Buying your first home can be an exciting experience. There is a certain indescribable joy that comes with owning a home that you’ve worked hard for. But purchasing that “perfect” place that you can finally call your own may also come with a few unexpected maintenance issues.
Overwhelmed with the novelty and excitement of their new home, many first time home buyers overlook the amount of maintenance and money that their new house may require. And once they are faced with the reality of how much they have to repair, even those who intentionally bought fixer uppers can start to feel a little out of their depth.
While there is no way to avoid maintenance issues in a new home, there are ways to make them more manageable. When scouting for the “perfect” place, first-time home buyers should try their best to not be drawn in by the superficial looks of the home alone. Before committing to the purchase, potential homeowners should hire a licensed home inspector to conduct a thorough property assessment. Home inspectors are an indispensible and valuable tool for the new home buyer. They can alert you of any major problems with the house or, at the very least, point out any potential long-term or short-term maintenance issues you may face. Knowing what you are getting into can save you a great deal of money in the end.
There are still a number of common maintenance issues that first-time buyers face, even after hiring a home inspector. Among these issues are grimy gutters, chipped exterior paint jobs, clogged drains and vents, diminished hardwood floors, faded weather stripping, bad pipes and plumbing, cracks in plaster walls, dirty carpets, lack of a waterproofing system, clogged chimneys and a poor security system. However, these issues can be resolved with some preventative maintenance.

Regularly maintaining the upkeep of your home will help reduce the need for serious repairs in the future, which will ultimately burn a big hole in your pocket. It’s best to set up a reasonable maintenance schedule so you can guarantee each part of your house is tended to on a regular basis, rather than becoming overloaded at once with all the issues you have to deal with. This routine safeguarding is a vital part of taking care of your new place. It’s also a cost-effective measure that can boost the resale value of your home down the line.

Certain repairs may call for the help of a professional, such as fixing plumbing and electrical issues, and cleaning out the chimney. However, there are a number of repairs a homeowner can perform with a little bit of knowledge and elbow grease. Easy maintenance repairs include oiling decks, re-painting the house inside and out, filling in dry and plaster wall cracks, steam cleaning carpets, replacing weather stripping, re-waxing floors, bleeding the heaters, blowing off boiler pressure, clearing brush and plants away from the sides of the house , trimming hedges and cutting grass regularly, and checking the conditions of drains and vents. Other easy and important home maintenance projects include gutter cleaning and waterproofing.

Gutter cleaning is crucial for preventing serious damage and averting soil erosion. Neglecting your gutters can leave them clogged, which can eventually erode the soil away from your foundation, and cause your gutters to be pulled away from your home, possibly leaking into the basement. When cleaning, remove all branches, nests, leaves, and debris and then spray down the gutters with a water hose, downspout, to remove smaller remnants. If there is water backup, put the hose all the way down through the gutter’s opening until it breaks through, then finish flushing it out. If you’re still not successful, try using a plumber’s snake. You should clean your gutters at least twice yearly, especially before and after the rainy seasons.

Also, investing in a waterproofing system is a key part in maintaining your home. This is a simple step that first time home buyers can easily tackle on a weekend. Excess water can damage areas of your home, and having a waterproofing system in place can help immediately protect surfaces that are prone to leaks. Start by adding a sealant to interior areas that are risk for water damage (especially for areas that are prone to humidity). You can also have interior and exterior water drainage installed, though you may want to hire a professional for this job, since it involves digging into the foundation.

In the end, caring for your home will help reduce the risk of damage to your property, and will keep your home in great condition — something you can truly be proud of.

About the Author

Annamarya Scaccia is a freelance writer who writes about home improvement and specific products such as the Dual Saw.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Ann12/67115

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