If you’re a homeowner, chances are the first thing you thought about when buying a house was the financial responsibility that you were going to have to undertake. One of the other things you might have thought was ‘oh wow, I can paint the walls whatever colour I like! How exciting!’ That’s on the right track to the tone of this piece, because today I want to talk about the excitement of home ownership and all the effort you have to put into home maintenance in order to keep your pride and joy running smoothly. You change the oil and look after the tyres on your car – so you need to do the same for your home, in a manner of speaking. Putting in a little effort early on is going to make sure that you reap the benefits of a well-looked after home in the long run – without it costing you the earth. This is a long list to take care of on your own, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed by something remember that a roof tiler in Melbourne is only a phone call away. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend tiling your own roof at all! It’s best to set up a schedule for these tasks and to do what works for your schedule.
Monthly
- If you have a disposal in your kitchen you need to clean it out. Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and then run the cubes through the disposal. The ice sharpens the blades and the vinegar freshens things up.
- Clean your rangehood. You know, that thing above the hob? Pull it out, degrease it with some industrial degreaser and then rinse it off where you’re good to go.
Quarterly
- Test out your smoke detectors with the ‘test’ button on the base of them. If you need to replace batteries, do so, and if you need new ones you know what to do.
- Run water through unused spaces like guest bedroom ensuites or any other sinks that you don’t use regularly. This will prevent matter from hardening in pipes and causing blockages.
- Check your water softener if you have one.
Biannually
- Test your water heater’s pressure release valve as this will prevent mineral and corrosion buildup. It will also help your heater to run more efficiently.
- Give your home a deep clean and get in there with the nooks and crannies! Get the whole family involved and scrub from top to bottom. This kind of cleaning will prevent dust and grime from building up over time.
- Replace your batteries in smoke detectors. This is in addition to the check every quarter.
- Vacuum the coils on the back of your refrigerator. This will make your fridge run a lot more efficiently, and you can save a bit of money every year by making this happen.
Annually
- Check your home for exterior damage, check for gutter damage and check your roof. Clean out your gutters and check for holes and leaks. if you find any, give them a patch with some silicone or caulk.
- Consider getting your air conditioner serviced.
- Repair or replace damaged window screens.
- Do yard maintenance, clear dead plants or shrubs away and cart away all the old branches.
- Check and clean grouting in the bathroom and kitchen and repair this as required.
- Check yoru plumbing for leaks and check your taps as well. Small leaks can cause big water bills in the long run.
- Spray for insects and other creepy crawlies as they will rise up if you don’t contain them!
I hope that this short guide on home maintenance has proven to be a helpful resource for your home and that you manage to keep your property in tip top shape this year.
