Keeping your home in good shape doesn’t just make it look nicer, doesn’t it?
But this often comes with hefty maintenance costs.
Whether it’s about enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your home or just maintaining the structural intactness of your place. You’ll have to spend a fortune on that. Unless you consider some tips for home maintenance savings.
Performing these cost-effective home upkeep tactics around your house will prevent you from incurring more expensive repair costs. You know, being proactive in home maintenance always pays off in better rewards.
You see;
When appliances, fixtures, and other home components are well-maintained. They last longer before needing replacement.
For instance, if you routinely change the air filters of your HVAC system, it will have to work less hard to keep your home comfortable. Which means there would be less wear and tear on the system. And it can go longer between major repairs or replacements.
The same concept applies to elements other than machines. Such as the scenario of your roof, walls, floors, and more.
Bear in mind. If you spend time and a little investment on these minor upkeeps, it will prevent you from huge headaches later. But 1st Rate Inspections is here to make this little investment nearly equal to nothing.
How’s that?
By walking you through the
10 Tips for Home Maintenance Savings
Not only do maintenance tactics save you money on repairs, but they can also help you avoid costly emergencies. Like any pipe bursts or appliance breakdowns. With a little effort now, you can avoid major expenses down the road.
Let’s explore these tips for home maintenance savings.
1. Change The HVAC Filters
Your HVAC system works hard to keep your home’s air clean and comfortable. But a clogged filter makes it work much less efficiently. If you change its filters every 1 to 3 months, depending on your system, it will keep the air flowing freely. And prevent any wear and tear on the system. This is a simple maintenance task. That can significantly extend your HVAC’s life.
2. Fix the Leaky Faucets
Leaky faucets are just simply annoying. And when this wasted water adds up, it leads to moisture and mold damage. When you don’t take these minor drippings normally. And treat them as soon as they appear. You save yourself from major water damage cleaning and mitigation expenses. Also, save a big deal on hefty repairs of leaky faucets, under sinks, tubs, and showers.
This way, you can not only save thousands of gallons of water per year. But also reduce your utility bills. Watching for leaks and fixing them instantly with new washers is hugely cost-effective home upkeep.
3. Caulk the Tub and Shower
Cracking and gaps in tub and shower caulking are entry points of moisture. They let the moisture into the walls and fixtures behind the tub and shower. This can further lead to mold, mildew, wall or floor damage, and rot intrusion.
When you take the time to caulk and seal your tub and shower properly, it will keep the water out. And save you huge repair bills.
4. Install A Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats allow you to customize your home’s temperature throughout the day. You can program it so the temperature is lower when no one is home. And at night when heating or cooling isn’t that important. Just turn it down to 10-15 degrees for 8 hours per day. To pare your energy bills by 10-30%.
5. Replace Smoke Detector Batteries
Working smoke detectors are a must for home safety. But remember – they rely on functioning batteries. You should change the batteries of your smoke detectors annually. Like when you change the clocks for daylight savings. Smoke detectors with batteries that are low or depleted won’t protect you when it matters most.
6. Wrap The Water Heater
An insulation blanket designed for water heaters will help yours work more efficiently. This will reduce energy use and prevent exterior rust and corrosion. A simple water heater insulation wrap usually costs around $20. But pays for itself quickly in energy savings. It also extends the life of your hot water heater.
7. Seal Leaky Doors And Windows
Gaps around doors, windows, pipes, vents, and more lead to energy loss and higher bills. You should seal these gaps with caulk. And weatherstripping to keep cool or warm air where it belongs – inside your home. When air leakage is reduced, heating and cooling becomes much more efficient.
8. Beef Up Attic Insulation
Heat rises right out of your home through the attic if it’s not adequately insulated. When you ensure you have sufficient insulation in your attic, it will make a huge difference in energy efficiency and savings. This could be one of the smartest home improvements you can make.
9. Flush The Water Heater
When you allow sediment to build up in your water heater tanks, it reduces efficiency. And can lead to early failure. Every 30 to 90 days, attach a hose to the tank’s drain valve. And flush out a gallon or two of water to clean the bottom of the tank. This simple maintenance promotes a longer water heater life.
10. Install Weather Stripping
Weather stripping placed around doors and windows seals gaps that let outdoor air and temperatures in. When you don’t let the air penetrate under and around doors and windows, your heating and cooling will be contained inside. Weather stripping an exterior door can save around 9% on energy bills.
In A Nutshell
You can make home maintenance manageable by creating a routine. For example, make the first Saturday of each month a “home maintenance day.” To tackle tasks like caulking the bathroom, testing smoke detectors, and cleaning HVAC filters.
You can set your priorities for home maintenance savings. That improves efficiency, like insulating, sealing air leaks, and thermostat programming. We have discussed the top methods for Cost-effective Home Upkeep. Give them a shot to see how they turn. Scroll through our blog section to read more.
