Your daily activities and the effects of natural forces on your house cause a fair amount of wear and tear. Over time, these accumulate or even worsen, until that damage unfortunately becomes apparent. In order to keep your home in good shape, here are a few of the “little things” that may go unnoticed, but need your attention every once in a while!
Get Regular Inspections
You may think that you’d notice damages within your own home, but you actually may have become so used to the little things that they no longer catch your attention. Research what elements of your home should be closely inspected for problems or damage, or consider hiring a professional who can do that for you quickly and thoroughly. Home inspections can reveal those minute details that are otherwise overlooked, especially parts of your home that you never see at all! Home inspectors examine crawlspaces, attics, roofs, chimneys, vents and appliances—and even better, they know exactly what to look for. Getting this inspection once a year or so provides you with the peace of mind that you are aware of and on top of any issues that need to be addressed, allowing you to feel confident in your own walls.
Don’t forget to keep your inspections current to be sure you are taking advantage of all available discounts on your homeowners insurance as well! The top two inspections we recommend to help with your homeowners insurance are four point and wind mitigation inspections.
Make Repairs Immediately
Make repairs when a problem first shows up, rather than waiting for it to get worse. Leaks and rot can spread, making the repairs more costly, bigger, and more inconvenient. If a small part of an appliance is broken or malfunctioning, the other parts will quickly follow suit; if one part isn’t doing its job, the others will either not be able to perform their functions correctly or they will have to work harder to do so, burning out their lifespan rapidly. Rather than procrastinating the repair, do it as soon as possible to prevent potentially large damages from growing and repair costs compounding.
Pay Attention to Care Instructions
Your appliances, furniture, and décor likely come with some sort of warning section that alerts you to the dangers or vulnerabilities the material may have if exposed to a certain set of circumstances. For example, most wood warps in extreme temperatures, so check whether furniture is safe for outside use before taking it to your backyard. Climate, exposure, or spacing may have an effect on the functionality or safety of the object or material in question. Pay attention to instructions on how to care for the material itself, as well—is there a recommended cleaning or protecting process, how often should you check for damages, what is the best way to prolong the life of your appliance/material/etc?
Clean the Exterior
The outside of your home needs some attention too! Gutters accumulate a lot of debris and buildup, your roof may need some cleaning off or tile repairs, and your windows can almost certainly use a good cleaning. Power wash or scrub the siding of your home and your porch or deck area. These are all places that, because you don’t spend much time looking at them, become very dirty. Cleaning these surfaces off ensures that your roof won’t have too much weight or rotting foliage sitting on the tiles, creating damp spots that leaks may develop from, and your walls and porch will stay clear of insect nests or unappealing dirt buildup. The outside will look as fresh as the inside!
Vents and Drains
Air and water flow are some of the most necessary elements of your home’s functionality. Make sure that the means of those resources are clean and clear! Check vents for damages like tears, and for buildup of dust. Air purifiers can help keep ventilation screens cleaner for longer periods of time, if you find your vents in frequent need of cleaning. Drains are another thing that—as gross as it can be—require relatively common checks. Clogged drains can lead to flooding, poor water quality, and more expensive damages. Don’t ignore these pipes and ducts that carry such important resources for your life!
Check on the Hardware
Some of the hardware that helps your home run smoothly is easy to ignore or forget about. Check all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that they are functioning properly. Air conditioning units, backup generators, thermostats, alarm systems and even lightbulbs should be evaluated and repaired or replaced as necessary. Verify they are up to date and work as intended. These are parts of your home that are meant to keep you safe as well as comfortable, so take the time to make sure they are doing so!
Update Your Landscape
As wonderful as the outdoors can be, it also requires some significant upkeep to keep under control and looking good. Check your yard for overgrowth and insect nests, or for any plants and weeds that have taken over areas of your lawn. This is also a good opportunity to do some gardening or redesign the aesthetics of your yard: look into ways that greenery or outdoor features can add to your yard and even make it easier to maintain in the future! Don’t let what surrounds your house damage or detract from the house itself.
Keep Insurance Up to Date
Once you have checked for damages, assessed the needs of your home, and taken measures to revamp or repair the things that help your home function as it should, protect it. Insurance policies on homes (especially well kept ones) are an affordable way to provide you with the confidence that any freak-accidents will be taken care of at no big cost to you. Regularly review your insurance policy and make sure you have adequate coverage, just in case something does happen. (By taking care of your home using the previously described guidelines, those chances decrease; still, accidents can happen even despite those precautions, so be prepared with good insurance coverage.)
Each of these are simple things that will help your home feel good, and help you feel good about your home. The work put into maintaining a quality house will pay off greatly in the long run!
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Views expressed here do not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is for general guidance of matter only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Discussion of insurance policy language is descriptive only. Every policy has different policy language. Coverage afforded under any insurance policy issued is subject to individual policy terms and conditions. Please refer to your policy for the actual language.
