If you’re like most people, your home is your most valuable asset.
It’s the location of the vast bulk of your wealth and your security for the future. Houses, however, have a nasty habit of depreciating. At first, you barely notice the changes, but over time they become more considerable, eventually getting to the point where you can’t ignore them anymore. Some maintenance tasks are optional, but the vast majority, you can’t afford to put off.
If you do, you run the risk of seeing the value of your property fall, meaning you could get back less than you invested. So, which essential maintenance can you not afford to put off to the future?
High Water Pressure
The water pressure coming into your home from the mains should be tolerable by all your appliances and plumbing fixtures. But if you’re not careful, it can run dangerously high and eventually overwhelm the system’s ability to cope. Once you have a burst water pipe, you then have to worry about flooding and all the mess associated with it. And that can mean some expensive insurance payments.
The simple solution is to get a plumber to check the pressure at the source. It should be less than 75 lbs per inch.
Holes In Your Roof
Most roofs are robust, but they don’t last forever. Asphalt tends to survive around twenty years, while tiles will carry on for fifty. Eventually, though, problems will start to emerge, and you’ll need to act.
Roofing companies recommend that you get your roof inspected regularly. Missing tiles or damp sections can allow moisture into your home, leading to mold, water damage, excess heating bills, and vermin infestation. Leaving a dodgy roof for six months can often double or triple the cost of repair, so it is unwise to wait.
Lubing Garage Door Springs
Functional garage doors are a rarity. These complex mechanisms have a habit of crunching to a halt the moment you so much as gently brush them with your arm. Worse still, repairing them is notoriously expensive. You either have to get someone to come out to fix it or buy an entirely new system.
Many savvy homeowners, therefore, use specialist lube on the springs to protect them against rust and corrosion. Keeping them supple will tax the motor less and put less strain on the other attachments. Overall, the entire unit should last longer – years even.
Removing Mice
While mice might look cute, they can cause devastation in your home. Their droppings are a health hazard because of the risk of E.coli infections. Plus, they tend to nibble through all of the material in your walls, including wires, looking for nest materials. If you leave the problem, they will multiply in number, and you’ll soon find yourself completely overrun.
Cleaning Extraction Vents
HVAC systems using extractor vents to remove hot air. Dust filters on these vents, however, can accumulate enough particles to stop the entire system from working as it should. Fortunately, the problem is easy to solve. Just remove the filters from their housing and dump all the dust in the trash.
Which essential maintenance task are you going to tackle first this summer?
