Your home is possibly the most valuable thing you’ll ever own. It’s an asset that can provide you money when you retire, leave to your children, and even increase in value over time. But anything valuable needs to be taken care of, and that’s where home maintenance comes in. A regular maintenance routine can help you preserve your home, not only maintaining its appearance and saving you money, but increasing its value too.
Discover the best ways to maintain your own with the help of these home maintenance tips.
Keep the outside looking fresh
The outside of your home provides that all-important first impression, giving you a property to be proud of when it’s looking its best. But many people neglect the outside of their homes because they’re too focused on the inside. Regular maintenance of your home’s exterior can keep it looking fresh, while also preventing some of the damage caused by mold, weather and more. Some of the best ways to maintain your home’s exterior include:
- Wash your driveway – a jet wash may be needed to remove stubborn stains and dirt.
- Maintain the render of your home, if you have one.
- Repaint areas that may have been damaged by the weather or worse – including your door and window frames.
- Keep an eye on your fences and gates, ensuring they maintain their integrity and stay free from rust and damage. Replace any panels that become damaged by storms and other events.
Check your roof regularly
Your roof is an important part of your home. It helps keep your home warm and dry, protecting the interior. Your roof is vulnerable to damage, especially during the winter months or powerful weather events, which means it could need more maintenance than you realize. A roof maintenance program could help keep your roof in shape, repairing any signs of damage before an entire roof replacement is needed. With a maintenance program in place, you can ensure your roof gets regular attention, protecting both the inside and the outside of your home.
Inspect windows and doors for drafts
Windows and doors are expensive elements to replace in your home, so it’s in your best interests to take care of them. By inspecting your windows and doors for drafts, especially in the winter, you can take steps to ensure that they are sealed properly, keeping your home insulated from the cold. When the time comes to replace your windows and doors, ensure you choose a provider who offers a guarantee, helping you to protect your investment for longer.
Don’t ignore your gutters
Your gutters are another exterior element of your home that needs regular maintenance. Your gutter can clog easily with leaves and other debris, meaning rainwater becomes difficult to drain away, potentially leading to leaks and flooding. The good news is that it’s easier to clean your gutters than you might think, so it’s worth investing in the right tools or calling in a professional to take care of the job. This is one you’ll want to monitor throughout the fall and winter months, and take care of once you’re confident there’ll be no more leaves falling that season.
Ensure your home stays well ventilated
Ventilating your home is important for many reasons. Not only can it help prevent a build-up of mold or damp, but it can also help keep your household healthy – ensuring rooms get plenty of fresh air, particularly during cold and flu season! There are different ways you can improve ventilation in your home, including:
- Open your windows and doors as much as possible during the day to help the air circulate.
- Use a fan to move air around your home.
- Use an air purifier to ensure the air that’s in your home is free from different particles.
- Use ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen.
Getting into a regular ventilation routine can make a big difference to your home, helping to keep it fresh while also preventing viruses and other illnesses.
Test your smoke or fire alarms regularly
Smoke alarms are a lifesaving device, helping you prevent potentially catastrophic damage to your home. Testing your smoke alarms regularly will ensure that they’re in good working order, giving you peace of mind when you leave the house or go to sleep at night. Different fire alarms have different settings for testing, so make sure you’re familiar with what needs to be done to test your personal device.
Keep up with your landscaping
Your back and front yard are a vital part of your home. Many people use their outdoor space as an extension of their home, creating the perfect place to relax and entertain. This adds value to your home in many ways, giving you a space to enjoy and make memories, as well as monetary value. But if you’ve spent time, energy and money on your landscaping, then it’s important to keep on top of it and keep everything looking its best. From cutting the grass to cleaning your patio and decking areas regularly, keeping up with your landscaping can make a big difference to the appearance of your home.
Some people enjoy gardening, some people hate it, so if you’re someone who falls into the latter category, or doesn’t have the time for gardening – call in a professional to help out. It can give you one less thing to worry about, and lead to better results too.
Inspect your plumbing for signs of damage
Plumbing problems can wreak havoc on your home, causing damage if something goes wrong. Some plumbing issues, such as a blocked toilet or drain, are easy to spot and can be fixed yourself, while others can creep up over time. Following a plumbing inspection checklist once or twice a year can help you keep on top of things and spot if there’s a problem. Make sure one of your checks is carried out during the winter months, as your external pipes can freeze, expand and crack easily, causing all kinds of expensive problems.
When it comes to fixing plumbing issues, it’s always worth hiring a professional plumber to get the job done properly.
Refresh paintwork
Nothing beats a fresh coat of paint! Both the inside and outside of your home can benefit from a paint refresh over time. Refreshing your paintwork is an affordable and simple way to give your home a new look, or even make your home look like new again. As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to paint every 5 or 10 years, but if you tend to get bored of colors, or if you have kids and pets, you may want to do this a little more often.
Don’t forget to paint baseboards, moldings and door frames too – you’ll notice a huge difference to your space when you give these a refresh every couple of years!
Make your home clutter-free
While a clutter-free home won’t necessarily add value to your home, it can make it easier to keep clean and maintain. It can also help prevent pests that can cause a lot of damage to your home when they have plenty of nooks and crannies to hide in.
Decluttering your home can be something of an art, but once you get into a routine with it, it becomes much easier. You should embark on one major decluttering session for every room of your house, and then carry out smaller declutters every couple of months. Decluttering will not only make your home easier to manage, but it can stop wasteful habits too, helping you save money while making do with less. You never know which treasures you might discover in your home after a good decluttering session!
Create a checklist to help you stay on track
Maintaining your home can be a lot of work, so it’s easy for things to get missed or left for too long. The best way to keep on top of things is to create a home maintenance checklist that you can work through every season to ensure you’ve covered everything in your home. Some top tips include:
- Make time to work through your list. Get everyone in the house (if safe to do so) to tackle different jobs so it’s not all left to one person.
- Where possible, bring in professionals for your major maintenance work. This can ensure things are inspected and maintained properly.
- Make notes as you work through your list. This could give you some handy tips for last time, or alert you to issues that are worth noting, but may not require immediate intervention yet.
- Don’t ignore problems and hope they’ll go away. The faster you deal with a maintenance issue, the easier (and cheaper) it will be to fix.
- Get a home warranty to help you cover any unexpected repairs.
As your most valuable asset, your home deserves your love and attention. With a regular home maintenance program in place, you can ensure your home stands the test of time, helping you get the most from your investment.