When you own a home, it’s essential to keep it up to date. Fortunately, there are plenty of DIY home maintenance tasks you can handle relatively easily. Keeping up with simple repairs and projects as they arise will prevent more costly issues in the future. Below are several basic home maintenance tasks to get you started.
1. Clean the Gutters
Clean the gutters at least twice a year to prevent damage to your home. Most homeowners remove debris from the channels and make repairs in the spring and the fall. However, if your property has a lot of trees, it might be necessary to clean the guttering more frequently. Use a ladder to remove debris by hand, then use the garden hose to rinse the gutters. A plumber’s snake is a helpful tool for dealing with debris stuck in the downspouts.
2. DIY Home Maintenance: Inspect the Roof
Cleaning your gutters gives you an excellent opportunity to inspect the roofing for missing, cracked, or damaged shingles. Look for small, gritty granules in the gutters and at the bottom of the downspouts. These granules indicate the shingles are aging, and your home will soon need a new roof.
3. Paint a Room
Painting is a simple way to give any room a personalized upgrade. Purchase quality paint, brushes, and rollers. You’ll also need masking tape and a paint tray. If there are holes in the wall, stains, or other damage, use spackle to make repairs. Sand the wall to smooth the area you’ll be painting.
4. Home Maintenance Projects: DIY Faucet Repair
Often, a leaking tap is easy to repair by replacing the rubber washer inside the faucet handle. Turn off the water supply to the tap, remove the handle, and install a new washer.
5. Check the Washer Hoses and the Dryer Lint Trap
Leaking washer hoses are a leading cause of in-home water damage, and failure to clean out the dryer’s lint trap after each use can cause a house fire. Check the washing machine hoses for leaks, damage, and rust around the metal ends of the line. It is recommended to replace the washer hoses every three years.
6. Vacuum the Refrigerator Condenser Coils
To help your refrigerator work properly and extend its life, pull it away from the wall and vacuum the dust off the condenser coils. This is an important home maintenance task that should be completed yearly. However, if you live with pets, their fur will accumulate under and behind the refrigerator, and you’ll need to vacuum the coils more frequently.
7. Caulk Your Bathtub and Windows
Regularly check your bathtub and windows for damaged or missing caulk. Remove old, dried, cracked, and damaged caulk with a sharp knife and replace it with a new bead. Fresh caulk prevents mold growth and water damage behind your bathroom fixtures. Caulking the windows blocks drafts and lowers energy costs.
8. Replace the HVAC Filter as Part of Your DIY Home Maintenance
The HVAC filter should be replaced every 30 to 90 days or monthly if you have pets or someone living in the house with allergies or asthma. Replacing the filter allows the unit to operate more efficiently while providing your home with comfortable, clean, temperature-controlled air.
Pro Home Inspection Services provides services to Charleston and the Grand Strand home buyers and sellers. Contact us to schedule an appointment.