For many homeowners, they soon realize some of the drawbacks of managing a home. Houses are expensive and also require high maintenance costs if you are not careful. Fortunately, there are ways for the smart homeowner to lower home maintenance expenses. Here are some of the things that you can do.
Apply Caulking
One of the best things you can do for home maintenance is to apply the caulk. You mainly apply it to your window and door frames. This can prevent moisture from coming into your home. It is not just for your main entrances. Caulk can also cover up a variety of small cracks and seams that you can find around pipes, vents, and wiring. It is even more important in your bathroom since the water from the shower and tub can spill out.
With less moisture coming in, your house can be assured that mold and rot won’t develop inside. High moisture levels are what cause spores to develop, so keeping things dry is very important. Installing caulk is very simple and cheap. A few tubes are all you need every year. Just apply it every year, and you can save yourself the costs of repairing rot-damaged tiles and mildew removal.
Fix Your Faucets And Fixtures
Another way to lower maintenance expenses is to fix up the various faucets and fixtures around your house. Dripping faucets are a major way to lose water. Experts estimate that a dripping faucet will waste 34 gallons (128.7 liters) a year. Multiple faucets will build this up. Stopping the leaks are very important. Other fixtures can also cause drips. You should check around all your water fixtures to see which ones are leaking.
You can try to fix things yourself, but it is better to get professional plumbers. They may seem expensive, but they can fix easy things quickly so the hourly rate can be worth it. The advantage of a professional helping you out is that they can see potential problems while also delivering professional service.
Proper Care For Your HVAC
One of the more expensive parts of your home is the HVAC system. A new boiler or air conditioner can be expensive, while even repairs to them can have a hefty price tag. Giving it some pampering can help prevent these high bills. One cause for HVAC breakdowns is overuse. When they are active for long hours, the strain on your air conditioner or boiler can be pretty bad. There are several ways to lessen the load on them.
First, you can replace the current thermostat with a programmable one. This can allow you to turn off or manipulate the settings on a schedule. Set the time for when it turns on or when it turns off so that you don’t have the heating or cooling on all the time. It can also change the temperatures at specific times. For example, in the middle of the day, you want it to be cool, but you don’t need it to be that high the entire day.
Another option is to install insulation. In the right places, this can keep the heat in on cold days and keep it out during hot days. The best place to put it is in the attic since it is where most of the energy savings are. Additional insulation can be placed in your basement.
Finally, replacing the filters can ensure that the airflow in your home is smooth. Clogged filters put a strain on your HVAC system. Clean and replace your filters every month so that your HVAC system works at its best.
Clean The Gutters
Your gutters deliver the rainwater from your roof to further away from your home. If they get clogged, it can cause problems for you. The main trouble is that the clogs cause water to spill down the sides of your home during rainy days. This can cause water damage since the fluid can seep into your sidings. It also doesn’t help that when the water hits the ground around your house, it can cause foundation damage.
If you want to avoid these problems and have to pay a lot to fix them, then you should clean your gutters every couple of months. You can also install a leaf cover over them to prevent large debris from getting in. This simple effort can save you a ton of money.
Home maintenance expenses mainly come from things that you can easily prevent or lessen the effect of. With the knowledge of what to do, you should be able to reduce your yearly maintenance costs. Take the right steps, and you should be able to save money. You can then use it for further improvements to your house.
