Maintaining your home requires time, dedication, and a keen eye. A home is your sanctuary, and like anything else, it can be damaged without proper care. Focusing on your home can be a tedious task, but investing your time and money in small and immediate repairs or maintenance can save you financial, emotional, and sometimes physical stress. It also prevents damages from expanding into bigger issues. For instance, if you notice a small leakage in your room, endeavor to fix it as soon as possible to prevent the hole in your ceiling from possibly causing a flood or mould. Here are five other things you shouldn’t do as a homeowner.
- Failure to clean and manage appliances
Home appliances are there to make your life easier and help you work around the house efficiently. However, they can become dysfunctional or break down. With regular care and maintenance, this can be preventable. When purchasing an appliance, consider finding out its limitations so you don’t overuse it and wear it down. You also need to learn how to clean it and avoid expensive problems. For instance, cleaning your refrigerator requires more than wiping down sticky fingerprints off the door and handles.
It’s essential to clean your refrigerator coils at least twice a week to prevent them from becoming clogged and potentially putting the refrigerator under unnecessary strain. When it comes to washing machines and dryers, consult your manual to determine how much weight it can hold. Sometimes, you can be in a hurry to finish up your laundry, so you haul lots of clothes into your machine. However, overloading your washer, especially if it is a top-loading one, can destroy the door and burn out your drive belt. Remember to keep your owner’s manual at all times so you can refer to it.
- Ignoring water damage
Water damage is one of the common problems that affect a home. It can happen at any time and cause serious or expensive damage if it is not tackled early. Ignoring signs of water damage will not only cause molds but also lead to foundational issues. During winter or colder seasons, water pressure can change, causing your pipes to burst. While these problems are visible, some can go unnoticed within the walls of your home, especially in places you don’t often visit, like your basement. Inspecting your pipes for signs of leakages is key.
Once you notice water rings or hear dripping sounds at night, contact a professional plumber for help. Another thing that can cause water damage is a clogged gutter. This contraption is supposed to provide a way for excess water to flow during a severe storm. When it gets blocked with debris, flooding can occur, so take your time to remove them. It would be best to apply a waterproof coating to moisture-prone areas for extra protection. It would also be advisable to avoid disposing of oil and grease in your drainage system.
- Neglecting your backyard
Your backyard can be a place for relaxation and family time. Neglecting it can breed all kinds of pests. From spiders to rats, these animals will make your garden or backyard their home. This infestation can bring you diseases. Also, an unkempt backyard prevents you from enjoying your time outdoors. Therefore, you have to deal with the situation promptly. For instance, it would be best to ask for professional advice to get rid of millipedes that have taken over your backyard, or hire an exterminator who will eliminate the pests that are attacking your plants.
- Not changing your HVAC filter
HVAC filters are essential in every home, keeping your family safe from allergies by removing any impurities in the air. That said, failing to change them can result in high energy consumption when your filters get clogged. These filters will not allow air to circulate properly, and they might make some rooms become too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Endeavor to change your filters every three months and have a professional inspect your HVAC system periodically.
- Not painting your home
Your home’s exterior paint is its first defence against damage. As time goes on, the paint begins to look old, and it starts peeling off. Ignoring the need to paint it can decrease property value. It can also allow heat transfer to control the temperature in your home, which will cause your cooling system to overwork itself. Consider painting your home with a fresh coat when you see signs of deterioration.
Home maintenance is essential if you want to keep your home in good condition for a long time. With these pointers, you can become aware of what you have been neglecting when it comes to its upkeep.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.