense. Also, if you have all the right cleaning tools and a safe ladder, you can make it a DIY job to save bit of cash.
4.) A/C Vent Cleaning
Frequency: Annually, or as needed
Did you know that the air indoors can be more polluted than the air outside? Volatile Organic Compounds, which can come from anything from your furniture, carpeting or vehicle emissions that seep in from your garage, can make your indoor air unclean. Another source of unclean air comes from your air vents, which bring in outside air from your HVAC unit.
Though you may change your air filter frequently, allergens like pollen and dust can accumulate in your vents and invade your house. To prevent your indoor air quality from deteriorating, get a regular A/C vent cleaning to keep you breathing easily.
Also, while you’re in between inspections, another way to keep the indoor air clean is to invest in a good HEPA air purifier.
3.) Roof Inspection
Frequency: Annually, or after a big storm/unusual event
The same principles behind a regular HVAC inspection stand behind an annual roof inspection. One loose shingle can open the floodgates for water damage like roof rot or dangerous mold colonies. However, just an ounce of prevention can help keep expensive repairs far away.
The type of shingles you have on your roof also determine the frequency of your inspections. For example, wooden shingles are organic and are more prone to water damage. Metal roofing, on the other hand, is hardier against the elements and far less likely to harbor mold, moss or rot.
Also, if you just experienced a big storm, or if your home is still standing after a natural disaster, you’ll definitely need to schedule an inspection, even if you just had one conducted recently.
If you’re handy around the house and have the right equipment to inspect and repair your own roof safely, the Shingle Eater Junior is an excellent tool that can help you replace faulty shingles before they cause you trouble.
2.) Service the HVAC
Frequency: Every 6 months, or as needed
Nothing’s worse than needing to get HVAC repairs during an extreme blizzard or record heat. Instead, be one step ahead and get regular HVAC inspections to keep your heating and air conditioner in great shape.
Your contractor can find problems early and give your unit preventative care that costs far less than replacing a broken unit. When the average cost of a new unit runs between $6k and $12k, opting for periodic maintenance and the standard inspection is definitely better for your budget.
Saving money on your heating and cooling is even easier when you upgrade to a programmable thermostat, making your temperatures automatically move higher or lower when you’re at work or asleep.
1.) Dryer Vent Cleaning
Frequency: Every 6 months, or as needed
Dirty dryer vents — the leading cause of home fires — can also inhibit your dryer’s performance, making laundry an all-day chore. A clogged vent is no fun, especially when it can damage your home with fires or run up your utility bill. Thankfully, both fires and high utility bills are 100% preventable when you schedule regular dryer vent cleanings.
Do you feel like making this task a DIY project? Plenty of homeowners have learned how to properly clean their vents by using a proper dryer vent cleaning system. However, this method won’t work if your dryer vent is clogged beyond the help of a DIY task!
