7 Home Maintenance Things Homeowners Should Check Regularly
Keeping your house in good condition for many years can be challenging. Not many homeowners would choose to spend the whole weekend on the ladder fixing the roof instead of going out with friends. But, unfortunately, sometimes this is the case.
Real estate is the biggest investment many of us will make in a lifetime - no matter whether it will be one of the oceanfront condos on The Pattisall Group or a single-family home - so it is essential to keep it in good condition.
Fortunately, in this article, you will find
a list of nine home maintenance things every homeowner should frequently check
to minimize the risk of damage and dangerous situations. It includes testing
carbon monoxide detectors, inspecting foundation vents, checking the roof, and
some more tasks. Read on and make sure your home will be good for years to come!
Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It is important to remember that carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritating. It is produced when fuel burns at an incomplete rate. This can happen due to a faulty furnace, water heater, or other appliances and devices in the home.
For this reason, it is essential to check
your carbon monoxide detectors regularly because if they never go off, it means
that your home is safe. In addition, if you have a family pet, the detector
will also make sure that they do not suffer from CO poisoning, which could be
fatal for them.
Inspect Foundation Vents
Foundation vents are one of the most
overlooked home maintenance items. If we don't want rodents to invade our home
through holes in the foundation, we need to make sure they are covered. In
fact, foundation vents prevent moisture from entering the basement through
cracks in the concrete foundation walls. They also allow warm air to escape, so
it does not condense on the cold walls and cause water damage. That's why it is
crucial to inspect foundation vents once in a while and make sure that there
are no holes and that they are properly sealed.
Check Roofs Regularly
Roofs are probably one of the most critical parts of a building - maybe even more than foundations. It is essential to keep them in good condition for many reasons. For example, roofs protect us from rain and snow, they help keep us warm during cold seasons, and they offer us protection from the sun during hot summer days. However, despite their importance, roof problems are often ignored because they don't show up immediately compared to other house problems.
This is why it is so vital to check roofs regularly. One of the best ways to do this is to hire a professional roofer who can assess the current condition of your roof and point out where repairs are needed. For example, a roofing contractor should be able to tell you if your roof needs resealing or if you need to repair a leak or damage caused by storms. They will also check your gutters and downspouts for clogs and clean them if necessary.
Keep in mind that roof problems can lead to
water damage in the rest of your house, which can be very expensive. For this
reason, it is worth hiring a professional every couple of years or so.
Check Your Chimney Regularly
A chimney fire can cause a lot of damage, so homeowners need to check their chimneys regularly and make sure that everything is okay with them. You should inspect your chimney once every year or two, depending on how much you use it.
If you use it heavily, then you should
check it more often because using a fireplace causes smoke and creosote - a
deadly substance - to build up in your chimney over time.
Creosote buildup can cause chimneys to crack and break apart, which can lead to a dangerous situation.
Another thing you should do when checking
your chimneys is examining them for cracks or damage caused by storms and other
natural disasters. It is crucial to fix anything that needs repair right away
because it can cause other problems later on - such as electrical issues or
even flooding.
Repair Rotted Siding Immediately
Inspecting siding regularly is another thing every homeowner should do! Rotted siding can cause severe damage to your home because it provides an entryway for pests like termites as well as mold and mildew growth. When this happens, your whole house can get damaged pretty quickly.
To prevent this from happening, make sure
that you inspect any damaged areas on your siding regularly and fix any
problems as soon as possible! If you see any signs of damage, you should
contact a professional immediately.
Check Pipes Regularly
It is essential to check your water pipes regularly. It does not matter if you have copper or PVC pipes - they both can become damaged over time and cause serious issues. While PVC pipes are less likely to develop problems, they will still need maintenance every once in a while.
In order to check your water pipes, you will need to turn off the power or water supply to your home and make sure there are no leaks in the pipes. If you don't feel like shutting off the power or water supply yourself, you should hire a professional plumber - they can do it faster and better than you anyway.
Once all water and power are shut off, you should try flushing your toilets about three times. Afterward, you should open up the faucets on all sinks and tubs just in case. Make sure that no water comes out at all.
Once done, turn the power or water supply
back on and try turning on the faucets and running the toilets. If there is no
water coming out, it means that the problem is located outside your house. If
there is water coming out of the faucets, then it might mean that there are
some problems with your plumbing system that need fixing.
Check Air Conditioner Filters
Air conditioners get dirty fast. This is
because so many things can get into them and clog them up - from pet hair and
dust to other debris that can find its way into the unit. This is why it is
important to check air conditioner filters regularly. You can either do it
yourself or hire a professional who will do it for you. Either way, it is
essential to check filters once every two months.
Conclusion
Taking care of your home is not an easy task, but it is essential for your family's safety and comfort. As a homeowner, you always have to be aware of your property's condition - no matter whether you live in an apartment or a townhouse. Even if you rent out your property on Airbnb, you should still make sure that everything is in order.
The home maintenance tasks mentioned above
are just some of the essential things that every homeowner should check
regularly. However, if you are not sure what else might need to be checked, you
can always hire a professional service to conduct a home inspection and
determine what needs repair or replacement!
