While buying a property, most first-time homeowners fail to factor in the amount of time, money, and effort that one needs to invest in the repair and maintenance of the house over a period of time.
Maintaining a house in its best condition is not an easy task. However, if you focus on simple things and steer clear of maintenance blunders, more often than not, you can fairly manage the upkeep of the house.
Below are six such common house maintenance mistakes that you should avoid:
#1: Neglecting Windows And Doors
Windows and doors are significantly important not only for functionality but also for the home’s aesthetics. Well-maintained and spruced-up windows and doors add tremendously to the curb appeal of your abode.
If you are looking to lease out your home, having shoddy windows and doors that underline poor maintenance isn’t helpful.
We recommend the usage of safety glass doors and windows. The use of safety glass guarantees that the need for maintenance significantly goes down compared to conventional wooden doors and windows.
Features like strength, insulation, durability and low maintenance make safety glass ideal for making doors and windows. You can improve your home’s curb appeal and aesthetics by getting safety glass doors and windows. They can be maintained for a long time with minimal effort, making them very cost-effective.
#2. Failure To Adress Water Damage
Water damage can significantly affect the health of your house if left unchecked. There is rarely anything else that can ruin the aesthetics and visual appeal of your home than issues of basement flooding and water leakage.
You do not want mould or fungus showing up on your beautiful walls. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens when you ignore signs of water damage. Discolouration of the walls, dampness, and musty smells are all signs of water damage that need to be taken seriously.
Such problems can occur anytime due to reasons like faulty plumbing, leaking pipes, and even heavy rains. One of the most important things to keep in mind is to take swift action. If left unchecked, water damage can seep into the building materials and cause damage within a few days, if not hours.
Hiring trustworthy plumbers and contractors while constructing or remodelling your house can help avoid water damage problems up to an extent. You can avoid water from pooling or flooding the floor or the ceiling by taking prompt action as soon as you see signs of water damage.
#3. Ignoring Appliance Maintenance
Home appliances form an integral part of any household in today’s time. Living without appliances is a thought that scares most of us as we are heavily dependent on them for a wide range of daily activities. From air conditioners and refrigerators to air filters and ceiling fans, the list of appliances in a modern household is lengthy.
Regular maintenance of appliances is of utmost importance. Preventive maintenance carried out by skilled technicians can not only maintain the appliances’ optimal performance level but also prevent them from breaking down suddenly.
Unexpected breakdown of appliances is inconvenient and leads to increased expenses in repairing costs. This is because replacing a faulty part or the entire appliance altogether is much more expensive than paying the technicians for regular servicing.
\If you are planning to lease your home, it is best not to ignore the regular maintenance of essential appliances.
#4. Faulty Electrical Wiring
Electrical wiring is a task that needs to be done by professional electricians with experience, skill, and the required tools and equipment.
Since anything that has to do with electricity is risky and dangerous, having dependable electrical wiring is essential to safeguard your home. A faulty wire can lead to safety hazards like a short circuit that can even lead to a fire.
Having electricians examine the wiring, circuits, and switchboard occasionally is a great idea to ensure that there is no damage to the electrical wiring that can potentially lead to safety hazards.
#5. Not Cleaning Your Gutters
The little things matter the most in the long run when it comes to maintaining your home in top-notch condition.
Gutters are probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of house maintenance. However, it is a fact that dry leaves and debris accumulated in the gutters can prevent the free flow of water come monsoon.
If the rainwater is prevented from flowing, with time, the accumulated water can flow back to the roof and cause damage to the roof’s structure and foundation. Sometimes this can also lead to the water seeping through the ceiling and damaging the interiors. Taking time out to clean the gutters a few times a year can make sure you do not face any problems in that area.
#6. Careless Storage
More often than not, we find ourselves hoarding things that we do not need. We tend to store away knick-knacks in our storage drawers and cabinets, hoping that they will “someday” come to use.
Storing things that add no value to your life can hamper your efforts to keep the house neat and clean. When drawers, shelves, nooks and corners of your house are stuffed with your materialistic possessions, it drastically brings down the overall aesthetic appeal of your home.
If you don’t wish to part ways with your unused items, you must find ways to enhance the storage space in your house. Buying new drawers and cabinets is ideal if you wish to de-clutter your home and arrange things more neatly.
If your kitchen is cluttered with items and appliances with no place to store them properly, maybe it is time you re-evaluate your kitchen design. You can reach out to kitchen renovation experts to add more customized storage options to your kitchen.
Always remember that the garage or the storeroom is not for stowing away junk, but for storing away things that are useful.
Conclusion:
If you follow all the points mentioned in this blog, you’ll more or less succeed in maintaining the house without much hassle. Remember, sticking to the basics and attention to detail can help you in the long run. Let us know in the comments if you can think of any other house maintenance mistakes that need to be avoided.
Dhruv Mehta is a Digital Marketing Professional who works as a brand consultant and provides solutions in the digital era. In his free time, he loves to write about marketing, business, finance & tech. Follow him on Twitter or connect with him via LinkedIn.