Buying a home is a lengthy process, but the real work begins after this. Keeping and maintaining a working home is a lot more work than many people initially think.
Staying on top of maintenance for the various systems that allow your house to run smoothly is almost a full-time job itself. Failing to do this maintenance is a recipe for expensive repairs in your future.
As a result, you should seek to become a better homeowner to prevent issues. Make sure you stay on top of these home maintenance tasks you can’t afford to forget if you want to avoid higher costs down the line.
Changing HVAC Filters
You’ll want to make sure you change the filters in your HVAC system at least once a year. If you forget to do this, your HVAC won’t run at peak performance.
A poorly performing HVAC system needs to work harder to heat or cool your house. The harder it works, the more you end up paying for utilities.
You can easily replace the filter yourself, or you can hire a professional if you want to be safe.
Maintaining Plumbing
It’s easy to forget how intricate your plumbing system is when it’s hidden behind your walls. However, this is one system you definitely don’t want to forget about.
Clogged drains and leaky pipes are recipes for disaster. Ensure that you don’t flush or shove anything down a drain that could become stuck in it.
Kitchen grease, baby wipes, paper towels—all these should go in the garbage and not down your drains. If you ignore this fact, you’ll have to make a call to your local drain expert and have them snake everything out.
Testing Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is a part of home maintenance you can’t afford to forget. Both of these detectors can save you and your family’s lives when something goes wrong.
A smoke detector is obviously important, but carbon monoxide poisoning can happen even when you’re asleep. So, it’s a crucial bit of hardware to have in your home.
Cleaning Gutters
If you’ve never had to deal with a leaky roof, you should count yourself lucky. As annoying as it might seem, cleaning your gutters is very important.
Clogged gutters can cause water to accumulate on your roof in unsafe amounts, eventually breaking the roof if enough water collects. Save yourself the future repair costs and clean out the gutters at least once every season.
Cleaning Your Dryer Duct
Many people don’t even know that you need to empty your dryer duct now and then. Not only does this improve the efficiency of your dryer, but it also helps prevent a dangerous house fire.
Dryers are notorious for catching on fire when there’s too much lint and dust clogging up the duct. Protect your clothes and your home by emptying this duct regularly.