Owning a house is a larger job than people may think. Some may believe a home is simply a place where you live, but homeowners have to do much work and maintenance to keep their homes comfortable, efficient, and looking good.
Your home’s needs change with the seasons. While you should leave the complicated maintenance issues to the professionals, you can carry out a few maintenance checks yourself.
Check and Clean Your Gutters
In general, people know that they need to clean their home’s gutters. They realize that they need to clear out the debris, dead insects, and other particles that collect over the seasons. They may also understand that they usually don’t do these cleanings as often as they should. Indeed, clogged drains are a danger to your house. You need to perform checks and cleanings on your gutters at least twice a year to keep your home in good shape.
Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors are essential to alerting you to a fire in the home. Smoke alarms are another element of the home that many homeowners overlook. When smoke detectors are ignored, the consequences can be deadly. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported in 2016 that about 2,000 people die each year in residential fires throughout the United States.
Check your smoke detector at least once a month. Each alarm has a test button you can press to make sure that the alarm still beeps. If the smoke detector doesn’t make a warning sound, check the batteries and replace them or replace the smoke detector completely.
Keep Up With HVAC System Maintenance
You can only do so much yourself in the way of HVAC system maintenance. Some tasks that you can do include changing the air filters every few months, checking for debris on your unit frequently, and listening for unusual noises.
Your HVAC system needs some extra care to keep your house at comfortable temperatures during every season. To keep your unit in the best condition, contact your preferred HVAC specialist annually. Your technician will repair and handle the installation of parts to make sure your system is running properly.
Fix Paint Chips
To improve the overall look of your home, repair any areas that have paint chips. Having a wall appear in one solid color not only looks great, but is also satisfying to see. When you paint over areas that have peeled away, you need to follow a few steps to make sure your painting work turns out flawless. You have to make sure that the area you’re painting is free from loose edges and primed. Make sure the repair paint color matches the existing paint color on your wall.
The list of maintenance checks that you can do yourself goes on, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Recruit family members to help and call in professional services when needed. Home maintenance seems daunting, but you can take steps to keep your home in top shape.
