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. There are also a whole lot of responsibilities that come with it as well. Home maintenance is one of the costliest and time-consuming tasks people deal with on a regular basis. While some seek professional handyman services to do the work for them, 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 home owner.
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.