Staying on top of home maintenance can seem daunting, but if you plan to tackle goals throughout the year, you can easily stay on track. The year is going by fast, but there is still time to make your home a priority. Here are nine ways you can resolve to protect your home’s well-being in the coming year.
- Get rid of any ice dams. As they melt, ice dams can cause water to leak into ceilings and exterior walls, damaging paint and drywall. If they get big enough, they can also pull away from the roof, bringing shingles and gutters along with them. Learn how to safely remove ice dams to prevent serious damage to your home.
- Enhance your refrigerator. If you can’t afford the cost of smart home appliances, there are some clever workarounds that can give you similar benefits. Start off the new year by learning how to turn your existing refrigerator into a smart fridge for a fraction of the cost.
- Look for foundation problems. When noticed too late, foundation issues can cause tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your home. What’s worse, unless you have a structural warranty, you could get stuck with the bill. Try to catch problems when they are still in their infancy by learning the most common signs of foundation stress.
- Optimize your cooling system. As the summer approaches, you should have your HVAC system serviced to keep your energy bills under control. You should also review our summer home cooling tips to learn how to keep your home’s internal temperature under control.
- Clean your gutters. Don’t wait until fall to clean out your gutters. Visually inspect them every one or two months, or you could end up with serious damage to your roof. Look for bird nests, leaves, beehives and anything else that could cause water to back up.
- Seed your lawn during the fall. You may be surprised to learn that your lawn’s appearance in the spring can be greatly influenced by steps you take during the fall. Learn how to overseed your grass, so you won’t have a patchy or thin lawn when the weather begins to warm.
- Inspect your fireplace before winter. Over time, wood-burning fireplaces can accumulate tarry-like creosote deposits on flue walls. This highly flammable substance can catch fire, causing damage to flue space and spreading to the attic and other parts of your home. Make sure to have a professional inspect your fireplace this year to keep your home and your family safe.
- Inspect and maintain your plumbing. Plumbing issues can lead to catastrophic problems that can cost thousands of dollars to repair. Unfortunately, it can take some time before homeowners notice they have an issue. This year, commit to inspecting and maintaining your plumbing. Our informative DIY plumbing tips can show you where to start.
- Create your own maintenance guide. It’s not always easy to remember every home maintenance requirement. Stay on schedule by learning how to create your own unique home maintenance guide that includes an itemized checklist, along with copies of all important paperwork.
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Article Source: 2-10 Home Warranty
