Using home maintenance to increase the resale value, comfort level, and security of your home

Did you know there are five important benefits to home maintenance for you, the owner? Are:

• Improved home value
• Saving money
• Improved security
• Greater comfort
• Energy efficiency

Considering the benefits, it is definitely worth doing home maintenance on a regular basis. Failure to maintain your home regularly can lead to illness, injury, and even death (carbon monoxide poisoning is one example). Some of the important areas to keep are:

• Windows and doors that allow the entry of drafts
• Subfloors that become spongy
• An oven that may be producing dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
• An air conditioning system that is likely to fail in the summer heat
• Smoke detectors with dead batteries

Your home can be a much safer place for you and your family if you adopt a simple home maintenance plan. For example, changing the battery in a smoke detector could save the life of you or your loved ones, and it will only take five minutes. So, as you can see, making a few simple fixes on some things and inspecting a few others, on a regular basis, can pay huge dividends.

Your home is a comfortable place to live because of the systems that are built into it. You may not have thought of it that way before, or you may have taken your home systems for granted, but either way, sooner or later, one or more of them will break down; resulting in, at best, much discomfort or, at worst, tragedy; home maintenance can prevent that breakdown.

For example, your home has built in an electrical system that turns on the lights, refrigerator, microwave, water heater, washer / dryer, and many other appliances. You may not think of this system every time you turn on the light switch, take milk out of the refrigerator, or wash a load of laundry, but you’ll soon find yourself without these things, and more, if your electrical system breaks down. Most likely, it will also happen when you can least afford it.

Many of these systems have moving parts like motors, belts and gears that make them subject to great wear and tear over a period of time. Some are simply made from materials that naturally degrade over time or are subject to attack by insects or mold. In any case, the major inconveniences that may arise from such a breakdown can be avoided by adopting a simple maintenance schedule.

Whether your home is an investment, a place to live, or both, it will most likely be the biggest expense of your life. If you bought the house as an investment, hoping to make some money when you sell it, then it makes sense and pays big dividends to keep it in great shape. That way you will keep it safe and comfortable for as long as you live in it and you will get a good price if you sell.

Real estate professionals have a phrase that applies to a well-maintained home: curb appeal. The value of a home is affected by its outward appearance and that is what the phrase “curb appeal” refers to. The value of your home will be higher if the roof is well cared for, the doors and windows are tight, and the landscaping is clean, because potential buyers will find it more attractive, so you will probably get a higher price than someone else. way.

However, you will need to keep your home, even if you don’t plan to sell it, just to keep your original investment. Even a simple task like replacing the filter in your furnace can pay big dividends when it comes to keeping the value of your home high. It is easy to see why this is true. When the filter is clogged, the motor must work harder to push air through it, which puts stress on the fan belt, bearings, and other components, shortening the life of the fan, requiring the replacement of the entire fan assembly. There is a big difference between a $ 2.00 filter and a $ 500 repair charge.

So, as you can see, it is much less expensive, in the long run, to maintain than to repair when things go wrong. The first thing to do is identify the parts of your home that require regular maintenance and make a list. Inspect each one periodically and make any necessary repairs. When purchasing materials, buy the best you can afford.

This will ensure maximum benefit and you will find that you do repairs less frequently, thus saving money in the long run and protecting against inconvenience and even disasters.

Here are some things to check each year:

• Gutters and downspouts
• Window moldings and door frames
• Sprinkler Timer Batteries
• Kiln
• Air conditioning
• Chimney spark arrestor
• Water heater anode and dip tube
• Water heater, tank and flue burners
• Fireplace and fireplace
• Refrigerator Condenser Coils (Empty)
• Smoke alarms and CO2 detectors
• Indoor gas line connections

These are just a few of the many items that you will need to inspect annually or, in some cases, monthly. There are many more areas you need to inspect and repair, but they are beyond the scope of this article. So, as you can see, you have a lot of work to do; and there is no better time than the present. Good luck. For more information, go online and search for home maintenance or check your local library.