Owning a house brings with it a number of responsibilities. Regular maintenance and repairs to your property will ensure that your home is kept in a good condition. This can include for example, annual checks, ongoing maintenance and reactive work perhaps after a storm or a particularly cold winter.
While many of us would prefer to spend our time and money elsewhere, keeping up on general maintenance of the home is one of the most fundamental ways to keep us from being forced to spend much more time and money when something goes wrong. Your property is one the most expensive purchases you will ever make. Be proactive about maintaining and building its value.
Maintenance is important, many problems left unattended will create much larger problems. In addition keeping your home well maintained will give you the pleasure of living in a beautiful home.
ROOFS
Once a year you should check your roof cladding, chimneys and flashings (waterproofing strips that protect vulnerable areas) to ensure problems are not developing. Things to look for include flashings that have corroded or lifted and crumbling chimney mortar. Overhanging branches can damage roofing materials, so it’s important to keep trees next to your house well-trimmed. Leaking roofs will create many larger long term problems from rotting beams and ceiling boards to dangerous damp in your electrical system. Watch for loose tiles, rusty metal sheets or damp and mould on your ceiling or walls. Listen for water leaks when it rains.
DAMP
This is water seeping up from your foundations. Damp will damage your carpets, floors, walls and door frames. It is expensive to fix if left unattended. Watch for a musty smell in your home.
MACHINERY
Items like electric gate motors, pool motors, alarms and heating/cooling systems are meant to work to keep them in good condition. If these break and you leave them unattended for any length of time there could be further damage to pipes and motors from rust and blockages.
ELECTRICAL
The electrical systems also wear out. This can be dangerous and should be fixed as soon as you spot a fault. Watch for plugs and lights that do not work or strange smells that could be cables burning inside the walls.
GARDENS
A well-kept garden increases the value of a home as well as your enjoyment of it. Trees that are too large create a danger if they should fall over and make the rooms of the house dark.
Good maintenance will:
• help keep your home safe and secure
• keep you and your family healthy
• save you money by allowing you to fix problems before they get bigger
• Protect your financial investment
Caring for and maintaining your home is an important responsibility as a homeowner and can prevent costly problems from arising, make mechanical systems last longer, and have a positive impact on your home’s value.