Want to Reduce Your Home Maintenance?
| We all want to keep our homes in top shape. After all, for most of us, our homes are our largest investment. Good maintenance protects that investment, as well as keeps our homes safe. But all of us want to enjoy life, too, and not spend our entire free time on home maintenance. While no house is maintenance-free, there are some easy things you can do to reduce the probability of major, time-consuming, and costly repairs. Here’s my top 5 list of preventative maintenance that is inexpensive and quick: |
 |
| Keep gutters and downspouts clean. If gutters and downspouts are clogged by leaves and debris, rainwater will drain off your roof and fall close to your house, causing siding damage, mold, mildew, and foundation leakage. These are big expenses and time-consuming fixes to avoid. Maintain the exterior. Either power wash or use touch-up paint every year on your exterior siding. Replace damaged caulking. If neglected, siding may rot and need to be replaced. If touchup is neglected, hiring someone to paint your entire home will cost at least $2,000. Change the air filters in your furnace and air conditioner. This is a triple win and takes just a few minutes of your time. Clean filters improve efficiency, increase the life of your furnace and A.C., and reduce pollen and dust in your home’s air. Check them every couple of months. Clean the coils behind your refrigerator. Taking a minute to vacuum the coils on the back or bottom of your refrigerator increases its cooling power, reduces the drain on your condenser, and increases the life of your refrigerator. If you burn out the condenser, a new refrigerator can cost at least $2,000. Keep and maintain fire extinguishers. Have a fire extinguisher handy in places where a fire could erupt: in the kitchen, in the basement near the laundry room and by useable fireplaces. For $24 to $60 an extinguisher, you can prevent a costly fire that could pose a physical danger. |
 The home services website “Porch” reports that 88% of homeowners were forced to make at least one major repair in the past 12 months, costing $4,958 on average. Home maintenance is one thing. An expensive surprise is another! JANICE HOVORKA RE/MAX 303-324-4705 janice@janicehovorka.com http://www.janicehovorka.com Six-Year Five Star Real Estate Agent |