Yearly home maintenanceAs we travel around the country we see so many homes that are run down and have not been looked after. We also see a lot of homes that are in perfect condition. We wonder what the difference is between people who look after their homes and those that do not.

It does not take a lot of work to maintain your home. Especially if you do it yourself you can control the cost. DYI really keeps your expenses to minimum. Of course you can hire a contractor to maintain your home. These could include lawn care services, shrubbery and flowerbed services. Also basic repairs that are required from time to time. The driveway may need repairs and the house may need to be painted as well, especially around the windows to ensure that the wooden window frames are not exposed and begin to rot.

Yearly home Maintenance

Annual maintenance of a home should include basic outdoor activities as well as indoor activities. You want to make sure that all of the windows are secure, painted and not deteriorating. Also check to make sure that your roof is in good shape and not allowing any water to penetrate. You may also want to check that rodents cannot get in to your attic through the roof. They can cause considerable damage leaving a mess as well and even a strong odor.

Anytime you see any water leaks, it should be repaired immediately to avoid further water damage. Taps that are Dripping, Water underneath Your Sink, and Showers That Are Leaking into the Room or in the Floor below Should Also Be Repaired Immediately. Water damage can be extensive and the mold that usually follows water damage can be detrimental to your health as well. Deal with water leaks promptly to avoid these issues. Better yet repair your roof and windows before water leaks get started.

Water Damage Can Also Leave or Cause Mold to Appear causing health issues for people living in the home. Deal with these issues quickly so that they do not get worse and create thousands of dollars of expensive repairs that will need to be done.

Yearly home Maintenance – Furnace

Your furnace falls into a special category. You may not even realize that there is anything wrong with your furnace until it suddenly stops working.  Worse, if it is producing carbon monoxide, it can kill you and your family. We suggest that you have your furnace checked properly once per year and have any repairs made to it promptly to avoid any  problems that might occur.

While no one wants to have their furnace red flagged, i.e. meaning it must be shut down and repaired before it can be used, this is far better than having it spewing carbon monoxide into your home and possibly killing you and your family. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless and cannot be detected without a special monitor. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home to ensure that you are also protected in this manner as well.

You may also want to have your water heater checked if it is also running on gas or some other kind of fuel other than electricity.

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