Owning a home is exciting and rewarding, but can also be overwhelming especially as issues pop up. It seems no matter the issue, big or small, time and money are needed to remedy the problem!
It’s common, for neglect to occur, especially if you have been in your home for many years or have a rental property you don’t inspect regularly.
Here are five mistakes we often see homeowners make—and tips from experts to help you avoid them.
- Forgetting about (or ignoring) the small stuff. Some examples are a toilet that runs constantly, a crack in a deck board, or even a slow drip from a faucet. These may not seem like big problems, but typically what starts out small can turn into much bigger issues. When you find “small” repairs around your house, address them quickly and you will likely avoid bigger problems down the road.
- Not doing regular checks around the house. How often do you inspect your home or have a handy person inspect? Often time’s problems could have been avoided just by occasional inspection. Check your crawlspace from time to time and your attic. Check outside too, make sure the seals around your doors and windows are solid, look for debris or damage to your roof, and look for siding that needs repair or maintenance. Then remedy any issues prior to heavy rain and winter season.
- Skipping maintenance on your appliances. Not only does maintenance keep things working effectively and prolong lifespan, but maintenance also can prevent serious risks. Some examples include cleaning your dryer exhaust vent; too much lint build up could cause a fire. Check the hoses around the washing machine, if worn, replace… this could avoid significant water damage. Also be sure to test your smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.
- Neglecting other systems. Have your furnace, heat pump, and/or central AC serviced annually. Be sure to change filters at the appropriate intervals.
- Not having a home warranty. Even with the best maintenance efforts, household items still fail and often times will need to be repaired or replaced. These things sometimes just happen and if left unrepaired could lead to further damage, for example a furnace not working in 20 degree temperatures and posing the risk of a frozen/burst pipe. We ask all our clients to consider a home warranty. A home warranty would cover the breakdown of appliances and systems, and potentially save you hundreds of thousands of dollars on repairs or replacements.
Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, so it pays to be diligent about caring for it! Call us for a no obligation coverage review (804) 320-0129.