Home Upkeep

You may love your home and you may not be too concerned about the state or condition it’s in. You’re happy, you’re family’s happy, so what’s the problem? Sometimes, with busy households, cleaning and repairing the home fall down fairly low on the priority list. What would be fixed or renewed is put off due to a hectic lifestyle and other more imminent fees and costs.

That’s fine and normal, but are you planning on staying in your home forever? If not, you may want to think a little bit more seriously about the upkeep of your home. You may not mind that your kitchen tile is grimy or your appliances are old. Those holes in your child’s wall and that peeling paint in the guest room may not bother you, heck you’re used to it by now. But think of all of these extra hassles and chores that will be waiting at your feet once you want to sell your home.

Putting a little extra time into maintaining your house will pay off big time in the long run. If you ever decide to put the house up for sell, you won’t have as much to do and you can find comfort and relief in the fact that your house will be able to sell! Having confidence in the value of your home is important, because after all, it is probably the biggest investment of your life.

You may say you don’t know where to start. So many little things become bigger things right under your nose. If you take just a couple of hours a month or a few days every several months to manage and care for your home, you will notice a difference and you will definitely pat yourself on the back come time to sell the darn thing.

If you don’t have the tools or labor power to do certain home projects, you can hire a professional. Perhaps a neighbor or friend could help, or even your kids. Having a home warranty will help profusely when it comes to the maintenance of appliances and other systems in your house such as heat, water and air conditioning.

Here are some ideas for things to check and maintain in the different seasons. Some are inside and some are outside, and it may help to divide them up in your mind. Outside in the spring, check all weather stripping around doors and windows, check outside the house for peeling or cracked paint, remove and clean storm windows, check all door and window screens.

Inside, replace filters on air-conditioners, check door seals on the refrigerator, check basement for dampness which may invite mold if mold is not already present. Check for leaky faucets, clean drapes and blinds, clean dehumidifiers and the fireplace, and vacuum refrigerator coils.

In the fall, go outside and check the stripping again, along with the paint. Check for cracks in house siding. Take down screens and clean around windows and doors. Clean gutters and wind pipes. Check the roof for leaks. Check the chimney, lubricate door hinges and drain outside faucets. Inside in the fall, check insulation, have heating system and heating pump serviced, drain the hot water heater, clean the fireplace and vacuum refrigerator coils.