How to Maintain Your Home – Being a Smart Homeowner

 Most people opt for diverse interior and exterior home maintenance during winter, summer or any other time of year. Today, homes maintenance costs are on the rise with a significant amount of time and energy a prerequisite for the same.So you need to know how to maintain your home perfectly?

In fact, according to the U.S Census Bureau, the average cost of running a household stands at approximately $1,408 per month. That is a significant chunk of money to accumulate for car gas overtime right?

This will equally enable your air conditioning systems to clean the incoming air effectively. Is your unit installed outside your house? Make sure that the grass, trees, weeds and other vegetation around the appliance are also cut properly. As a result, you will allow unrestricted clean air inflow into the unit.

The condensation nose can be bunged hence need to remove any water stuck in its line. This will keep away mold or algae growth and allow free water flow further eliminating potential health hazards.  Besides, the screen of your air conditioner could be a collector of debris which might hamper air flow. Moreover, run a spot check to avoid your air conditioner consuming a lot of energy to cut down on energy costs. This will improve the performance of unit parts.

However, if you lack experience in troubleshooting technical air conditioning problems, it is ideal to seek specialized assistance. It is an indispensable precautionary maintenance practice to check on unit performance for possible repairs. Generally, the machines should be checked for smooth functionality to avoid frequent breakdowns.

Elements like dirt, rust, mold, mildew, rain, and sun can fade away the natural fine coloring look of the walls over time. Whether it is your home interior or exterior, consider a repaint refurbishment to renew the glow of your home. Moreover, you can utilize any paint remnants for a cost cut but if you don’t mind the budget, a one-time expenditure will enable your repaint last for long. In fact, if you want to sell your house, this could increase your bargaining leverage. 

Refrigerator interior compartments and door seals should always be tightly sealed to save on energy and cool your foods effectively. In addition, this will help the freezer last you long void of frequent repairs.

Clean up coils at the back of your freezer to do away with dirt or dust that normally accumulates with long time use. Remember, these coils are essential in regulating the appliance temperature. To minimize refrigeration energy consumption-related costs, store to full capacity food in the unit, if possible.

When is the last time you did maintenance of your bathroom or kitchen faucets? Sometimes they can run low on pressure and uncontrollably spray water around once they develop problems like aerator screen malfunctions. This could be as a result of accumulated dirt. Hence, carefully undo the components, clean, remove deposits and assemble it back carefully for seamless functionality. 

Screws in your door hinges, door handles and many other pieces of wood and non-wood attachments can loosen over time. This is especially the case with movable parts or generally with long time use. Invest in a reliable multitasker DIY screw kit that comes with different bits. It will help you tighten or untighten screws that might be slackening during your home maintenance.

If you are not always keen on moisture levels in your house, mold growth could pose serious health risks. Additionally, this could serve as a hub for insects and other non-helpful animals. Do you use the stair treads or attic ladders to access your upper store or basement often? Check out places in your home you don’t access or use on a daily basis since they could harbor dampness or mildew.

Besides, ensure you always carry out repairs on any leakages to avoid unnecessary liquid spills in the house. Utilize fans to manage humidity levels and often open your windows and doors to let the air in. Probably, this is also a chance to inspect your windows and doors sealing and confirm they are up to standard.

Window frames collect dust and other dirt. If your house is installed with wooden window frames, when they are rained on, they can start rotting once they collect stagnant water for a long time. Check the installation of your windows and clean them up regularly. If busy, call in your window cleaner to fix them and maintain that glittering look of windows as the fresh air blows into the house. 

Spray a glass cleaner on the mirrors if they have spots on them. Furthermore, consider drying the mirrors with a dry paper or cloth towel for a sparkling look of your windows. 

Just in case there is wear and tear in the interior parts of your house, fix them early to avoid costlier repairs. Any wood ceiling or furniture should be checked for possible deterioration or damage that is beyond repair for replacement.

Vacuum clean your home floors more than once weekly using an efficient vacuum cleaner. This will go a long way in controlling dust accumulation on the floors including dirt plus other toxins. Uncontrolled dust could cause allergies and aggravate asthma conditions or be a home to lead and other pesticides. 

Remember, vacuum clean areas covered by furniture or other things positioned in your house where dirt could be hidden.  Otherwise, where your vacuum cleaner can’t reach, use a clean dampened cloth to wipe the dust off.

Do you own a sealed boiler system? If this isn’t your DIY expertise consider calling in a boiler installation professional to run a quick check. Chances are if the unit is aging, parts could undergo wear and tear. This will timely provide you an opportunity to arranging for repairs or a complete replacement. Nevertheless, consider tapping into diverse gas supplier services that help with annual checkups of boiler systems in homes. 

 Regularly, replace the batteries as required instead of waiting for that high-pitched chirp to alert you into action. You can mark the date of replacement in your calendar just in case you are caught up in a tight schedule and forget.

Outdated smoke alarms should be replaced and existing new ones tested with actual smoke for normal functionality. Lastly, install the smoke detector away from the kitchen, if it is tricked into setting off the alarm when there is no danger. Otherwise, your regular maintenance is an excellent time to change the faulty.

Blocked gutters could lead to stagnant water to roofing system causing damp patches. Use a ladder and access your roof for inspection to remove any possible moss accumulation. If there are tiles that need replacement, do the fixing or call in the family handyman to help. In addition, the handyman should run a check on your overhead protection to fix any potential future roofing leakages like corrosion.

Other outdoor home maintenance includes;

Yes! You have heard situations where trees grow old near a house, when it pours down heavily, they could fall on your house. Such weak tree roots can cause avoidable damages by cutting them down or by trimming them into size. Remember, tree roots can spread and suck up moisture content causing the ground around it dry.

Most forget to do regular checks on sewer passages which can result in unexpected bad smells and sewer spillage. To avoid such leakages, call in sewer experts to help do a regular inspection of the pipes and other linked channels.

The externally-placed chimney pots are vulnerable to damage associated to harsh weather conditions like heavy rain or wind, tornados, and other elements.
Ensure they are functioning well to avoid potential smoke trapping inside the house. Consider replacing furnace filters as recommended every year. 

Is your garage or gate door digitized system functioning properly? Confirm that the sensor is not experiencing interruptions to let you in quickly when the need arises. How about plans to accommodate extra storage or acquire new accessories for your garage? Home maintenance provides an opportunity for such timely expansion.

Don’t forget your garden. Consider a plan for doing the garden and fixing your lawn monthly or at most two months. However, this is not cast on stone; it also depends on how fast your grass grows.

Americans spend an estimated $40 billion annually on the DIY lawn with an average of 73 hours on cutting grass. This is a cue to plan carefully for a lean budget and timetable to fix your lawn for an impressive home look.

ignored simple but essential components to help curb electrical shocks.
Importantly, during maintenance avoid painting the GFCI to enhance its responsiveness. Additionally, the outlet receptacle should be free from foreign objects including any liquids. A monthly testing practice is advisable to check on unnoticed faults.

Other maintenance tips

With housekeeping costs on the rise and general home maintenance inevitable, you can opt for an affordable home warranty option. We are talking of purchase a maintenance service agreements or service contracts. They sound familiar right? They provide agreed-upon timetables to maintain your appliances and you also stand to enjoy discounted quick services. 

This will provide annual home repair packages that suit your budgeting plans comfortably. Avoid procrastinating home maintenance which can lead to needless overheads. When at home, walk around your house checking for potential leaks, broken gutter, loosening tiles or staining walls for action.

Keep an eye on overgrown yards or wearing paint supported by a maintenance checklist if you are always busy. Otherwise, download checklist Apps to jog your memory. Taking care of the home you live is safety, desirable healthy standards and pleasant living.