Even if you never experience a major mishap, homeownership can be expensive. That’s why it’s so important to stop trouble before it starts.
What’s the best way to do this? Take care of basic maintenance tasks throughout the year.
When completed on a regular schedule, these five actions can help prevent you from wasting your hard-earned money on unnecessary costs and repairs:
1. Install insulation.
Neglecting your insulation is like always leaving a window open. Reinforce the draftiest areas to recoup hundreds in annual heating and cooling costs. Focus on your attic and crawl spaces as well as windows and doors.
2. Check your roof and gutters.
You don’t have to bust out the ladder to monitor your home from the top down. Just grab a pair of binoculars to keep an eye out for potential problems. Twice a year though, you should probably trim branches that might be getting too close for comfort and clean your gutters.
3. Change filters.
Not only do dirty filters decrease the efficiency of your HVAC system, but they also saturate the air with allergens, dust and other contaminants. Set a reminder to change your filters with each season.
4. Clean refrigerator coils.
Giving your fridge coils a good dusting can save you big bucks over the course of the year. Add this task to your spring and fall cleaning list for best results.
5. Don’t neglect your dryer.
So simple, yet so overlooked. Clothes dryers are the second-highest energy users in your home. Help your machine operate at peak performance by keeping the filter and vent clear of lint and debris.
Major home repairs may not be altogether avoidable, but they are often preventable. Use this list to stay on task and save money.
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