Your home is probably the biggest investment you are going to make in your lifetime, so it makes sense to look after it properly. On average, Americans tend to improve and upgrade their home every five to seven years. Investing in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms and putting into use previously uninhabitable areas such as attics or basements; all great ways of boosting the value of your home. These particular areas are what buyers look out for when hunting for good value real estate.
Over the years, regular maintenance jobs will need performing to keep the fabric of the house in order. Some tasks you can easily tackle yourself, such as gutter clearance, caulking windows, painting and easy tiling and smaller garden landscaping projects. More specialized areas such as electrics, plumbing and heating and roofing are best left to the professionals with expert knowledge and all the right tools, equipment and parts.
Avoid sparks flying
An electrical blow out will have an immediate and serious impact on your home. A power outage is inconvenient at any time, but can also have expensive consequences. This is a serious problem that should be fixed by a licensed and experienced electrician. Faulty electrical systems are not the type of problem you can fix with a sticking plaster solution, they can be dangerous if not correctly installed and maintained. Call in a professional electrician to guarantee the sparks don’t fly.
Keep warm
Nothing is worse than the boiler failing when it’s freezing outside, and faulty plumbing systems can be extremely troublesome. Winters in the north of Ohio can be bitterly cold and when the boiler and heating system goes down in sub-zero temperatures you’ll need to find an Elyria plumber quickly. Calling in a reliable plumber that specializes in heating and boiler systems is the best way of getting the heat switched on and the hot water flowing again quickly. Don’t be tempted to tackle plumbing and heating systems yourself as you could cause extra, more expensive problems that simply add to the length of time your house is uncomfortable to live in.
Stay dry
The roof on your house keeps it safe and dry from the elements. A strong, solid roof, constructed and maintained by a professional contractor, is basically a protective lid over the building. Leaking roofs are bad news as a steady infiltration of water is likely to seep into structural areas, compromising their integrity and making them more susceptible to serious issues such as termites. Water leaking into the roof can also cause plaster walls to ‘blow’ or stain, and when left unattended can weaken floors and supporting timbers and corrode steel fixtures. If there are leakage problems in your roof, call in the pros to sort out a complex and sometimes dangerous job.
When you take housing repairs seriously, you stop small issues turning into big problems. Listen to your house, try and tune into its rhythms. Recurring problems in certain areas or unusual odors, noises, mysterious damp patches or other unexplained events should be investigated as soon as they are detected to stop matters escalating. If there’s any maintenance issue that’s causing you concern, no matter how trivial it seems, take action now to protect your beautiful home and give you peace of mind.
