Home ownership comes naturally to a lot of people. In our professional experience, it is something we learn from our parents as we grow up watching them navigate their own homes. For others, we just aren’t afraid to reach out to professionals for them to help guide us. However, there are others that are afraid to ask questions for fear of looking “dumb.” It seemed like now was a good time to do a quick summary of a few ways to maintain your property in an effort to continue protecting your investment.
1. Don’t forget to change your HVAC air filters throughout your house. Depending on the size of the home or if there are two levels you may have multiple filters in different areas around the house. Changing these filters helps the heating and cooling unit work efficiently and can extend the life of your unit. It’s also a good idea to have your system serviced and maintained once a year by a licensed HVAC professional. When the air is smoky, you may need to change them more often and certainly if you have a wood burning stove or other factors that may contribute more dust.
2. Be sure to keep an eye out for rodents in both your crawlspace and attic. Treating for rodents is not costly, but time and time again we see those darn varmints do immense damage in homes where they have been running free. These little (or big) pests can get into your ducting by chewing holes, damage your insulation by creating tunnels or urinating/defecating. Not sure if you have rodents? Put some peanut butter down on a plate in your crawlspace and attic. If you find it gone next week, give your local pest guy a call.
3. Be sure you are trimming back bushes and trees and also moving mulch away from the siding of your home. By creating space from the siding and vegetation you are ensuring unnecessary moisture doesn’t get trapped up against the house and bugs don’t have easy access to your home. Rats are also known for using trees to get up onto roofs and then into attics so be sure there aren’t limbs in close proximity giving them easier access.
4. Every once in a while, it is a good idea to check under all the sinks in your home to ensure there isn’t a leak. This simple task can prevent cabinets from getting water damage, fungal growth, etc.
5. It is a good idea to change out the wax ring on your toilets every 7-10 years even if you don’t have any reason to believe they are failing. Oftentimes the wax ring is failing for some time before any damage is noticed. The seepage typically takes place under the ring and under your flooring and may never actually present itself on the surface.
6. Don’t forget to have your local roofer over to inspect your roof and check out the roof jack flashing boots that surround the vents extending out of your roof. The sun can dry the rubber out and open opportunities for water to penetrate, gaining access into the attic. While they are up there, have them check your gutter system and see if they need to be cleaned. A full gutter system can lead to water damage both inside and outside of your house.
We hope this checklist is a reminder of easy ways you can protect your investment. We would love to have an opportunity to partner with you in 2023, so please reach out to our team if we can help with your real estate goals.
