Becoming a homeowner provides many great benefits, including the freedom to make changes to the property whenever you want, decorate how you see fit, and blast your music as loud as you can get it unless you live too close to neighbors in the surrounding area. With your own home, you’ll also gain what’s likely your greatest financial asset, and you have the opportunity to build equity.
Naturally, owning your home comes with more responsibility than you ever had as a renter as well. There’s no longer a landlord you can call whenever something goes wrong. Instead, you’re responsible for all of your own maintenance and repairs, and you really need to keep up with said maintenance to keep minor problems from becoming large expenses. Here are three great ways you can do that, whether you’re a new property owner or have years of experience.
1. Inspect your windows and screens for damage.
When you think of regular maintenance for your home, you likely picture things like cleaning out the gutters, taking care of the yard, making sure there are no electrical problems, and fixing simple plumbing issues like a leaky faucet. You probably don’t think of your windows that often. That’s fine if they’re relatively new. It’s only recommended that you get a window replacement every 15-20 years if you have new windows, after all.
If your windows are old, though, you may want to inspect them further, especially if you’ve just moved into an older home that still has the original windows. Cracks in window sealing, or around the window frames, can easily lead to cool or warm air being lost, not to mention that the outside air has an easier time getting in. Old windows can also be a security risk, and they may even lack noise-canceling, which can get annoying fast. If you discover problems with your windows after an inspection, it’s a good idea to go ahead and schedule a replacement.
2. Check your roof at least once a year.
Whether you have a metal roof, an asphalt roof, a vinyl roof, or shingles, your roof is your main line of defense against the elements. It will be fairly obvious that you’ll need roof repairs from roofing contractors in Melbourne, FL when your roof starts to leak during hurricane season, but you want to avoid that outcome in the first place.
A great way to do that is by climbing up to perform annual preventive maintenance on your roof. If all that’s wrong is a few loose shingles, you can nail them back in place yourself. If you notice more severe problems, you may need to contact a roofing contractor for a free estimate on repairs. The last thing you want is to need an entire roof replacement just before the bad weather starts to come in.
3. Keep your HVAC system in good shape.
When it comes to keeping your home comfortable, there’s nothing more important than your air conditioning and heating systems. Instead of just leaving it to run itself, you’ll need to take care of it by performing basic maintenance tasks each month, such as replacing the air filters to prevent clogs that may cause your compressor to work too much. Check out five benefits that regular maintenance provides to see why you need to take good care of your HVAC system.
While you’re at it, you may want to set up some air purifiers throughout your home to improve your air quality. It’s easy for airborne particles like pollen, mold, dust, and dander to get loose in your home and potentially cause allergy problems or greater health concerns. Eliminating such issues will keep your home comfortable year-round.