Being a homeowner comes with a large amount of responsibility. Not only do you have a mortgage and insurance to pay, but you have to maintain the house. There are many items on the exterior and interior of your house that require some amount of maintenance. You should maintain these items because it keeps your house looking nice, and the property value stays where it should. You should be proud of your house. You do not want to be that neighbor that allows your house to fall into disrepair. In addition, regular maintenance helps you avoid higher costs in the long run. When you maintain items in your house, they are more effective, efficient, and last longer. There is no need to feel stressed about knowing what you should maintain; we have created an annual house maintenance list. Everyone’s house is a little different, which may mean your house has different needs. However, this list is a basic list that covers the most common areas.
Maintain Your Chimney
This annual house maintenance list starts with the top of your house and works its way down. When you have a chimney and fireplace, you know it must work properly. Your chimney requires regular inspections, cleaning, and repair. You can clean your chimney yourself, but you may not want to. You are exposing yourself to dirty soot and harmful fumes. You do not have to care for your chimney if you hire a chimney cleaning company. When you hire a company to clean it, you should ensure they will inspect it and are capable of making any necessary repairs. This saves you the hassle of requiring two different companies.
In general, you should have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year, but there are some signs that indicate your chimney needs immediate attention. These signs include but are not limited to smoke coming into your home when you light a fire or the smell of a campfire in your house. If you see oil marks on the inside walls of your fireplace, this is another indicator you should contact a professional for an inspection.
Maintain Your Roof
Another item that should be at the top of your annual house maintenance list is your roof. The roof of your house is the barrier between your house and the weather elements. This fact makes it essential that you provide proper maintenance, service, and inspections of your roof. When you hire professional contractors to provide roofing services, you may be able to avoid having to replace your roof. Roof repairs and replacements can be challenging for homeowners. They are often expensive and can be a hassle.
When you hire a reputable company to assess the condition of your roof, you may be able to reduce the burden. Roofing companies look at several factors to determine the best course of action for your roof. When there is a damaged area, the size of the area often indicates if the roof can be repaired or should be replaced. With proper maintenance, you may be able to avoid conditions where your roof may become damaged. The age of your roof is another consideration for the roofer. If your roof is incredibly old, it may not be worth spending the money to repair the roof instead of replacing it. Your budget also matters when making determinations about roof repairs.
Maintain Your Garage
Moving on down the list of items that you should ensure are on your annual house maintenance list is your garage. Most homeowners do not consider that their garage doors need maintenance to ensure they continue to work properly. Many homeowners do not use their garages to store their cars but still use them as a door into their homes. This means that you still want it to function when you need it. You should provide service to your garage doors at least once a year.
While you can perform some type of inspection on your doors, you most likely are not qualified to handle garage door repair. As a result, you should consider hiring a technician to perform the necessary inspection and assess your garage doors. While there, the technician will test your garage doors and adjust them as needed. They will also balance and lubricate them as needed. This ensures that your garage doors will always work exactly when you need them.
Maintain Your Home’s Insulation
Another item to add to your annual house maintenance list is the insulation in your home. While it may surprise you, insulation needs regular maintenance and inspections to ensure it is providing the right amount of protection for your home. Some signs indicate it is time to contact spray foam insulation companies for additional insulation. It would be best if you looked for missing insulation and areas where insulation has been penetrated but not sealed. In addition, you want to pay attention to moisture on the insulation or spots where it feels hot. If you see areas of discoloration or where it appears the insulation is sagging, you should contact a professional.
Another area you do not want to ignore but also need professional help with is an asbestos inspection. A special test must be performed to determine if there is asbestos in an area. It is best to have a professional perform these tests, as anyone that breathes in asbestos may become sick.
Maintain Your HVAC System
An absolute must on your annual house maintenance list is the maintenance of your HVAC system. It never fails that your air conditioning is going to fail on the hottest day of the year, and your heater will stop working in the middle of a cold front. To protect yourself from that occurrence, you should have regular maintenance and inspections performed on your HVAC system. Typically, you need these services two times a year. Once in the spring for your AC services and another in the fall for your heating system.
When you have an inspection of your HVAC system, you can expect the technician to perform a comprehensive system check along with a thorough cleaning. The technician will ensure every component is working properly and check to see if any repairs are needed. In addition, they will change the filters. These steps ensure that your system will function properly and work efficiently throughout the entire season. You can catch minor concerns early and fix them before they become a major issue.
Maintain Cleanliness
When you are planning your annual house maintenance list, do not forget about pest management. If you do, you may find yourself with an infestation of pests in your home. While pest management is on your annual maintenance list, it should be done once or twice a year. This is essential not only in the summer when insects are plentiful but also in the winter when you do not see them. If you are not seeing them in plain sight, that means they are hibernating. They could be using your home as their hibernation spot.
There are insects, like termites, that you know to be aware of. You probably even know the signs when they are in or around your home. However, each season has unique bugs that can enter your home and make a mess. When you have a plan for pest management, you can feel secure that you will not have an infestation.
Maintain Your Plumbing
Plumbing is an area that you need to have on your annual house maintenance list. Unfortunately, it is an area that is commonly forgotten about by homeowners until it no longer works effectively. However, there is some regular maintenance you can perform to keep it working well all year long. One of the top items on the plumbing maintenance list is not to flush anything down the toilet but waste and toilet paper. While it may seem insignificant, any other items that are flushed, even hair, can cause a huge clog.
You should also check your pipes regularly for any leaks. If you find a leak, you should contact a professional. Some of the signs that indicate your pipes are leaking include damage or decaying of the pipes. If you see warping, rust, or drops of water, those are signs of larger problems. You should contact a plumber right away for assistance. It is a good idea to flush the drain regularly. Even when you flush them regularly, you may notice they are moving slowly and may need more regular flushing. While grabbing a bottle of pipe cleaning off the shelf of your grocery store is quick and easy, it is not the best way to flush your drains. A better option is a mixture of vinegar, hot water, and baking soda.
Maintain the Exterior of Your Home
While it may not always be a fun task, inspecting the exterior of your house should always be on your annual house maintenance list. You want to take regular walks around your house and inspect the outside of it. It would be best if you looked at the roof, the driveway, the foundation, and the facade. You are looking for cracks or any signs of wear. You should also check to see if there is any water pooling around the foundation. It is also a good idea to check for standing water after heavy rain. Finally, you should check your gutters for any damage and determine if they are clogged. If so, you should clean them or hire a professional. When your gutters are clogged, they are not able to effectively move water away from your house.
Not only does the paint on your house make it look nice, but it also protects it from damage and rot. If you notice peeling or chipping paint, you should contact residential painting contractors for a fresh coat of paint. You want to ensure the exterior of your home is as clean as the interior. Spring is a great time to clean the outside of your house. In many cases, you can purchase a siding cleaning kit to attach to your hose to clean your house.
Maintain Your Lawn
Some homeowners love it while others hate it, but lawn care is an essential item for your annual house maintenance list. You do not have to do any of the work yourself. You can hire a landscaper and a lawn care company to handle all of your lawn needs. However, that can get expensive and is not always an option. In general, you want to make sure the grass is cut and neat. In addition, you want to ensure no weeds are growing and that the area around your grass is cleaned up.
Each season requires you to take some unique steps. In the spring, you want to aerate, dethatch, and fertilize your lawn. In the summer, you should focus on weeds and grubs. You do not want either in your grass. In the fall, it is time to fertilize again. You should also patch and seed at this time of year. In the winter, your lawn will most likely be dormant, depending on where you live. This is the time when you do not cut it. You also want to limit how many people walk across your grass. When ice collects on your lawn, you want to melt it quickly and safely. You should avoid using rock salt as it can damage your grass.
It may feel like, as a homeowner, you are constantly doing work to the interior and exterior of your home. That is true, but it is critical to remember that your home is your largest investment. You should continue to care for and maintain it.
