Home Maintenance Checklist (Save Money & Avoid Dangerous Situations)

We often say, “home sweet home” to emphasize how much we love our houses. However, if you really want your home to be sweet, you need to maintain it properly. Regular maintenance will ensure that your home is comfortable, beautiful, and safe. It will also save you time and money since you will prevent small, easy-to-fix problems from becoming costly disasters. And, if you want to sell your home in the future, a well-maintained abode will earn more. So, here’s a handy home maintenance checklist to help you out.

Clean up

Clean both the interior and exterior of your house regularly. Inside, you should sweep and mop while also wiping down surfaces and disposing of trash. Outside, you should power wash the walls and clean the windows. This prevents a build-up of dirt, grime, and germs, which can permanently stain your home and spread disease. When cleaning, identify anything that needs to be fixed and then…

Conduct repairs promptly

Even if you have a minor leak, if just one electrical outlet sparks, or if you see a small crack, it is a good idea to have the issue inspected right away by a professional. The professional will determine whether the seemingly inconsequential issue isn’t a sign of a larger problem. For example, even a small leak in your plumbing system can send water into your floors, walls, ceiling, and furnishings, damaging the appearance and structure of your home. Damp areas encourage mould, which is hazardous to your health, and still water may be a breeding ground for dangerous insects, such as mosquitos spreading dengue.

Service appliances and major machines

Most major appliances and machines, such as your fridge, oven, stove, washer, dryer, and air condition have suggested maintenance schedules. Even if these appliances seem to be working properly, it’s a good idea to get them serviced. Regular servicing will allow technicians to fix problems before they become more expensive to repair and will also increase the longevity of your appliances, giving you additional savings.

Check your roof

Check your roof at least once a year for any damage and, if you have a flat roof, check for sitting water too. If you have a tiled roof, see if any tiles are slipping, missing, worn or, misshapen; these are all signs that your roof may need repairing or replacing.

Inspect your garden

Large trees may have branches that can fall on your home or, even worse, injure or kill a person; so you should trim them regularly. If there is a risk of a hurricane or high winds, remove anything in your garden that can become a dangerous projectile; like patio furniture, plant pots, toys, and garden tools.

Mitigate the effects of flooding

If your house is threatened by flooding, stock up on sandbags, door barriers, or pumps. Clear any watercourses on your property so that water can flow in a quick, unobstructed way. This is especially important before the rainy season when the likelihood of flooding is significantly higher.

Clean your guttering

Your guttering should move water from your roof to a safe drainage point. However, clogged guttering can prevent proper drainage – making you more vulnerable to flooding – and can also cause leaks, mould, bacteria, and damage to walls, ceilings and even your foundation. If it’s raining, look up at the guttering to check if water is flowing smoothly and, if not, it’s time to remove any obstructions.

When it comes to home maintenance, it’s easy to say “I’ll do it tomorrow” every day… until something serious happens. Create a home maintenance timetable to ensure that this doesn’t happen. If you live with others, assign areas of responsibility to different individuals to share the load. Or, if you’re too busy, you can hire professionals to do some or all of the items on this checklist. With a little effort, your home sweet home can stay as sweet as ever!