Your home is something you want to look after and keep in good condition over the years. If you’re not staying on top of the home maintenance, then it’s likely going to fall apart in a shorter period of time. With that being considered, if you’re looking to keep your home in good condition all year round and for many years to come, then continue reading.
In this guide, you’ll get all of the tips and tricks to keep your home in good condition, whether it’s annual roof checks to clearing debris from your garden, to prevent pests from invading and making your home their home!
While these efforts might seem like a lot of hassle, you’d much rather do this than find yourself having to deal with some much bigger problems further down the line.
Inspect the roof and get a professional out
First and foremost, you should be getting your roof checked by a professional at least once a year if possible. If not, then every two or three years will also suffice. It’s always good to be mindful of your roof space and, where possible, to go up and check on it as and when you need to.
This is important because there can often be a lot of problems that stem to the roof space and that ultimately can cause a lot of costly expense if you’re not careful.
With that being said, if you’re looking to keep tabs on your home’s condition, get the roof inspected and have a professional check it, inside and out. This should also be a contact you have on speed dial. You never know when you might need emergency roof repair services, and it’s good to have the people you need available should anything ever go wrong in your home.
Clear out gutters and check for damage
While on the topic of roof spaces, your gutters shouldn’t be ignored either. These are an essential part of your home’s drainage system, passing water that falls onto your property away from the foundations that would otherwise be damaged.
Cleaning out the gutters is definitely something you want to make sure to do regularly, particularly during seasonal periods of the year when you might have a lot more leaves and debris falling onto the property.
The condition of your gutters is also something to be mindful of, especially when it comes to making sure they’re draining water properly.
If you’re concerned about your gutters, or if you’ve noticed that there are in fact issues with them, then getting a gutter specialist out is the best way to tackle the problem before it escalates and causes a lot more damage.
Clean out dryer vents and filters on appliances
Dryer vents and filters on appliances are small inconveniences to maintain, but if you’re not maintaining them properly, then often than not, it can end up doing damage to the appliance itself.
That’s why it’s important to look at cleaning out dryer vents regularly so that there’s not too much buildup in these vents that could catch fire or damage the appliance in some other way.
All appliances will have their various filters that could do with cleaning out regularly. Some might need a little hot, soapy water treatment, while others might need a more complex treatment. Some appliances might even need a replacement filter added where needed, so it’s definitely something to consider doing regularly and staying on top of.
Check your security and safety alarms
Security and safety alarms are something to stay on top of because they’re essentially protecting your home from outside harm and also preventing potential health issues if certain alarms weren’t in place.
Your security system should be something that’s always improved upon and up to date so that you’ve always got eyes and ears on your property. Whether you’re in the property or you’re away from it, having security and safety alarms is helpful to keep you and your belongings safe from any criminals who’d otherwise want to break into your home.
The same goes for your safety alarms. Your fire alarm and carbon monoxide smoke detectors should all be checked regularly to ensure they’re still working as they should be. There’s nothing more dangerous than alarms that haven’t been replaced with batteries and therefore end up being a danger should a fire start or a gas leak occur.
Clear leaves and debris in the garden to prevent pests
It’s a good idea to keep up with clearing leaves and debris in your garden. Pests are not always a nuisance if they stay well away from your property. However, the more opportunity you create in your garden for them to burrow and make your home theirs, the more likely they’ll get closer to your property’s boundaries – and invade them!
With that being said, you should look to clear any and all debris in the garden so that you can prevent pests from getting in. If you spot any signs of pests, it’s better to get on top of them with an exterminator than to let them fester and get worse.
Try to keep on top of clearing the debris that falls around your home and in your garden space. That way, you reduce the likelihood of habitats being made by the pests that you don’t really want coming onto your property or into your home internally.
Protect faucets from cold temperatures
Faucets are something to be mindful of when it comes to keeping your home from falling apart. When it comes to home maintenance, it’s worth looking at what state your drainage and plumbing system are in currently.
Think about how you might want to protect those faucets, especially during the cooler months of the year. It might be that you heat your home regularly throughout the year at various points, and therefore your pipes remain in good condition.
However, if you find yourself turning them off for longer periods of time, especially in cold weather, then you’ll want to bolster their safety by getting a plumbing specialist in. They can help protect your pipes and plumbing system in general to avoid any burst pipes from occurring.
Seal your windows and doors
Sealing your windows and doors is certainly something you could do in order to better insulate your home for the cooler months. Your windows and doors, after all, are the main vulnerabilities of hot air being lost and cold air coming in to make your home cool.
You may want to look at sealing your windows and doors in order to keep on top of the maintenance, but also to lower your energy bills during the fall and winter months.
Sealing your windows and doors is often needed as they get older. The original sealant will break away and that exposing the gaps between the windows and doors, to the walls. Thus creating a draft which you’ll want to seal up. If you don’t know how to seal everything up, get the professionals in.
Keep exterior surfaces clean
It might not be something you pay particular attention to, but the state of your walls or exterior surfaces can often take a battering from the weather conditions you experience. It’s therefore a good idea to look at the condition of these surfaces and consider a treatment where applicable.
Some surfaces are durable enough for a jet wash, while others might need something a bit more delicate in terms of pressure, but still intense in its ability to remove stubborn stains and dirt.
Review your insurance and update where required
Finally, when it comes to keeping your home in a good state of repair, make sure you have all the relevant home insurance you need. It’s not something that you think about until you actually make a claim.
With home insurance, you’re protecting yourself from any likelihood of the home being damaged in any way, shape, or form. While you might not be able to afford everything that’s on offer, the more you can ensure your home, the better.
It’s peace of mind that if something were to happen, what you’ve invested in the form of your home is looked after. Always double-check and triple-check the fine print.
Declutter to keep the risk of injury and damage low
Decluttering is not something that everyone looks forward to doing, and for the most part, it can be a lot of hard work. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to look at decluttering regularly so that you’re staying on top of the mess that will likely occur as a result.
If you’ve got a cluttered space, then you’re going to risk injury to yourself and to others. Not only that, but you could end up damaging other furniture and belongings, so it’s good to keep on top of decluttering for the sake of your health and the quality of everything else in the space.