Annual Home Maintenance Tasks That Will Save You Money
Owning a home is a lot of work but it’s worth it. To keep your home up-to-date, you should utilize the following annual household management checklist. Whether you decide to age-in-place at home or flip it for a new one, you have to keep it up. From roof inspections to electrical updates, there’s so much you can do to save money on your residential budget.
Roof Inspection
Based on recommendations from roofing professionals, an annual inspection should be on your household management checklist at least once a year. While it might be tempting to do your repairs if you love working around the house, it’s not a good idea when it comes to your roof. Your roof may have underlying issues that jeopardize your budget, temperature control, and safety. For example, a roofing service can check for a weakened support structure. A weak structure will cause the roof to sag in the middle; something that you’ll notice if you look closely outside. In addition, if you live in an area with inclement weather, anything can happen to your roof during that time.
Wind and hail can damage or blow away asphalt tiles, making your roof vulnerable to holes and cracks. Such cracks and other vulnerabilities may lead to water leaks, which will damage your foundation. Air leaks from your roof can result in high utility bills. When air can come in from the outside or escape from the inside, it makes it impossible for your home to fully heat in winter and cool down in summer as appropriate. As a result, you may be tempted to abuse your AC or your heater at a higher level, which results in higher bills.
Septic Inspection and Pumping
Your septic tank holds all the wastewater that leaves the home. Local septic inspection services will ensure the tank is still operating as normal. If it’s no longer pumping properly, it can result in a backup, which can be an environmental hazard. You’ll notice a very nasty smell that will linger throughout your property when such a backup happens. In other words, your home won’t be comfortable just from the smell alone. A backed-up tank can also creep sewage into your yard and your property. Sometimes overgrown tree roots may also puncture a septic tank and cause it to leak into the ground, creating an expensive and unhealthy environmental hazard. Avoid seeing and smelling sewage in your home by adding this inspection to your household management checklist!
Electrical Inspection
Electricity makes your home life much easier. Electrician services check your system for safety and efficiency. An inefficient system can easily result in higher electrical bills. Plus, only a local electrician can check for frayed wires. Bad wiring can lead to a serious issue. During the inspection, the electrician can repair those wires before they become a major problem. However, it can result in electrical fires when it goes unmanaged, which can damage or destroy your home. Plus, a home fire is a threat to your safety and life!
Can you imagine all your expensive computers, laptops, iPhones, home appliances and 40-inch screen TVs getting fried because of bad wiring? Well, that can happen if you forget to add electrical inspections to your household management checklist. The cost of replacing frayed appliances and electronics can add up to thousands of dollars. If you’re someone who works from home, you may initially end up losing money from your business as you wait to replace destroyed electrical items and upgrade the now completely fried wiring.
HVAC Inspection
Regular HVAC maintenance is said to reduce the risk of costly breakdowns by as much as 95%, according to IAQA. Your HVAC system covers your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. A functioning HVAC system keeps your home’s temperature comfortable; not just for you, but also for your overall property. For example, if your HVAC system shuts down while you’re away for a long time, your home may freeze or overheat. That could result in frozen and busted pipes or cause moisture and humidity to build up in your home. Extensive humidity can damage furniture and plants, as well as help breed mold.
Your regular HVAC inspections ensure that the air in the home has proper filtration. Otherwise, contaminated air in the home can damage your respiratory health, which can exacerbate any lingering issues such as asthma, bronchitis, or more. Keeping regular inspections on your household management checklist also protects your warranty. If your system were to break down and you had to get it repaired, your warranty may become void without any record of regular inspections that could have prevented such a major breakdown.
Garage Door Inspection
According to Angi, the average repair costs about $150 to $350. So, as long as you stick to your regular bi-annual inspection, you can easily save a few $100 in garage door repair. If your garage door sensors get out of whack, it can become a safety issue. Your garage door opens and closes at least a couple of times a day. If the door comes down at the wrong time, it could injure you, someone else, or a vehicle. Of course, the worst thing that can happen is a physical injury to someone in your home, as that could result in expensive medical bills. If the garage door damages vehicles because it came down at the wrong time, that could result in costly car repairs to fix the damage as well. Save yourself, your loved ones, and your cars, from being crushed by the garage door by adding regular inspections.
Chimney Cleaning
Your chimney is responsible for removing exhaust fumes from the air when you use your fireplace. Over time, soot can build up in the chimney and around it. It’s vital to keep that area clean for your safety. The last thing you want is a fire to start in your chimney because of a buildup of soot and leftover gas. Chimney maintenance professionals can check to ensure that your chimney is clean and safe enough to continue using.
Adding chimney cleaning to your household management checklist ensures that there are no animals, such as rodents or birds with nests inside. It could cost additional money to get rid of that problem. Since your chimney is part of your roof, it may also develop cracks you are unaware of. Chimney maintenance can keep your chimney sealed so that your roof and home structure aren’t vulnerable to water damage.
Water Heater Inspection
Your water heater must remain functioning for the comfort and sanitation of your home. Regular water heater maintenance keeps your water heater working as it should. Water should heat up to a certain level so that you can properly wash, clean your house, and more. Not being able to take hot showers or wash clothes in hot water makes it easier for germs to build up in your home and create an environment where sickness can thrive.
An inspector will check your heater for sediment buildup or corrosive pipes. If your water heater has corrosion, the water that comes from it may be contaminated. Contaminated water can be a detriment to your health and result in more medical care. If you can’t use the water in your home, you may also have to spend additional money to buy bottled water to drink or bathe with. Proper water heater maintenance on your household management checklist prevents the high cost of replacing your water heater completely.
Pest Control
No homeowner wants pests in their home. A range of vermin can seriously damage your home and cost you money over time without the help of pest control companies. For example, termites love to munch on wood. That’s a problem since wood happens to be what your home structure consists of. If a termite infestation goes unchecked, it can destroy your foundation within a year. As a result, regardless of how much time and money you’ve invested in your home, you would suffer a huge financial loss as you would no longer be able to sell a home with a destroyed foundation. You would lose any equity you’ve built and would have to start from scratch when you buy a new property. Termites can also cost you money without destroying a foundation. As they tear through the wood, they kick up dust and debris, which can be a problem if they borrow into the mold or existing asbestos. If mold spores and asbestos dust get into your main living area, that can be detrimental to your family’s health and lead to medical bills that you weren’t expecting.
Mice and rats can also cause tons of damage. Their urine and fecal matter are poisonous and can ruin any belongings inside the home. An infestation can easily get out of control as rodents have short gestation periods and can quickly multiply and overrun your property. Since rodents are often looking for food and water, they naturally congregate in your kitchen and anywhere else your food is. In addition to eating your food, their habits will contaminate your food source. As a result, don’t be surprised if you have to constantly throw out food they’ve gotten into. With the cost of inflation, especially when it comes to food, constantly having to throw it out due to a pest infestation can do major damage to your home budget.
Plumbing Inspection
Don’t wait to call a plumber until something goes wrong, such as a clogged drain. Residential plumbing services should be on any household management checklist as they ensure your pipes are functioning. Your local plumber will check for leaks and water damage, as leaks can easily come from a cracked pipe. If pipes freeze in winter, a frozen pipe can easily bust and result in expensive repairs. If a pipe bursts inside your home, it could flood your home and ruin your flooring and foundation. Corrosive pipes can also make the water too contaminated to drink or bathe in. Plumbing leaks can later lead to mold. According to Qips, mold spores can begin to germinate in as little as 24 hours in a wet environment.
Tree Pruning
Trees can add beauty and clean air to your environment. However, like any other vegetation on your property, spending money on their upkeep can save you money. You should have a regular tree trimming service come to properly prune tree branches, since professionals understand exactly where to cut leaves and branches off. Doing so presents disease and helps the trees and spruces thrive and grow healthily. A diseased tree can easily spread disease to other trees and encourage an infestation of unwelcome bugs. A dying tree is dangerous for your property as it can easily fall over, especially during inclement weather. Your tree trimming service professionals can also notice if a tree has overgrown roots. Overgrown tree roots can damage your foundation by lifting it or puncturing your septic tank. Stop your home from being lifted unexpectedly by adding arborist visits to your household management checklist.
As you can see, a household management checklist is vital for many reasons. Yes, this checklist can save you money, but it can also save you time and energy, and protect your family from harm. When things such as your hot water tank, septic tank, and electricity fail to function properly, it can make your home uncomfortable and unsafe to live in. Easily avoid the issues mentioned above and have the necessary contractors do their inspections as necessary. Some inspections should happen twice a year, some once, and some every few years. If you have any questions about managing your residential must-do list, don’t hesitate to contact our local team today.