Useful Information
30 Basic Home Maintenance Tips
Jan
Feeling guilty about putting off all that routine maintenance for your home? Good, you should… along with the 45% of Americans who don’t tend to home repairs right away.
Because clogged gutters turn into water damage. Chipped paint leads to wood rot. Dirty filters shorten the lifespan of your furnace. And while small problems are simple fixes now, they’ll be more complicated (even burst-pipe disastrous) later and could ultimately hurt your resale value.
“It’s really just keeping an eye out for the little things, and making sure they don’t turn into bigger things,” says Kati Spaniak, a top-selling real estate agent in Northbrook, Illinois.
Take some time to review what writer Emma Diehl has laid out in simple terms. What you need to put at the top of you list or simply call M.J. Services to check them off for you.
- Check to see that the doorbell works—if not, replace it
- Restore power to any dead outlets
- Change the direction of your ceiling fans
- Clean out exhaust fans to prevent mold
- Regrout or recaulk your tub, showers, and bathroom fixtures
- Double check your downspout
- Remove evidence of water damage
- Clear your drains
- Flush out your water heater
- Check your water bill to track water consumption
- Gut the gutters
- Test your sump pump
- Maintain your roof
- Look for early signs of foundation problems
- Wash your siding16. Touch up exterior paint
- Fill in driveway cracks
- Clean off your outdoor air conditioning unit
- Check for signs of critters
- Trim up the trees
- Change out your HVAC filters
- Regularly get your HVAC professionally serviced
- Unclog your disposal
- Clean out refrigerator coils
- Wash your washing machine
- Maintain your fire extinguisher
- Remove lint and build up from your dryer vents
- Inspect your window and door seals
- Do a home energy audit
- Fix scuff marks on interior walls with a little paint