Anyone who owns a home knows that they really need to spend time on general home maintenance almost every month of the year. Consequently your home is one of your largest assets and at sometime you may want to sell it. Any buyer is looking for a well maintained home that does not need major repairs. The best way to avoid major repairs regardless of how long you plan to live in your home is to keep up with general home maintenance. Always nake sure that repairs are completed quickly to avoid further damage. Even if you have to pay someone to do the work for you, it is definitely worth it to maintain your home. Your home will decline in value if you need to sell it.
Also savvy home buyers are going with home inspections and they are going to pick up on all of the little things as well as the major items that you may have ignored. If you want full price for your home keep up with maintenance.
What General Home Maintenance Is Needed
The following is a general list of maintenance steps that all homeowners should consider. Your home may have specific items that are needed and you may want to add this to this list.
- Check, caulk and paint all windows
- Paint your garage door
- Tighten all bolts on your garage door
- Ensure that water drainage is guiding water away from your home to avoid leaks
- Empty all eaves troughs of leaves and debris in spring and fall
- Maintain your lawn and shrubs
- Ensure your fence if you have one is will maintained
- Seal your driveway if it is asphalt
- Repair and seal your interlock driveway
- Repair all leaking taps in sinks
- Check your roof on a regular basis
- Paint and update rooms in your home to keep it looking fresh
- Clean all floors and complete repairs especially for hardwood floors
While this is not a complete list, it does cover all of the major items that most home owners need to be aware of. Also you may want to do an inspection if you have not been maintaining your home properly to determine what is required immediately to avoid any damage. Your roof and windows are good examples of something that should be checked. If there are leaks of any kind, water damage can cause a great deal of damage and add mold to your home which can be harmful to anyone sensitive to mold.
Walls can be damaged, floors can be damaged by water leaks from the window leaks. In addition your home is not going to look great if your windows are not painted and looking great.