If your house could talk, it would tell you that spending a little money now on small repairs could save you big bucks down the road. We’ve put together 15 of the best small updates for keeping your home happy and your wallet full.
Exterior caulking loses its integrity over time. When it begins to crumble and pull away, it can allow rain to seep through windows, where it can potentially cause the wood to rot. To prevent the problem, remove old caulking and replace it with a new paint-grade formula around windows and doors to seal out moisture.
It might not be your favorite to-do, but painting your house at the first sign of peeling will protect the siding and structure from weather and water damage. While a DIY paint project can set you back a few hundred dollars, you’ll be paying thousands if you have to replace rotted siding.
Use topsoil to bring your yard up to the proper level around the foundation. Ensuring that the yard slopes away from the foundation at no less than a 2 percent grade will prevent water from pooling next to the house, where it can lead to leaking and foundation-damaging soil heave during freeze-thaw cycles.
Dirty return-air filters restrict airflow to your HVAC unit, forcing its motor to work harder and ultimately costing you more cash. Replace filters (they’re cheap!) twice a year, once at the start of summer and again when winter kicks in. This simple maintenance task will help the unit operate more efficiently and last longer.
Few household mishaps are more disgusting than backed-up sewage in a tub or shower. Try flushing a main-line sewer cleaner down the drain every couple of months to keep the lines free from damaging clogs that could otherwise lead to expensive (and unpleasant) plumbing repairs.
Over time, corrosion can develop on circuit breaker contacts; if ignored, this can cause irreparable damage. Every two or three months, simply flip each breaker off and back on. This simple step costs nothing but can increase the circuits’ lifespan enormously.
One of the greatest sources of heat loss in a home is inadequate insulation in an unfinished attic. By bringing your attic’s value up to at least R-30, you’ll save big on your energy bill. Lay new insulation batts on top of old ones, or rent a blower unit and blow in noncellulose fiber insulation to a depth of 8.5 inches.
Hard water deposits and sediment can shorten the life of any hot water heater. Fortunately, you can protect your model by simply flushing it out once a year. Every fall, follow the instructions printed on the heater or in the owner’s manual to keep your unit in tip-top shape.
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