You and your home are best friends. Any best friendship entails taking care, protecting, loving, and standing by each other through every season. Your house does all of this for you; are you fulfilling your responsibilities as a good friend? Just like a human friendship, maintaining a relationship with your house requires effort, regular check-ups, care, and attention. When even the little problems are ignored, it can lead to a larger issue, putting a strain on your relationship. Therefore, it is vital to dedicate time to nurturing your home for its long life.

With your busy lives, home maintenance may feel like another daunting task on your to-do list; it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we have created a routine that consists of seven essential maintenance tips that can easily help you keep your home in top shape while not affecting your tight schedule. Even the experts in rental property management in Oakland say that well-maintained houses attract high-paying tenants. These tips will also help you save on spending on expensive repairs by detecting small problems in the earlier phase of regular check-ups.

7 Essential Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home in Top Shape

• Keep the Air Clean

Your house has an HVAC system that ensures the circulation of air, regulation of temperature, and ventilation of air in your home. Any hitch in this system will disrupt the comfort of your home. You can schedule a check-up of the HVAC system twice a year before the seasons that demand its major use, like summer, and winter. The experts in property management in San Diego say houses with fixed HVAC system check-ups attract high-paying buyers. During these checks, the professional will inspect the system for any wear and tear, repair it, clean it, and service it. Post every check, you’ll see the improved efficiency and reduction in utility bills.

Did you know?

In July 2024, the median sale price of a San Diego home was $993K.

• Roof Inspection and Gutter Cleaning

Roof inspection is like checking your friend if they are doing physically well. The roof is the basic shade from the storms therefore, check the roof for any loose shingles, leaks, or any damage from the storms. The roof has a partner called gutters that ensures that the rainwater is directed away from your house. This ensures it doesn’t get clogged, and cleaning it promptly like post-rains, winters, and fall season, eliminates the chances of water leaks or water damage to your house.

• Repair Leaks and Save Water

Any problem left unattended for longer than necessary leads to a larger problem. This also applies to the small leaks in your home. Therefore, it becomes necessary to check the water carriers of your home and the pipes for leaks and waste that can affect the drainage system or lead to pipe bursts. It is advised to call a professional for these checks and repairs to prevent any further damage.

Did you know?

Houses that are well-maintained throughout the year attract high-paying tenants. For instance, if you own a 1650 sq. ft. apartment in San Francisco, you can expect a rent of $5,500 from the tenants.

• Keep out the Heat and Cold

When you don’t meet your friends for a long time you experience a draft in energy between you two. Similarly, over time the seals around the doors and windows degrade, leading to energy drafts and demanding your HVAC system to work harder, increasing your energy bills. To avoid these outcomes you can inspect your doors and windows once a year before winter. Then using weather stripping or caulk you can fill in these gaps.

• Inspect for Structural Problems

Two things that provide basic protection to you are your home’s foundation and its exterior. If you notice any cracks, peeling paint, or moisture intruding on your walls or signs of shifting in the brickwork, it can be an indicator of a larger problem. Ensure that these problems are inspected by a professional as soon as possible. Also, it would be beneficial to watch out for the roots growing too close to your home, as it can be damaging to your foundation.

• Pest Control

Just like in friendship when you let an outsider’s opinion affect your friendship, it becomes a significant problem. Similarly, unwanted pests can act as outsiders in your home. So, to identify these pesky pests, watch out for things like droppings, gnawed wires, or unusual voices in the walls. To eliminate the pests regular pest control, sealing cracks, and keeping your home clean can be beneficial.

• Safety Check

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save your home from potential dangers. It is necessary to test these devices regularly and change their batteries once a year to ensure they are working efficiently. Along with them, fire extinguishers do a great job of eliminating fire instantly. Therefore, it also becomes vital to check their expiry and location to have them handy.

End Note

Just like a well-tended friendship pays off in the long run, similarly a well-maintained home does. When you incorporate these tips in your routine home check-up, you protect your bank account from expensive repairs and ensure that your home continues to be a safe space. Remember that things left unchecked for longer than safe can get worse. So, timely maintenance checks are important.