When most people think about buying a home, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the cost. Don’t forget, though, that owning a home also takes time and work. Keeping up with regular home maintenance tasks will keep you from having to deal with headaches and wasting money in the future.
There are some jobs that should be done – or checked on – every six months. These are the ones that, if there is a problem, can cause the most issues, so by keeping an eye on things, you can save yourself a lot of hassle. Read on to find out what some of them are.
Clean The Gutters
Check and clean your gutters, soffits, and fascia all year long to keep debris from building up. If you don’t, it could lead to leaks, rot, and other costly problems. After carefully removing the trash, any dirt or grime should be cleaned and cleared away. Any caulk that is missing should be replaced, and any holes, cracks, or loose areas should be fixed.
You should plan to do this job every spring and fall (or hire a professional you don’t like the idea of getting up too high). Also, keep in mind that pine needles often cause gutters to get clogged. Plan to check your gutters more often if you have a tree like this nearby.
Check The Roof
It can be easy to forget about your roof. Since it’s out of sight and out of mind, many building owners and homeowners don’t do annual roof inspections. But if you think about it, your roof is the first thing that protects you from the weather, and making sure it does its job right is important for a number of reasons.
Most people don’t pay much attention to their roof unless it starts to leak. Even so, there are still many ways your roof may not be doing its job, and a regular roof inspection could find the problems and fix them.
Most people should have their roofs checked twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall (particularly for commercial buildings). But some roof types need more maintenance than others, and in addition to the normal inspection, they may need to be checked after a period of bad weather.
Some people can do their own roof inspections, but there are some problems that an untrained eye could easily miss. Because of this, hiring a roofing contractor is usually the best course of action.
Check Your HVAC System
The best thing to do is to hire a professional to do maintenance on your HVAC system twice a year, in the spring and fall. In the meantime, homeowners should change their filters once a month, especially those with pets.
Don’t get too worried if you see condensation on your outdoor AC unit. Pour hot soapy water and vinegar down the condensate drain to fix this issue. If the unit keeps getting wet, if it drips, or if it stops cooling, you should call a licensed professional as there is something more serious wrong with it.
