12 Things to check for home maintenance

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Are you feeling guilty about avoiding all the home repairs that have been waiting for a fixture for weeks? Well, you should…along with the 45% of Americans who don’t do home maintenance right away. 

When overlooking the home maintenance for longer – clogged gutters turn into water damage, dirty filters shorten the lifespan of your furnace, chipped paint leads to wood root, and so on. In short, minor problems become huge fixtures, such as burst-pipe disastrous. 

It’s all about keeping an eye on the little things to avoid big problems. You don’t have to feel guilty anymore because we have come up with the best home maintenance tips that will beautify your home and increase its worth in the real estate market. 

So, let’s take a look below! 

      1. Restore Power to Any Dead Outlets 

Make sure to examine the outlets in your home at least once a year to know whether they are functional or not. In case, some of the power sources are not working or performing poorly, we suggest that you contact a licensed electrician to have the sources repaired. 

It is also a great opportunity to check if you have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) repositories with the “Test” and “Reset” controls near any plumbing fittings. If you don’t, it will definitely come up in the home inspection when you sell your home. 

      2. Clean Out Exhaust Fans to Avoid Mold 

Home fans help eliminating odors and moisture; however, if they are unable to perform well, you may have mold in your house. 

That is why it is essential to remove and disinfect your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans at least once a year. This will keep your hardware in good working order and moisture out of your house.

      3.  Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans should be rotated twice a year to improve energy efficiency and reduce the strain on your cooling and heating systems. 

If you intelligently use a ceiling fan during winter season, you can save some money on your heating bill. 

Adjusting the fan’s direction means that the air moves in a different direction, which results in enhanced cooling and heating. On the other hand, rotate your fan counterclockwise during the summer season to increase cooling of a room. 

      4. Inspect your Waterspout 

Patrol around the house to find out the downspouts if there is any. Downspouts are basically detached from your home, which result in water intrusion. 

The good news is that you can fix this problem without hiring a professional help. So, look for downspouts every now and then to save your pocket from major cash down the road. 

      5. Change Out Your HVAC Filters 

Don’t forget to change air filters after few months because they prolong the life of your A/C unit, maintain higher air quality, and function more efficiently. However, if you forget to change air filters, just set a reminder to not miss out. 

      6. Recaulk Your Showers, Tubs, and Bathroom Fixtures

Regardless of your bathroom tiles have caulk or grout, it will result in depletion with the passage of time. Having grout/caulk means checking the area often. Also, if there is any mildew, crumbling, or peeling in the area – it is the time for fixture. 

If you have a moldy grout, people will assume that you don’t take care of your home. If you are looking for a quick fix, then a bleach solution will do. However, this is only a temporary solution and will fade away within a few months. 

On the other hand, a permanent solution requires efforts and time – there are several DIYs available for caulk/grout fixtures. Hence, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on professional help. 

      7. Eliminate Water Damage 

If your home has suffered from water damage, you most likely repaired it right away, but have you repaired the evidence? Make sure to handle this matter with professional help to avoid any hassle at the time of selling your home. 

Experts suggest that removing the signs of water damage and preventing potential staining require more than a single coat of paint. Hence, go for a stain-blocking primer to use it on basement walls and ceilings. Once you are done, you can apply paint as usual. 

      8. Gut the Gutters 

Most people don’t take gutter cleaning seriously, but it should be done three to four times a year. Having opened or not maintained gutters can cause several health problems.

 When gutters are overfilled with garbage, they cannot control water flow, which can result in much more expensive water damage. Cleaning gutters every season takes care of leaked sealing and mucks. 

Gutter cleaning does not cost so much money. Hire a local sweeper to clean the gutter and you are good to go! 

      9. Touchup Exterior Paint 

There is a saying, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ But, this is what we all do, especially when it comes to houses. Touching up the paint on the outside of your house not only makes it look appealing, but also keeps wood and moisture rot. A specialist painting and decorating company would yield the best results as they have the experience to have it withstand the elements. 

Experts suggest that repainting your entire exterior can cost up to $2,000, but it also yields a 51 percent ROI at resale. If you are not ready to spend such a big amount, you can get minor touchups under $100. Now that sounds reasonable! 

      10. Flush out Water Heater 

Drain your water heater at least once a year. If you cannot find time to do it yourself, hire an expert to do it for you. Draining water heater is essential as it eliminates all the debris and dust, ensuring more efficient function of the heater.  

If you’re up to it, there are many articles and videos to guide you step-by-step for draining the water heater professionally and efficiently. If you don’t want to do it, you can always hire a help. 

      11. Test Your Sump Pump 

Most people have a sump pump in the basement of their homes. If you have one, examining it twice a year is a must. These sump pumps have an average lifespan of 10 years, but when they are well-maintained, they can function even longer. 

Make sure to analyze the water flow of the pump – if it’s swarming, it’s not doing the job right. 

Don’t rush and take enough time to eliminate garbage, so the pump can perform well. Keep plugging and unplugging the sump pump to find out whether its energy source is functioning or not! Figuring out the problem earlier will help you save a lot of money on flooding and water damage. 

      12. Fill in Driveway Cracks 

Never forget to check your patio, driveway, or sidewalk when the weather starts warming up. There can be cracks that make your home look ugly. The sooner you find these cracks, the better it is because you will have to pay only for minor repairs. However, deeper cracks mean more time and money. 

If there are only small cracks, you can fix them with the help of slab jacking and mud jacking. These methods are almost half the price of hiring professional help for repairing minor cracks.