Preventative Home Maintenance Tips You Shouldn’t Ignore

Home maintenance is one of the most crucial tasks for any homeowner.

It’s all about maintaining your house, fixtures and fittings to ensure your home stays safe and secure.

Of course, there are numerous house maintenance tasks to be done, so your own personal maintenance list actually depends on your home.

That being said, there are some basic home maintenance jobs most homeowners should be doing regularly.

And if you’re wondering where to start, these are key preventative maintenance tips you shouldn’t ignore:

Check Your AC Regularly

Many homes rely on air conditioning systems for a comfortable temperature indoors. The last thing you want to do is deal with a busted air conditioner just when you need it most during summer.

Check the functionality of your AC by doing a test run of 30 minutes to make sure it’s cooling as expected.

To extend the life of your home’s AC unit, adjust your programmable thermostat by only about 2 to 3 degrees at a time.

If anything seems off with your AC unit, call a professional HVAC company to service the unit. This may include lubricating the fan motor, cleaning the condenser or doing some small repairs.

Keep Moisture At Bay

Heat and moisture provide the perfect climate for mold to flourish.

Excessive moisture can cause big problems, and mold alone is a huge health risk for you and family.

It attracts termites and rodents, causes wood rot and creates issues including a foul odor, surface discoloration, and a number of health risks.

According to experts, you need to keep dampness inside your home under control by regularly inspecting your roofs for leaks, cleaning your gutters, draining your water heaters once a year and ensuring a cool environment, especially in areas like your kitchen and bathroom.

To identify moisture problems, look out for stains on walls and ceilings, dark areas on pipes under sinks, foul odors indoors and rocking toilets.

Any of these could be a sign of a pipe leak. Get a plumbing expert to identify issues, and if there is damage caused by water leaks or moisture, get water damage restoration services as soon as possible.

Eradicate Pests

Pests are one of the biggest threats to a home. Thousands of houses in North America deal with pest infestations ranging from bugs to rodents.

Luckily, most pest infestations, like termites, can be easily avoided if you keep a watchful eye.

But, while DIY pest control for the occasional cockroach can work, it’s not going to be enough when you have a serious infestation.

Consider taking these preventative measures to keep the pests away:

• Trim bushes and shrubs touching your home’s exterior (wood destroying pests like termites and carpenter ants can crawl inside your home).
• Weed thick vegetation around your home to avoid encouraging pests and rodents.
• Keep bird feeders at a distance of at least 25 ft from your home. Spilled seeds can attract rodents like rats.

If you have identified any form of infestation, seek professional help from an experienced pest control company.

Inspect Plumbing Fittings

It’s also important to inspect your plumbing fittings regularly, especially in your kitchen and bathroom.

Check your piping, bathroom sinks, toilets, and faucets to ensure they are working fine and there are no leaks.

One of the best ways to avoid problems with your plumbing fittings is by buying quality fittings like faucets or a modern sink, and ensuring that installation is only done by an expert, licensed plumber.

Check Your Roof

Your roof is what protects a home from the elements. While it’s designed to last, don’t assume everything is fine until you have a problem.

After a storm or heavy rains, inspect your roof or get a roofing contractor to inspect it to identify any potential damages.

Repairing loose or damaged shingles right away will ensure you don’t have major problems with your roof in the future!

If you notice significant damage, then it may be time to consider installing a new roof to ensure your home is protected in the years to come.

Other maintenance tips could include priming your pool to ensure it’s safe for swimming, servicing your sprinkler to save water, keeping your backyard clutter-free, keeping lawns clean and doing repainting work on old walls.

With a bit of extra attention and regular care, your home will look great and keep your family safe and comfortable for decades to come!