Buying your first home is such an exciting milestone. You probably have all sorts of plans for the home and are thinking of all the ways it will change your life.
As excited as you are, you need to remember the responsibilities that come with homeownership. There is a lot of work that goes into maintaining a home. Maintenance is also an important part of protecting the money you invested in your home.
Maintenance often catches many new homeowners by surprise. As a person who rented or lived with their parents before, they never had to deal with home maintenance. They don’t realize all the little things that go into maintaining a home.
If you are new to homeownership, this is something you should prepare for right away. Home maintenance is something you need to stay on top of from when you first move in.
What should new homeowners do to maintain their homes? This post will offer a few home maintenance tips for new homeowners.
Keep it Clean
The first tip is to keep a clean home. A clean house will be easier to maintain. It will also make it easier to catch small issues when they come up. In some cases, a lack of cleaning can also cause damage. That means you should make cleaning a part of everyday life.
However, it’s more than just the cleaning you do every day. Along with daily cleaning, there are things you should plan to clean once a week or once a month. Beyond that, you might have yearly or seasonal deep cleaning that needs to be done. Making a cleaning list by weekly, monthly and seasonal will help you stay on track.
Make a Basic Toolkit
Most homeowners can handle a wide array of basic maintenance tasks with a limited set of tools. For that reason, every home should have a basic toolkit. Every kit should have a hammer, some pliers and an adjustable wrench. Along with that, you should have a few sizes of both flathead and Philips screwdrivers.
Having a level, tape measure and ruler can also be useful. You might also want to consider a cordless drill. There are many other tools you might add to your kit depending on how hands-on you plan to be with home maintenance.
Make a List
New homeowners might be surprised when they see how many tasks go into maintaining a home. It is a lot. It is so much that it can be easy to forget to do many of the things that may need to be done to maintain your home.
That is why you should make a list of every task that goes into maintaining a home. From checking the batteries in smoke detectors to recaulking windows, there are many items to put on the list.
Another point is to break the list down by monthly and seasonal tasks. Something like checking the filter on your HVAC systems is usually done monthly. However, a task like cleaning your gutters is only done about once or twice a year. Make a schedule for which tasks need to be performed at different times. Here is a basic list that covers all four seasons of home maintenance.
Don’t Let Things Slide
One problem for many homeowners is that they let what they consider small problems slide for a time. There are two good reasons not to do this. The first is that once you start letting small issues slide, it is more likely that you might let larger issues wait. The other reason is that small issues can lead to larger problems if they are not addressed.
Fix your leaky faucets and pipes right away. If you have a slow drain, take the time to remove the obstruction before it gets backed up. Tighten loose doorknobs and fix windows that stick. Most of these issues are easy to handle, so there is no reason to put them off.
Know Your Limits
Doing your own home maintenance is great. It will save you money, and it can give you an even greater sense of ownership over the home. However, you need to know your limits. Handling repairs and maintenance is good, but you might not have the skills for every job.
If you don’t have the necessary skills, you could cause more damage than you fix. Some tasks can even be dangerous. That is why you need to know your limits and hire professionals when necessary.
Consider a Home Warranty
Buying a home warranty can be another way to help with maintenance and repairs. With a home warranty, you get financial protection for things like appliances and home systems. The plans are usually affordable, and they can have a lot of benefits for homeowners.
According to an expert from Cinch Home Services (https://www.cinchhomeservices.com/faq-library/-/faq/home-warranty-ohio), “Home warranties can make repair issues easier for homeowners in many ways. First, the warranty covers costs when these issues arise. Along with that, the warranty company connects the homeowner with a reliable service partner to address the issue. The warranty can also cover replacement when covered items can’t be repaired”
Home maintenance can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. Your home is probably the most expensive thing you have ever owned.
