By Andrew Housser
If you own a home, you know it is responsible for one of your biggest bills -- and one of your biggest investments. In addition to making life more comfortable, it is a smart move to protect your investment by keeping your home in good shape.
Whether your home is new to you, you are thinking about selling when the market picks up, or you plan to stay put for the long term, home maintenance pays off in many ways. A little prevention can keep a small problem from turning into a big one -- and keep expenses to a manageable amount instead of turning into a mountain of debt. And if you are thinking of selling, having your home in order means you'll have one less task to complete, and one less cost to incur, when you post the "for sale" sign.
Here are some tasks that homeowners can take care of now, during the winter and early spring months, to avoid bigger bills or repair expenses later:
1) Check the heating system
Consider having an expert do annual maintenance. The service person will check for broken parts and make sure everything works properly, a process that can save money on monthly heating bills and postpone the need to replace equipment. Also have fireplace flues and chimneys checked for safety. To save money, see if the repair person can also check air conditioning equipment in the off-season. (Save more by scheduling heating checks in the summer, when service companies are idle.) Change furnace filters regularly, as recommended. Save by buying filters in bulk.
2) Examine electricity
Check outlets to be sure they are in working order. If you feel a cold draft, install insulation behind outlets (available at hardware stores). Check ground-fault circuit interrupters by pressing the "test" button -- if the "reset" button doesn't pop out, replace the outlet.
3) Stay safe
Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries if needed. Install these detectors if they are not present. Install or check dates on fire extinguishers in danger areas.
4) Insulate
If your home is drafty, check storm windows to make sure they are installed properly. To do an easy check for drafts, hold a lighted candle near windows to see if a breeze makes the flame flicker. If so, caulk around the outside of windows, using expanding insulation to fill large gaps. To save more on heating bills, buy plastic insulating sheets and install them over windows, and leave window coverings closed at night. Peek inside your attic -- if you see daylight, you might have leaks. Seal them, and consider adding more insulation to cut back on heating and cooling bills.
5) Improve air flow
Detach the dryer vent and vacuum the vent tube thoroughly. Also vacuum the coils on the back of the refrigerator (and in some cases, beneath the refrigerator doors in front). Keeping these areas clean improves the efficiency of appliances and extends their lives, as well as saves on utility bills.
6) Seal up water leaks
Check the caulk and the grout around tub and shower tiles. If either is black, it can indicate a mildew problem. If caulk is peeling or grout is chipping, water could be getting behind tiles and damaging your walls. Replace the caulk and grout for the health of your home and the appearance of the bathroom.
7) Avoid indoor flooding
Test your sump pump following the manufacturer's instructions to make sure it functions correctly. Many hot water heaters require annual draining to remove sediment. Have a professional drain yours, or carefully follow instructions in a homeowner's guide. Also test the heater's pressure valve according to manufacturer's directions. Know where your water shut-off valve is in case pipes freeze and burst.
8) Check the great outdoors
When snow melts, inspect your roof, either by climbing up if it is safe, or with binoculars. Replace or repair individual worn shingles, gutters and area around the eaves to avoid a larger replacement until it is absolutely necessary. Confirm that roofs and gutters are draining properly. Also check the area around the house and the pavement and make note of needed repairs.
Even if you need to contract out some of these tasks, they involve relatively little time and expense. Done properly, they can take a big bite out of potential home maintenance costs. If you can avoid a surprise in the future, you also avoid the danger of putting the bill for that surprise on a credit card and going into debt just to keep up your home.
If caulk is peeling or grout is chipping, water could be getting behind tiles and damaging your walls... or worse. (©iStockphoto.com/Rob Belknap)
Andrew Housser is a co-founder and CEO of Bills.com, a free one-stop online portal where consumers can educate themselves about personal finance issues and compare financial products and services. He also is co-CEO of Freedom Financial Network, LLC providing comprehensive consumer credit advocacy and debt relief services. Housser holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford University and Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College.
