For the typical homeowner, taking good care of your home — your most-prized possession — is a no-brainer. Whether you intend to stay in your home forever or sell it someday, it’s in your best interest to stay on top of maintenance. Here’s how.
Get Rid of Pests
There are many different types of pests that can wreak havoc on your home. Termites can make a feast of anything with wood components, rats and mice can chew on electrical wiring or can even nest in your insulation, while cockroaches can crawl into your walls and infest your home. Keep your home pest-free by hiring a reputable pest extermination company.
Proper Insulation
One of the best ways to keep your home in peak condition is to ensure that it’s properly insulated. Proper insulation will help reduce your energy bills and ensure that your home remains comfortable year-round. Also, consider calling in experts in home window installation in Fostoria, OH, to replace your old, worn-down windows with new, double-pane energy-efficient units. Doing so will keep your home more comfortable and also boost its value.
Keep Your Roof Properly Maintained
Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements. Exposure to the sun, wind, rain, snow and extreme temperatures causes wear and tear over the years. It’s important that you keep your roof in good condition by checking for missing shingles as well as cracks or leaks on a regular basis — ideally twice a year, in the spring and again in the fall. Make sure to address roofing issues without delay by calling a reliable roofing company in Fostoria, OH, to conduct roof repair or replacement as needed.
Don’t Let Pet Smells Linger in the Home
Pet smells can build up and cause unpleasantness in your home. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot of work to keep the smell of pets from ruining your home’s environment, but it does take some discipline on your part. Make sure to make your pets are house trained, change your litter boxes daily, shampoo your rugs regularly and vacuum pet hair and dander thoroughly and often.
Protect the Home from Damage Caused by Pets
Pet owners know all too well the various types of damage and wear and tear that pets can cause. Claw marks can damage walls, doors and flooring. But old dogs can learn new tricks — in fact animals learn a lot faster than us, so if you’re having trouble with your pets, get a professional trainer to help you. Also, place protective coverings over damage-prone areas like the back or front doors.
Stay on Top of Landscaping
It’s also important to keep your yard neat and clean. If you’re not a fan of yard work or don’t have time to stay on top of it, consider hiring a landscaping service to cut the grass and ensure that your plants are kept healthy and looking their best. Your landscaper should come once a month during the winter and twice a month in spring, summer and fall.
Invest in Regular Home Upgrades and Keep Things in Good Repair
Every homeowner has a laundry list of things they’d like to invest in “once there’s some money to spare.” Consider the following:
- Give worn-down surfaces new life with a bit of sanding and a fresh coat of paint. Perhaps even consider playing around with new colors to update your home’s look.
- Rip out old, dying or overgrown plants that have been neglected and breathe new life into your outdoor areas with new plants and grass. Maybe add a few decorative garden elements such as a birdbath, earthen pots or outdoor lighting — perhaps even a small waterfall, pond or fountain.
- For older properties, a bathroom or kitchen renovation can add considerable value to the home.
- Love the outdoors and want to spend more time there? Build an outdoor deck to better enjoy outdoor living! Alternatively, consider adding a sunroom instead, so you get the benefits of being outdoors while staying inside your home.
- Replace old front or patio doors to give your home an instant and highly visible update. Just call in professionals who offer door replacement service in Fostoria, OH, to have the job done quickly and easily.
- While you’re at it, update your existing fittings — including doorknobs, bathroom and kitchen faucets and even cabinet pulls. A DIY job or two can go a long way!
- Get new window treatments. If you want to go beyond new curtains or blinds, you can even play with more innovative ideas such as designing faux stained glass windows, making window etchings, adding grilles or munions to larger windows or, perhaps, adding a lattice window screen.
- Add fencing around the front or back yards for added security and to introduce more decorative elements to your property.
These home improvements will showcase love and care that you put into your home. They involve a short-term outlay for a long-term investment in your future. You can do many of these things on your own, or call in a local handyman. If you really want to seriously refurbish the home prior to selling, however, it’s best to consult a professional contractor.
Have Your Home Inspected Yearly
Look over your house and check on the integrity of all its components yearly. If needed, call in a building inspector to inspect your home. If you find anything that needs fixing, get repairs done before the issue ends up becoming a bigger problem.
We hope this guide has helped you build a checklist of activities that will help maintain your home’s health and overall integrity. These are just a few of the ways you can keep your home in peak condition for as long as possible.