Buying a home is one of the best investments you can make in your lifetime. Aside from the financial benefits, it is also an exciting personal milestone. For most people, buying a home signals the start of a new era in life. Perhaps it means that there will be a new addition to a family, or the start of one.
But keeping your house a safe and happy home can be an expensive ordeal. Unfortunately, there are so many things that can go wrong in a home that it is hard to keep track of what needs maintenance and how often, just because there are so many rooms and moving parts that you can’t even see beyond the walls!
While preventative maintenance itself can be overwhelming, nothing compares to the stress and discomfiture your family will feel if the roof springs a massive leak or a pipe bursts. Preventative home maintenance is your best bet for staving off the costliest of repairs. Here are 4 easily preventable disasters waiting to happen in your home.
Roof
Your roof is the first and most important line of defense when it comes to shielding you and your loved ones from the elements. A sturdy, reliable roof is absolutely essential to the health and happiness of your family. It is more than just a barrier protecting you from the sun or snow: it plays a vital role in insulating the rooms in your house and keeping your home structurally sound.
When it comes to preventative maintenance, a good portion of your effort should be spent on the roof. “Over 80% of roofs are replaced early because building owners think they don’t have to do anything once the roof is installed,” says Blue Bonnet Roofing, a roof repair company in Austin, Texas. “Ignoring your roof can lead to bigger problems down the road that will cost you a lot more money. That’s why it’s always best to fix the little problems when they appear rather than waiting.”
So what can you do to stop your roof from deteriorating to the point of no return? Check periodically for any leaks and repair any you find swiftly. Clean your gutters regularly, so that water does not begin to pile up and degrade any wood or insulation.
Wiring
The primary reason for disastrous wire damage in the home is an undiagnosed pest problem. That’s right: mice and rats may be the reason for any wiring woes you have in the home. Rodents in particular seem drawn to gnawing at wires. This can lead to power outages or worse: electrical fires.
Replacing an entire wiring system in the home can be as nearly as costly as replacing a roof, but don’t despair! Fortunately, a pest problem is easily diagnosable and, for the most part, easily treatable when caught. Look out for any critters that may be in the walls or in your cabinetry by keeping a close eye on grains and food storage. Also look for droppings in less traveled places, like storage rooms, basements, or attics.
Foundation
Foundation Problem Pictures can be an invaluable resource for homeowners looking to prevent costly home repairs. By recognizing these issues early on, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your home’s foundation and avoid future problems.
The foundation for your home is just that: it is the literal foundation of your home and the life you and your family have built there. Without it, it will all come crumbling down—and not metaphorically!
In most cases, you will want to have ensured the sanctity of the foundation before you even purchase your home, but that isn’t always possible or realistic. If you are unsure about the health of your home’s foundation, enlist a home inspector to suss out any problems or risk factors.
Keeping the soil around your home at an appropriate moisture level will help your foundation from being “stressed.” Too little water, and the soil is too dry to adequately support your foundation. Too much water, and you are just asking for your basement to be flooded. Keep an eye on any cracks that may spring up and fill them when need be under supervision of a specialist.
Hardwood Floors
Some flooring is easier to maintain than others, but hardwood flooring is simultaneously the most difficult to maintain while being the most coveted. There is a lot to resist about a nice, rich wood floor throughout a home. It really gives a cozy “lived in” feel to any room with great ease. You just can’t get that effect from vinyl or tile!
As any hardwood floor owner knows, they don’t come cheap. If you are lucky to buy a home with pristine wood flooring, preventative maintenance is your only hope for keeping them looking fresh for years to come. If you have any pets with long nails, trim them regularly with a grinding tool to keep them from scratching the floor. Teach young children appropriate treatment of the wood floors. Clean up any liquid messes promptly before they soak into the wood and ruin the finish.
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