HOMEOWNER’S
GUIDE
By Butch
Brown, President, Southern Home Services, Inc.
Establishing
a maintenance routine
How much
maintenance and repairs will cost depends on several factors. The age of
your home, how well it was maintained by previous owners, weather
conditions in your area, and your profit expectations, will all impact how
much you spend.
In general,
homeowners should budget approximately one percent of their home’s value
for maintenance and repairs. If you make a habit of putting aside a small
amount of money each month to be earmarked specifically for home
maintenance, then it will be less painful when unexpected repairs are
needed or when appliances must be replaced.
Many
prospective home buyers will not consider a home that is clearly in need
of TLC, even in a hot market. Finishing your “punch list” before
contacting a realtor will ensure that you are able to ask the highest
price possible for your property.
Home
insurance
Lien
holders require that you purchase homeowner’s insurance to cover damages
to your property from the elements, fire, accident or theft. Additional
coverage may be required for floods, tornados, hurricanes or earthquakes,
none of which are covered by the typical policy. If you live in an area
threatened by one or more of these, it is recommended that you expand your
policy to cover them. Likewise, if you have a large number of valuables in
your home, your insurance should reflect that.
Weigh
the return on investment when making improvements
Painting is
an obvious way to improve your home’s appearance without spending much
money, but what about big-ticket items such as swimming pools, or designer
kitchens? It is easy to get carried away when you are decorating your
home, but many projects do not add lasting value to your home or guarantee
that you’ll recoup your investment. Research what features are hot in
your market and consider your expenditures wisely.
Keep
good records
When you
buy a car you want to see the maintenance records to make sure the oil was
changed on a regular schedule. Why not do the same for your home?
Scheduling maintenance on your home and performing regular check-ups of
your chimney, mechanical systems, and roofing etc... will ensure problems
are fixed before they get out of hand.
Check
List
Items you
should routinely inspect are:
- Grading
and drainage. Slope and landscaping need to angle away
from your foundation.
- Sidewalks,
driveways, decks and patios. These should also slope
aways for your home. Regrading may be required and railings and
balusters should be as required by code.
- Exterior
wood. Paint untreated wood, porches, deck columns and
fence posts to prevent rot.
- Doors
and windows. Maintain caulking around frames or the
money you spend heating and cooling your home will go, quite
literally, out the window. Inspect you doors and windows for correct
fit, missing caulk, paint, broken glass or cracks.
- Exterior
walls. Check brick and stone for missing mortar which
can lead to deterioration from freezing and thawing. Blistering or
peeling paint could indicate roof leaks, bad gutters, interior leaks
from baths or laundry rooms, etc. Make sure there are no exposed nails
or warped boards.
- Roofing
and surface water. Inspect your roof and chimney
regularly with binoculars or from a ladder, when safe. Remove debris
from gutters, and trim overhanging branches. Make sure to inspect
after severe storms and high winds.
- Garage.
Check the door opener to make sure the safety reverse is working.
Prime the inside and outside edges and check the rollers, tracks, and
weather-stripping several times a year.
- Walls
and ceilings. Don't igonre minor leaks. They are sure
to become major ones. Mildew and mold can be indicators of a serious
problem. Maintain painted surfaces, inspect grout and caulking around
sinks, tubs and showers. Replace missing grout to prevent damage to
subsurfaces.
- Attic.
If your attic is accessible, inspect roof sheathing,
insulation and moisture barriers.
- Mechanical
systems. Trip circuit breaker every 6 months and
ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) every month. Check lamp
cords, extension cords and plugs.Test outlets near water for proper
polarity and grounding. Most hardware stores carry testers that are
inexpensive and easy to use. If fuses blow or breakers trip, have an
electrician inspect your wiring. Ask him to make certain GFCIs are
installed at any outlet within 6 feet of water. Never work with or
near electricity when your hands or feet are wet. Never remove service
panel covers. Avoid using extension cords when possible. Never replace
blown fuses with larger fuses.
- Plumbing
systems. Know where the turnoff is for your system. Do
periodic inspections of toilet tanks to ensure they are not wasting
water. Make sure your water heater is performing as outlined in your
owner’s manual. Remove sediment that has accumulated at the bottom
of the tank. The pressure relief valve at the top of the water heater
shoud be opened periodically to see that it is in operating condition.
Check all valves in your home from time to time. If corroded, clean
them and check for leaks.
- Water
treatment systems. Install a water softner if you have
hard water to extend the life of your water heater and pipes.
- Sump
pumps. Periodically check for proper operation.
- Heating
and air conditioning. Service annually. Oil furnaces
have parts that must be replaced periodically. Check for leaks, odor
and soot. Keep bleaches, paint and other materials sealed and away
from the heater. Service air conditioners every spring according to
the operating instructions.
By Butch
Brown, President, Southern Home Services, Inc. © 2006
More information at:
http://www.southernhomeservices.biz/index5.htm
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