Tips and Advice for Maintaining a Property

Maintaining a property is one of the largest parts of owning it. Whether you live in the house or you rent it out, keeping up to date with its needs can often feel like a full-time job. These are the top tips and pieces of advice to consider if you’re maintaining your property and want to keep it in the best condition possible!

Keep Up With Yearly Checks

There are some parts of any house that should be checked yearly, if not more often than that. These include your HVAC system, your fireplace, and any area that feels questionable to you, like your pipes, roof, or foundation. If you notice any issues in your home or suspect something's happening, it's important to have these areas checked. Having professionals look at whatever you’re questioning could result in them saying nothing’s wrong, or they could let you know that your property needs work done. Talking to them and getting to find out before the problem gets worse is a vital part of maintaining any property.

Ensure Insulation Is Full Enough

How much insulation does your home have? Most continuous insulation should be good for fifty to eighty years, depending on when it was installed, but if you don’t know how old your insulation is, it’s time to have it looked at. You may also run into the issue that your home doesn’t have enough insulation! The more insulation your home has, the more protected it is against temperature fluctuations, moisture, insect life, and so much more. Check your insulation and make sure it’s in ship shape.

Replace Aged and Leaking Windows

Your windows may still look new and be in fantastic shape, but they could be leaking air and still causing your bills to skyrocket. Instead of having to replace the entire window, if you don't have a portion of the window acting up, you can look into a window sash replacement. If you have to replace the entire window, it's time to look into storm windows. These are capable of taking on any weather fluctuations and will keep out the temperatures as you try to lower your power bills. You can check if your windows are leaking by walking by them with a lit candle. If the lit flame flickers strongly towards or away from your windows, it’s time to replace them or check the seal.

Power Wash Your Problems Away

Power washing is the best tool for many homeowners. If you're unsure how to remove oil stains from driveways, you’ll be amazed at what you can do with a rented power washer and an afternoon. By knocking away stains, grime, and pollen, these washers can make the pavement, bricks, stone, and other hard surfaces on your property look brand new. If you're using a power washer, make sure to avoid aiming upwards against siding or roofing and to keep away from any glass. Although your windows may need a deep scrub, if you aim this at a weaker window, you could end up with glass shards and water getting shot into your home.

Keep Standing Water At Bay

Standing water is any property's enemy. If you notice your lawn and driveway are full of water after the rain has stopped, it's time to look into the drainage. Paired with landscape drainage grates, you can pull the water away from your property and lower your risk of flooding or other issues. Adding items like a rain garden can also help since it will help push the water deeper into the soil and give you a chance to live without fear of flooding.

Ensure Gutters are Clear

Your gutters work hard to divert water away from your home: but they can also put your property at risk! If you don't keep your gutters clear, they could build a berg of leaves and ice in the winter, which will damage your roof and can cause flooding in the spring when they start to melt. Take the time to clear your gutters, or consider putting gutter guards in. These are quick fixes that can save you from having to climb ladders every fall.

Pay Attention to Warning Signs

Your home will give you tons of warning signs before anything huge happens. These can be signs like cracks in walls, windows, and doors that don't shut correctly, leaks, and other issues. Pay attention to them, and alert a professional immediately. They could let you know that it's just a broken seal, or it could mean that your foundation is cracked and at risk of getting worse. This also refers to your roof, siding, and other parts of your home. If you're noticing signs that something's wrong: let a professional know.

Better Maintenance Eventually Means Less Maintenance

The better maintained your property is, the less often you'll need to maintain it. Take the time to update and keep your property ship shape, and it'll last that way for a long time.

Andrea Erickson is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. She is a blogger and content writer. Andrea is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.