As a homeowner, you’ve likely heard about the importance of regular home maintenance. While some tasks may be easier and less time-consuming than others, it is necessary to prioritize home maintenance. This helps maximize your home’s efficiency, longevity, and overall value. We have created this guide to help Florida homeowners maintain and prevent costly repairs or replacements.
Regularly Inspect Your Home
A good place to start with your home maintenance is to conduct regular inspections. Keeping an eye out for any potential issues or problems within your home can help you catch small issues before they become serious. Check your roof for any signs of wear and tear, and look under the sink for any plumbing issues. It’s helpful to inspect both the inside and outside of your home every few months. You should also check all electrical outlets around your home and inspect the attic insulation if you have one.
Service Your Appliances Regularly
Just like your car, it’s important to regularly service all major appliances in your home. This includes HVAC systems and water heaters. These types of appliances need periodic tune-ups and professional servicing. By doing that, you can extend its lifespan and ensure they are running efficiently. Doing this will also help you save money in energy costs as well as avoid a costly repair bill later on down the road. Many local appliance companies offer annual or bi-annual plans that include scheduled servicing at an affordable price point.
Clean Gutters & Downspouts
It’s easy to forget about cleaning out gutters and downspouts, but they are essential when it comes to keeping water away from the foundation of your house. If gutters become clogged with leaves or other debris, water can gather and seep into your walls, ceilings, or even crawl spaces. If this happened, it could be costly damage over time if left unchecked. To prevent this from happening, it’s best practice to clean out gutters at least twice per year. Checking them after major storms is also recommended. High winds can blow debris into them faster than usual, causing clogs more quickly than normal.
Exterior Painting & Trim Repairs
Keep an eye out for any chipped paint on window sills, doors, or exterior trim pieces around your house. Repairing needed areas is key in maintaining a weatherproof barrier against further moisture damage. Minimizing this moisture can result in fewer mold/mildew issues and lessens the risk of insect infestations, such as termites that may be attracted to the rotting wood. Painting these areas is also recommended regularly to keep up appearances while protecting against future damage from the elements over time. You typically need to paint the exterior every 5-7 years, depending upon climate conditions in Florida and direct sunlight.
By creating a list of maintenance tasks specific to your Florida residence, you can ensure areas of your home are being taken care of. A well-maintained home brings peace of mind knowing that it reduces risks on top of the regular upkeep costs associated with ownership. So don’t forget about taking care of business!