The pandemic saw an increase in the number of new homeowners as people went on a buying spree due to low-interest rates. But the work of owning a home does not end after you purchase it since you also have to work on maintaining it.
Ensuring that the home maintains its appearance takes a lot of work. But it is worth it since you can look forward to living in your dream home in the decades to come. You can even increase its value and sell it in the future if you plan to move to a different state. Here are the things you should do to ensure your home is well-maintained.
Inspect the Roof
One thing of the first things you should do to maintain your home is to inspect the roof. You should look for any holes on the roof due to missing shingles or cracked flashing. These holes can cause water to enter the home and cause more damage to your house.
If you see any damage on the roof, you should get in touch with a professional roofer to deal with it. Professional roofers typically have the skills, experience, and equipment to fix any holes on the roof. Fixing the roof early allows you to avoid costly repairs in the interior of the home.
Keep the Gutters Clean
Since you are already checking the roof, you should also inspect the gutters to ensure they are free of debris. Keeping the gutter clean prevents water from seeping through the roof and into the home. When water gets inside the home, it can cause damage to your belongings and can even affect the foundations of the house. Clogged gutters are also appealing to pests who will build their nests in these places.
Ensuring the gutters are free of debris, such as leaves and branches, is important to prevent issues in the future. You can either check the gutter every month, or you can install devices like leaf gutter protection systems to prevent debris from going to the gutter. These devices are designed for this purpose.
So, you have the option of regularly inspecting the gutter, or you can leave it up to these devices and inspect the gutters annually or just before the season changes.
Check the Garage Door
Another place that you should check after buying your new home is the garage door. It is important to check the garage door and maintain it so you won’t have to replace it every so often. You should check for any weird noises when you open it. Greasing the springs often can help, but you should have it checked by professionals so you can cover all issues on the garage door.
Clean the Dryer Vent
Dryer vents carry moist air and gas from gas dryers in the laundry room to the house’s exterior. Without a dryer vent, the gas can accumulate inside the house and cause issues to the home’s occupants. But lint and other debris can collect in the vents, which makes it necessary to clean them.
You should check dryer vents to ensure the debris does not block it and prevent moist air and gases from going out of the house. While you can clean some of the debris on your own, you may need to hire a professional if the accumulated debris is too much for you to handle.
Check the Smoke Alarms
Checking the smoke alarms is another thing that you should do to keep your family safe. The US Fire Administration recommends testing smoke alarms every month. You should also replace the smoke alarm once it reaches a decade old. Battery-powered smoke alarms use a lithium battery that lasts ten years and is not replaceable. So, you need to replace the entire smoke alarm. If your new home does not have a smoke alarm, you may want to install one. Over a third of deaths due to home fires happened in homes without a smoke alarm.
Change the Filters
Changing the filters in the equipment in your home is another important maintenance you should perform. You can see these filters on the HVAC system. While it may be tedious, it is important to replace them whenever necessary so the equipment will function properly. A dirty filter will prevent your air conditioning from cooling the home when summer weather comes. You can use cheaper filters that you should change every month. But there are also more expensive filters that you can use for a longer time than their cheaper counterparts before you replace them.
Performing maintenance tasks in your new home are important to prevent bigger issues that will cost more to repair.
