Have You Been Keeping Up With Your Home Maintenance?

Owning a home will always come with a need for maintenance and one ought to consistently budget for such expenses in order to be prepared for any problems which might come along in the future.

If you aren’t financially equipped to deal with small maintenance issues, it is highly likely that they will compound and become a far bigger expense than they need to be.

Time-consuming

Repair and maintenance also include simple projects that are more time-consuming than expensive!

For instance, cutting back trees, getting rid of rust or unblocking a bathroom drain.

Other types of maintenance and repair, however, are significantly bigger undertakings and one might be tempted to postpone them because hiring professional help simply costs too much.

However tempting it might be, putting off big maintenance jobs will likely result in an even bigger issue that ends up being far more expensive.

It must also be noted that leaving a maintenance issue to the last minute, and dealing with it when it is even worse leaves you vulnerable to an increase in your insurance premiums.

Homeowners are strongly encouraged to start a maintenance fund and begin immediately scheduling regular maintenance checks.

By putting a maintenance schedule in place, you’re able to figure out and deal with the issues that are most prevalent in your home long before they build up and become overwhelmingly expensive.

Take a look at some examples of what maintenance you should be regularly checking (and what the potential could be if you don’t deal with them):

Roof

Your roof is something that needs to be checked as regularly as possible, particularly if you live in an area that experiences strong winds, rain and/or hail.

Some things to look out for would be loose tiles and roof-nails, as well as broken waterproofing and clogged up gutters and downpipes.

These issues are not serious at all and can be solved without much time or money.

They are, however, also the types of issues that, if left unresolved, can result in far bigger problems such as holes in the roof and subsequent big leaks in ceilings, as well as extensive damp in the walls.

Plumbing

Plumbing is another incredibly important part of your home that should be regularly checked on.

Because your plumbing system is largely hidden, it’s easy to forget about maintaining it.

If you have dripping taps or running toilets, you can fix them easily and inexpensively, and save money on your water bill as a result. Make sure your geyser has no leaks or decay.

If you hear your pipes making loud bangs or gurgling sounds, or see a growing patch of damp, call a plumber immediately to check it out and avoid the incredibly expensive consequences of a burst pipe.

Electrical

Ensure your electrics are in order. In addition to having an electrical certificate of compliance, you should also have a professional check the entire electrical installation every couple of years.

There are, unfortunately, a myriad of unpredictable issues that can affect your electrics, from rodents chewing your wiring to general deterioration that leads to overheating and short circuits.

It’s very important that you take electrical issues seriously and find a professional electrician to solve whatever issue comes along.

This will ensure that you have the safest electrical set-up possible and will avoid potentially dangerous electrical shocks and even a fire.

Insurance

While you might have a Homeowner’s Insurance (HOC) policy, which is likely to pay for the majority of the costly issues mentioned, there will still be costs involved, such as paying for the excess and a potentially higher insurance premium.

Bear in mind that there is always the risk of your insurance not covering expenses that are considered due to a lack of general maintenance.

Overall, the time and money you put into regular (and often very small) maintenance jobs along the way give you a great chance of bypassing huge expenses in the long run.

Not only will this save you time and money, but will be massively beneficial if you ever decide to sell your home because the likelihood of having to do expensive repairs is low.

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