When buying a home, the first thing that concerns most people is financial responsibility. It is also critical that you keep in mind the time and the labor that as a requirement for homeownership. Having home maintenance for your modern house plan is also like regular change oil for your car to keep your engine running healthy and fit, keeping you with regular maintenance.
It can be quite difficult to think about these tedious maintenances especially if you are a new homeowner or you have just recently moved. It is a long list and it is undeniably a challenging task. It’s a good thing that you can do most of it without much experience. YouTube and Google is a great help and if you encounter any difficulties, you can call up your local handyman to help you.
To explore your efficiency and complete all these tasks, you might want to jot down a home maintenance list for yourself. You can create a list of whether online or on a paper. You can list down the small, regular task for each weekend and to be overwhelmed by a lot of tasks.
In this article, I’m going to show you 8 home maintenance that you can do to your home to keep it structurally safe and sound while maintaining low running costs.
Table of contents
8 Home Maintenance Tips and checklist
1. Test your sump pump to avoid flooding
First thing you can check is your basement. Sump pumps are often found there and are the last line of defence against flooding, molds buildup and water condensation from drains. You don’t want to have a flooded basement or a damaged foundation, so you need to test the pump every 6 months.
2. Inspect and change HVAC filters
Although many experts recommend changing the filters monthly, however, this is not always necessary. If you have a small family, it is okay to change the filters in every 2-3months. Inspect and change it again a month after once you see it dirty again. Handymen suggest cheaper filters and replace them more often versus buying expensive filters.
3. Clean kitchen sink
Cleaning your sink disposal has a lot of ways to be done, but the easiest and most handy solution is to apply vinegar ice cubes. Put some vinegar in an ice tray and freeze it, then run it through the disposal. It freshens the sink and ice sharpens the blades.
4. Remove dead plants/shrubs from the house
This can be a gardening top, but you can do some trimming for shrubs in the fall. Shrubs can squeeze their way into cracks and holes on the exterior of your home causing damage and shortens the longevity of your home’s exterior. From time to time, nip some buds before it creates more issue. Pay close attention to the decorative vines.
5. Clean your range hood filter
Filters can get clogged with how much you spend cooking in the kitchen. Thick grease can easily build up. To stop the grease seeping inside the range, filters are designed to trap those grease. You can tell if your filter is doing its job properly when it collects pretty awful grease. When this happens, you can clean them with a wet cloth.
6. Clean ceiling fan blades
Summer season would be the best time to fire up your ceiling fan to cool down your house. You don’t want to have a dusty home during this season. Here is how you can clean it:
1. Spread an old cloth on the floor to catch any dirt you intend to wipe
2. Mix water and two tablespoons of distilled white vinegar on an old pillowcase.
3. slide off the grime and wipe with dry cloth the pillowcase while wrapped with the pillowcase.
7. Keep gutters in top shape
One of the most avoided cleaning tasks is cleaning the gutters. But this toil can save you money on having replacement gutters and even on getting roof repair damage. The roof can be strained when gutters are clogged and when it breaks and overflow. You can get special tools for gutter cleaning or do it the old fashioned way.
8. Seal leaking doors and windows
Sometimes doors and windows are prone to damage from the elements when it is faced outwards. Usually, it causes the seals around the frames to rot easily. And when it happens, you might spend more time heating your home because heat is known as a way to slowly seep it away. If you wake up one morning to a cold house, its time to get up and make this your number one priority. You still have to check it even if you think it does not have any leaks.
CONCLUSION:
To own a house is such a pride and gives a wonderful feeling, but don’t forget the responsibility of home maintenance tasks that goes along with it. In this article, we have come up with eight tips of home maintenance that are common and handy. If you find yourself having constant repairs or worrying whether your HVAC needs a complete tune-up, then this can help.