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Last Updated on May 15, 2024 by Alaina Bullock
Home Maintenance – Are You Doing These in Your Home?
Home maintenance is a tricky subject. We all know that it need to be done. But everyone’s home is different. There are however some key issues that nearly everyone gets wrong when looking after their home. Read on to find out what they are and how best to avoid them.
Firefighting
The essence of this first tip is that home maintenance should be preemptive where possible. Everyone is organized enough to get a problem fixed once it has happened, especially if it is having a direct effect on our lives. But it’s always better to try and avoid those problems occurring in the first place. Do this by checking and maintaining the thing in your home every so often. If you don’t do this, you will constantly be fighting metaphorical fires. These are a cause of stress and can cost a lot more money than just keeping on top of things.
Image via Pixabay
Smoke Alarms
Now everyone knows the importance of smoke alarms. Like any other safety item in your home, they have to be maintained properly to be reliable. However tempted you are to remove the batteries, don’t. This is because you will inevitably neglect to put them back in, and a fire alarm without a battery is about as much use as a chocolate teapot!
Also, few people realize that they can benefit from installing a heat alarm in the kitchen. This helps to minimize false alarms while you are cooking but provides safety as it will sound if there is heat from a fire.
Image via Pixabay
Damp
Damp is a pervasive problem that many homeowners have to deal with, especially if they live in a wet climate. You can prevent some forms of damp by maintaining your house guttering well. You can also get your windows properly sealed and by using a dehumidifier.
However, not all damp can be prevented as some are due to weather events or expose to a humid climate. In these cases, it is more helpful to employ the services of a damp and water damage professional. They will be able to deal with the damp and perform water damage restoration. They can even apply treatment to help minimize this in the future.
Kitchen appliances
Apart from defrosting the freezer and cleaning out the oven, we often do not give enough attention to maintenance of the items in our kitchen. Remember that they are high use items, in a hot and greasy atmosphere and so can be very vulnerable to breakdown.
Firstly makes sure that you pull your appliance out of their built in positions at least once a year. Clean and vacuum behind them and check for leaks. Remember that kitchen appliances often combine water and electricity so be careful while you are doing this. Pay particular attention to hoovering the fridge and freezer elements. They can get clogged with dust, which can affect how they run.
Image via Pixabay
Bathroom
While keeping our bathrooms clean and shiny is often at the top of our lists. Other aspects of bathroom maintenance can be forgotten. Once a year makes sure you check your bathroom caulking to see whether it’s moldy or peeling. If it is, replace it. You can get sealant and a caulking gun from a hardware store for a reasonable price. Also, make sure that you check you shower curtain and bath mats for mold and replace if necessary.
Air conditioner
Another important part of home maintenance is making sure you get your air conditioner serviced at least once a year. While it might seem like an unnecessary expense while you are not using it, that is the best time to get it done. No one wants to wait for up to a week to use the air conditioner once the blistering heat arrives. So make sure you service it in early spring before the hot weather sets in.
Image via Pixabay
Pull out furniture
I bet that you are pretty good at keeping your home clean and tidy. You probably dust the surfaces every week and vacuum daily. But what would it be like if I pulled out your furniture?
It’s important to do this part of home maintenance at least once or twice a year. This is because dust and skin particles get caught underneath and behind obstacles around you home. We never really think of all that dust and dirt in the room that we just can’t see. So to make sure you home is as clean and allergen free as possible. Pull out the bed and sofa and give them a good clean underneath!