These 10 home maintenance tips will help you protect your investment and keep the place you love running smoothly.
#1: Budget for maintenance
While the amount varies depending on the house, experts generally recommend setting aside one to three per cent of your home’s purchase price each year to cover maintenance and repairs – everything from a new roof to repairing or replacing your dishwasher. That means saving $3,000 to $9,000 each year if you paid $300,000. If it’s a new home, your costs – and the amount you need to save – will be less for the first few years.
#2: Replacing those furnace filters
Furnace filters collect dust and other material that can damage your furnace blower. They also help maintain indoor air quality. Replacing filters is an easy DIY, according to Tonya Bruin of the handyman service To do – Done. “Pull out your old filters (making sure you remember which way they are supposed to go back in!), find out the size, and get replacements from a local hardware store.” You, or a handyman service, should do this a couple of times every winter.
#3: Insulate your pipes
This is easily done with slip-on, self-sealing pipe insulation available at most building supply and hardware stores. The insulation will help protect your pipes against freezing – a definite risk during an extended power failure – and reduce energy costs by keeping the heat inside hot water pipes.
#4: Alarms
Ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are properly located, check for correct operation, and replace batteries. “This is important to do seasonally, but certainly before you close all of your windows and the winter sets in,” says Bruin. “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, and ensuring batteries or electrical connections are functioning will protect you and your family.”
#5: Foundation fixes
Ensure your property is properly graded so that water will run away from your foundation exterior. Backfill around a new home sometimes takes a while to settle and you may need to top it up with more soil. If you see foundation cracks that widen over time or missing material, call a reputable contractor to inspect further.
#6: Windows & doors
Check weather stripping and doorsweeps for air tightness, replacing if necessary. This is an easy DIY operation that reduces energy loss and makes your home more comfortable. If you’re inexperienced in caulking, you can learn to do it here.
#7: Roof care
Using a pair of binoculars, carefully scan your roof looking for curling, loose or broken shingles that could allow moisture to penetrate your home. Make sure gutters and drainpipes are clean and running freely, and keep an eye out for excessive grit in the gutters: it usually means the surface of your asphalt shingles is breaking down and the roof may need replacing. Check inside your attic for leaks. More ideas here.
#8: Storm damage protection
Climate change means we’re likely to see more severe weather, including heavier rainfalls and more damaging winds. Protect your home to minimize storm damage and know what to do after the storm has moved on.
#9: Faucets and taps
If you have an outside faucet, make sure it’s a non-freeze model or that you drain it before winter sets in. A frozen outdoor water supply can cause big flooding problems. Once a year, you should also ensure the main tap controlling the water supply to your home operates freely – you don’t want to be standing knee deep in water struggling with the thing.
#10: Have a maintenance plan
Our lives are busy, and a home is a complicated structure. That means you need a comprehensive maintenance plan with monthly, seasonal and annual checklists that remind you to do everything from checking your dryer lint trap (a potential fire hazard) to examining the grout in bathroom tiles to protect against moisture buildup. It sounds onerous, but working with a home maintenance manual can make it all manageable.
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