Every new homeowner needs to learn complete home maintenance and how to tell the difference between something they can do themselves and something that requires a professional service person. For example, after each storm, a homeowner needs to walk around their home’s perimeter, checking the roof for damage. Each year, though, proper roof maintenance requires a professional inspection in which the roofer walks the roof, noting any damage and making a report to the homeowner.
That’s far from the only type of seasonal home care needed. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system also needs maintenance every month that the homeowner can handle themselves, but a twice-a-year vent and air duct cleaning requires a service professional. During this duct cleaning, many HVAC companies also conduct a maintenance check of the rest of the system and top up its fluids.
In this guide to home maintenance solutions, we’ll explore the various areas and parts of a house and its necessary upkeep. No homeowner does it all alone, so this guide tells you what most homeowners can do themselves and what you need to hire a professional to do. From annual roof inspections to checking the crawlspace for pests, check this guide first to learn the ins and outs of proper home care.
There are many great benefits that come with home ownership. The potential to build equity over time, tax incentives, and the pride of owning the place you live, to name a few. However, there are also a whole lot of responsibilities that come with it as well. Property upkeep is one of the costliest and most time-consuming tasks homeowners deal with on a regular basis. While some seek professional handyman services to handle their property upkeep, others prefer the challenge of a do-it-yourself job. Here are three of the most common areas you’ll need to keep track of if you’re a homeowner.
1.) Roofing: You should always be concerned about the condition because it’s literally the roof over your head. Metal roofs can last as long as 50 years, but most people in the U.S. have asphalt covering their roofs (80%). Asphalt will typically last between 15 and 30 years, but many times you’ll need to replace a tile or two here and there. In these cases it’s best to do the little work soon rather than let it turn into a larger issue. The name of the game is home maintenance, not home wait-until-it’s-destroyed-then-panic.
2.) Gutters: Brand new gutters will last between 20 and 40 years depending mainly on the environmental conditions. Replacing gutters is just part of it though. The bulk of home maintenance when it comes to gutters is in annual cleaning. This should be done at least two to four times a year depending on factors like how many trees surround your house.
3.) Snow Control: This is a more region-specific task, but very important nonetheless. Cleaning snow off your house, barn, and garage roofs is crucial. Too much snow that’s allowed to pile up can eventually cause a collapse and you’ll be left with a much bigger problem. Grab your snow pants, ladder, and shovel and climb up before it gets to out of control. This also pertains to your driveway and sidewalk as well. Keeping them clean and plowed will make travel safer and more efficient.