Many homeowners wait until something breaks or a major replacement is needed instead of caring about the little things from the start.

Know that every leaky faucet, flickering lightbulb, or creaking floorboard is your home’s way of communicating its issues with you, so listen closely and notice these details before they become more significant problems. 

Maintenance and its costs are inevitable when you become a homeowner, but if you know the basics, the job is half done.

So, let’s explore the most essential maintenance tips you must know if you own or plan on owning a home.

Designing A Low Maintenance Home

If you’re lucky enough to design your house, you can create a home that reflects your personality, fits your budget, and suits your lifestyle. However, it’s important not to overcomplicate the elements because it may drive up maintenance costs and increase general upkeep.

So, how do you create a low maintenance home without compromising your choices? Let’s find out.

Durable Materials

Using high-quality materials when designing your home is key to ensuring that your home stays free of excessive repairs or replacements; this includes everything from fixtures and appliances to countertops and flooring.

Choose easy-to-clean materials, such as porcelain tiles, quartz, vinyl, etc., that have impressive longevity and require minimum upkeep. These are excellent choices for floors and countertops. Similarly, good-quality surfaces prevent rust, leaks, or mineral build-up.

Smart Features

Utilize the power of technology to reduce the maintenance of your home significantly. Automated thermostats, security systems, and lighting optimize your energy usage, which saves you a lot on utility bills and reduces the time spent maintaining the house.

Similarly, these smart additions can help detect potential problems before they become full-blown reparations. You can also control this tech using remotes, which means it saves time on manual adjustments.

Remember The Outdoors

You may be tempted to focus all your attention on the indoors, but remember that a well-maintained exterior is crucial for helping your home withstand seasonal changes. Use high-quality materials when designing your outdoor space.

Regularly clean the yard and gutters. If you have additional fixtures, like a deck, go the extra mile by treating and sealing it as needed. If you must deal with muckiness because of poor drainage, consider landscaping with non-woven geotextile to improve water flow and stability.

Keep It Simple

Be intentional with your home design and the items you put in your space. A minimal approach will create a peaceful atmosphere and streamline organizing, decluttering, and cleaning your surroundings.

Avoid overcrowding your home with different furniture. Choose multi-functional furniture that provides storage solutions to keep your space clutter-free. Avoid having items with intricate designs because those cracks and crevices gather considerable dust and grime.

10 Home Maintenance Checklist For Every Homeowner

Cleanliness And Supplies

Firstly, regularly cleaning your house is extremely important: dusting, swapping, or wiping should be done every consecutive day, and a deep clean should be done once every week or two. Stock up on cleaning supplies like brooms, mops, sponges, wipes, soap, etc., so you have everything you need to keep up with your cleaning routine.

Downspouts And Gutters

Regularly clearing the debris, leaves, or branches in your gutters and downspouts is important to prevent potential leaks and water damage to your home. Protecting your home’s foundation, roof, and landscaping is even more crucial, especially if you live in a region with significant rain or snowfall.

Weather Stripping

Sealing all the air gaps within cracks and crevices of your doors or windows is crucial to conserving energy and keeping drafts, moisture, or pests out of your home. The weatherstripping materials are inexpensive and can be purchased at any local hardware store. Properly sealing these gaps will also ensure you have a comfortable living space.

Fixing Minor Water Leaks

It doesn’t take too much water to cause significant water damage, so look for leaks, mold, damp spots, or musty odors and fix them to avoid costly repairs. If you’re dealing with a flood-like leaky plumbing emergency, locate your water supply and shut it off to identify the issue.

Testing Smoke Detectors

While smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide detectors are designed to alert you in case of a potential threat, the system can fail if it’s not well-maintained. Regularly test your smoke detectors to ensure they’re running, and replace old batteries if needed. A quick and simple check can keep you from harm’s way.

Checking HVAC System

The HVAC system is equivalent to being the lungs of your house, and you breathe exactly what it pumps through the air. You must check and regularly schedule annual maintenance checks for your ventilation, air conditioning, or heating systems. Clean and replace dirty, old filters when needed to improve indoor air quality.

Watch Out For Roofs

Considering it’s quite literally the “roof” over your head, it's important to ensure it’s in top condition. Look for cracks, leaks, missing or curling shingles, peeling flashing, missing granules, or weed growth, and tend to it promptly. Trim overhanging tree branches and patch up your chimney if required to avoid the risk of ruining your roof.

Keep Appliances Healthy

The kitchen is where you spend most of your time and contains the most number of appliances. Spilled liquids can damage floors or countertops, so you should use the appropriate cleaners to give everything a good wipe-down. Similarly, you should clean the exteriors and filters of appliances like the dishwasher, water filter, refrigerator, microwave, dryer, etc.

Yard Maintenance

As mentioned above, the outside is just as important as what’s inside; inspect your home’s exterior for peeling paint, cracks, or damaged siding and address these tasks to maintain its structural integrity. Similarly, trim the hedges, mow the lawn, and keep an eye on the property to prevent insects, rodents, leaks, or rot to maintain your yard.

Conclusion

Home maintenance isn’t just a list of tasks to do; it’s a way of showing care and respect for your home. Every effort you put into maintaining your home is a step towards nurturing its longevity and beauty.

So, listen to your home’s whispers when it needs help, and treat it more than a space built with bricks and mortar. The sense of accomplishment from maintaining your home can be truly rewarding.