Did you know for every dollar spent on preventative home maintenance a homeowner saves on average a minimum of $100 in future repairs. Year after year of routine caring for your home adds considerable value to your home. This added value is especially attractive should you ever desire to resell your home, refinance your home mortgage, or use your home as collateral for a loan. Making preventative home maintenance part of your routine is a smart investment.

Preventative Maintenance for Efficiency

Providing upkeep and changing filters regularly helps the parts work smoothly and to their greatest potential. For instance, an air conditioner with a clean filter has better air flow and even temperature than a unit with a dirty, clogged filter. A serviced and maintained unit won’t run as hard and will consistently deliver a comfortable room temperature with less effort. When the unit isn’t running as hard this adds life to the appliance so it’s longer before it wears out or needs replaced. Properly maintaining and regularly cleaning extends the life of unit as well as many of the appliances and systems around your home.

Increasing Home Value

It’s understood that making improvements around a home increases the home’s worth. It raises a home’s equity. Following routine maintenance helps homeowners be alerted to any problems quickly and be able to repair issues before they become large causing costly damage.

A home being listed for sale which has received on-going preventative maintenance will typically pass a home inspection and often appraise at an increased value. Compare this to a home where maintenance has been sporadic or neglected month after month and a buyer may want a discount on the listing price to cover their expenses to replace or repair systems.

Scheduling Preventative Tasks

Routine preventative maintenance tasks don’t need to feel overwhelming. Follow a checklist for doing tasks monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. To help you get started start with our suggested tasks:

Monthly

• Check for pumping leaks throughout the whole house—under sinks, in cabinets, in the basement, around outside faucets, etc.
• Test your smoke detector and CO2 detector. Replace batteries regularly.
• Keep the refrigerator coils dust-free to prevent a fire and allow good air flow. This additionally aids the appliance in running efficiently.
• Remove the lint from the dryer after each load and check for any leaks around the washer.

Quarterly (3 months)

• Check and change air filters for heaters and air conditioning units. If you have allergies this may need to occur monthly.
• Keep the rain gutters cleaned. Depending on seasonal impact and foliage around your home this may need checked more frequently.
• Check the attic for leaks, pests, and insulations damage.
• Caulk and weatherize any cracks or crevices to keep moisture and cold air out for your home’s peak comfort levels for each season. You don’t want the cooler A/C temperatures to escape in the summer nor heating to seep out in the cooler winter months.

Semi-Annually (6 months)

• Perform routine HVAC maintenance and cleaning.
• Check your home’s foundation and soil level for ensure there’s no settling or rain run-off draining towards the home.

Annually (12 months)

• Trim the trees and shrubs. Not only does this add enhanced curb appeal it prevents a weak limb from damaging your home or the home of a neighbor.
• Test the hot water heater pressure release valve. This safety feature ensures the unit is working safely plus reduces the risk of leaks or an explosion.
• Drain your hot water heater. Flushing out the unit annually removes any sediment build up so it will function efficiently—saving you money and lengthening the lifetime of the unit. Plus, it allows the water to heat faster.
• Clean the chimney. Removing any accumulated build up avoids a chimney fire.

Since 2004 Sara Lyn Nguyen continues to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate around the Houston area to those she serves. Sara is a multi-year award winning REALTOR® and relocation specialist where her clients trust her to have up-to-date information on the real estate market. She has been one of Gary Greene’s Multi-Million Dollar Top Producers every year. Sara is an American Dream TV Power Player who shares Houston real estate news with television viewers. When it’s time to buy, sell, invest, or relocate speak with a trusted professional knowledgeable in the homes and neighborhoods of Fort Bend/Sugar Land and the surrounding region. Start the conversation by scheduling an appointment with Sara.