How To Ensure That Your Home Stands The Test Of Time

Your house is most probably the largest investment that you will ever make, that’s why when it comes to how you care for it, it’s important that you make an effort to look after it. Of course, for most people, when it comes to buying a home, they think about the financial responsibility that comes with it, instead of what it takes to actually take care of their home. The fact is that it’s all well and good putting a large sum of money into a property, but if you aren’t going to take care of it properly, then it’s a waste.

You see, over time, if your home is not properly taken care of and updated as and when it’s to do so, it will begin to become run down. This will not only impact its value but also what it’s like to live in it. That’s why it’s so vital that you know how to look after your home and make an effort to take proper care of the building inside and out, to keep it in tip-top condition. With that in mind, below are some useful pieces of advice that you should consider implementing if you want to keep your home in top shape.

To make the process of keeping your house in good order and ensuring that it stands the test of time, the below advice has been split into different time periods, such as monthly and annual tasks. Create a schedule for your home, and tick tasks off as you go, so that you can ensure that nothing gets missed out.

Monthly home care:

Inspect HVAC filters: One thing that should be on your list of monthly tasks is to inspect your home’s HVAC filters. While many experts recommend that you change these filters monthly, this isn’t always necessary. Instead of changing your filters on a monthly basis, if you check them and see if they need changing, you can save yourself a large amount of money over time. When it comes to things like this, from your HVAC filters to your tap filters, it’s important always to check them first, to ensure that replacing them is actually necessary.  

Clean sink disposals: To prevent your home’s waste disposal from getting clogged up, it’s important to clean it out on a regular basis – ideally once a month. In that way, you can deal with any problems, such as clogged areas, before they cause more serious problems. There are various ways that you can make cleaning your waste disposal easier, but one of the best options is to freeze vinegar and place the ice cubes inside the disposal. Vinegar not only has effective cleaning powers but it’s also great for odor control as it can help to stem bad smells that can come out of the sink.

Inspect your fire protection: When it comes to the things that you should check on a monthly basis, your home’s fire protection systems should be at the top of your list. After all, a house fire is not something that anyone wants, which is why it’s so important to make sure that you are checking your fire alarms and fire extinguishers each month, to ensure that your home is properly protected. If you have a carbon monoxide alarm in place, then it’s also vital that you check this as well. (To learn how to effectively check these alarm systems, go online and take advantage of YouTube tutorials).

Quarterly home care:

Check for pests: On a quarterly basis, it’s important that you check your home for pests. Start with the basement, then move slowly through the house up to the attic looking for any signs of pests, such as droppings or holes in the walls or roof. It’s also a good idea to check any outdoor buildings as well, to ensure that if there are any pests in them, you are able to spot them. If you do come across any pests, it’s important that you call in a contractor like Go-Forth Pest Control, as soon as possible. The longer pests are left undisturbed in your home, the more damage they will do. The last thing you want is pests like mice biting through your electric wires or insects building a nest in your attic, so being clued up on the signs of pests is crucial.

Run the water in unused spaces: Do you have an outhouse that is rarely used, an attic bathroom that is reserved for guests, or an outdoor kitchen that only gets used in the summer months? If the answer is yes to any of the above, then it’s important to take the time to run water in these spaces on a quarterly basis. Every four months, turn the taps or shower on and flush any toilets, to ensure that everything is working as it should be. If you leave these faucets for too long without being turned on, they can end up seizing up. So it’s important that you check them at least every few months, to prevent any serious issues from occurring.

Check your home’s exterior: Every few months, spend some time looking at the exterior of your home. When it comes to taking care of your property, it’s not just about looking after the inside but also the outside. If you are going to take care of your home properly, you need to be aware of any potential exterior problems that could have serious consequences, such as cracks to the foundations or walls, for instance. If you spot these kinds of structural issues, it’s vital that you call in a contractor right away, so that you are able to get them dealt with. Otherwise, they could lead to issues with damp and mold. If your home does develop damp or mold, it’s again vital that you call out a specialist as soon as possible, to ensure that the problem can be quickly dealt with. When it comes to mold, the sooner you are able to deal with the issue, the better. Mold spreads and can cause structural damage, so dealing with it quickly is essential.

Annual home care:

Deep clean: Annually, it’s a good idea to deep clean your house, and ensure that you clean every area of the property. Keeping your home clean isn’t just about living cleanly, it’s also about making sure to protect the building from problems that tend to occur as a result of not cleaning it properly. For instance, in areas where there is metal, if they aren’t kept clean, they have a tendency to rust more quickly. Start at the top of your house and slowly work your way through each room, deep cleaning everything from the floors and windows to the wardrobes and furniture. What you want to do is dust and clean every nook and cranny, as by doing so you can ensure that over the years dirt and grime doesn’t build up causing problems.

Clean out your gutters: Once a year, take the time to clean out your home’s gutters. Over the year, they will accumulate leaves, dirt, and debris, and will end up clogged up if they aren’t cleaned out on a regular basis. When gutters become clogged, rainwater ends up running down the side of the property, which can cause the pain to peel and bubble, and if it gets into any time cracks, can cause larger ones to appear, especially in colder temperatures when freezing is likely.

Check trees and shrubs: When you allow your garden to grow out of control, it can have an impact on your property. You see, when trees grow out of control, the roots and branches can end up causing property damage or becoming tangled in power lines, leading to all sorts of issues. Tree roots can also cause damage to a property’s foundations if the tree is planted too close to the property and allowed to grow out of control. If you don’t have that magical green thumb, then It’s a good idea to call in an expert who does, to assess these kinds of issues.

Your home is the biggest investment that you will ever make, which is why it’s so important that you make an effort to look after it properly. If you don’t make time to take care of your home, not only will the property’s value drop but it may also fall into a state of disrepair, causing all kinds of problems. That’s why it’s a good idea to set aside some time each month to take care of your home, and ensure that you are up to date with all the various maintenance tasks that come with owning a home. After all, the last thing that you want is for your investment to end up losing its value and not offering you the financial future that you thought it would do. It takes a few hours each month to look after your home, which is what makes it so worthwhile making the time to do so.