The typical American household will spend $2,100 every year on home maintenance costs, according to the American Housing Survey. However, failing to check your home for repair issues or putting off repair work can result in extra cost. We’re certainly guilty of trying to ignore some of those smaller things in need of repair around our house while focusing our efforts on paying off debt. This oversight has helped us kill the credit cards, but it’s really about time to catch up on some household repairs.
You need to figure out what’s broken, so you can identify and prioritize repairs to be completed. One of the key areas that should be inspected regularly is the outside of your home, as repair issues often start on the outside. To ensure you don’t overspend on your property, here are a few, fairly simple, outdoor maintenance tasks that will help you keep up on exterior maintenance of your home.
Clean Out Your Gutters
The gutters and downspouts on your home are designed to keep rainwater away from the foundation of your property. If these become clogged with leaves, dirt, and other debris, water will become trapped and overflow into your property. As a result, foundation repair may be required, which HomeAdvisor reports costs of an average of $4,068. It’s best to prevent rainwater from spoiling your home by cleaning out your gutters bi-annually, by either tackling the job yourself, or by calling in a professional gutter cleaning company.
Exterior Inspections
You should regularly check the exterior of your property for holes and cracks in the foundation, as bugs and pests can enter the smallest hole and infest your home. This can lead to you having to call in the services of a pest or termite control company, which will set you back an average of $2,300, according to Networx. By simply filling in these holes and cracks with silicone or caulk as and when they appear, you can prevent pests from entering your home and the spaces should not get any bigger.
As an added bonus, you’ll stop heat from escaping your home. The average American family already pays $2,060 per year on utilities. The last thing you want it for these costs to needlessly escalate.
Check Your Roof
The roof of your home is an integral part of your property, but too often it’s forgotten about. Damaged or missing roof tiles or shingles will result in leaks and damp getting into your attic, and possibly the walls of your home. HomeAdvisor states that it costs, on average, between $700 to $800 per square foot to replace roof tiles. Replacing just a few damaged tiles or shingles is a fairly inexpensive job. You might even be able to do the job yourself. Ultimately, tt will cost you significantly less than it will to repair a water-damaged infrastructure, especially if you factor in personal property that could be damaged by a leaky roof.
Outdoor home maintenance is a crucial part of home ownership, but easy to overlook. By clearing out your gutters, repairing your property’s exterior, and performing as-needed roof repairs, you’ll prevent bigger problems with a hefty repair bill. Escaping from debt is hard enough without surprise expenses.
Great tips! I will definitely consider the tips. keep up the good work.
DIY jobs are always very interesting and I love to fix things around my house. Thanks for these tips, Harmony!
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Thanks for taking the time to write this article. Very good information here.
I just wanted to add that cleaning out your gutters not only prevents foundation damage, but water damage to your home. If the gutters get clogged and start to overflow, the water starts to damage the Fascia board the gutter is mounted to. Once the fascia board gets a little rot, the water now has an access point to enter the home and cause all types of damage. The biggest problem with the water getting in up there, is that it will run between your walls. You won’t even know there’s an issue until it’s too late. It’s very important to keep your gutters free of obstructions and clogs.
Thanks again!
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Hello,
Great post!
The information you have provided is valuable and I want to give you a huge thumbs up for it.
Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for pointing out that inspecting small cracks in your foundation and filling them with caulk or silicone will help prevent critters from getting into your house. I would also assume that if the cracks are large enough, it could be indicative of a larger foundation issue. My sister just noticed a crack on the right side of her home. She’s hoping to find an experienced professional who can come out and fix any potential foundation issues.
Oh I think this would come really handy. Thanks for sharing. Share more information like that keep the goodwork up more more to you.
This in just the perfect time. I really need this guide Thanks a bunch!
Plumbing maintenance and gutters are the top on the list during any maintenance.
These are all great tips, thank you for sharing this. You’re absolutely correct if you’re planning to save money for repairs, regular maintenance can help you with your budget.
Great thanks for posting this! By the way, I think it also would be a great idea to check your windows at the beginning of winter. After all, air leaks from bad quality windows can account for 30 percent of your home’s energy bill.
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Additionally, the roofing contractor can utilize their expertise to guide you on structural and design flaws on your roof system. Longevity also means that there’s a greater likelihood that the company will be there to uphold its warranty contract.
Good article! However, here’s one more important thing to keep in mind. If there are some trees around your house, don’t let their roots grow too much. Ideally, plant them a little further from home. The thing is roots can cause rupture of external pipes. And pipeline repairs are always expensive and require a lot of effort.
Letting your gutter get clogged can cause a serious of issues. Molod and stains on home stain siding and fascia board. also, can warp wood and cause raising in a roof if water gets behind the gutter system.
Getting gutters cleaned at least twice a year helps save a lot of money on expensive repairs. Termites are a big nuisance, and at present, I am struggling with getting my house sanitized. If only I had taken preventive measures, I could have saved lots of money. So preventive measures always save a lot of money.
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Great post! It’s easy to forget about the importance of home maintenance and the potential costs of neglecting it. Your tips for outdoor maintenance tasks are spot on and can help homeowners avoid major repair bills down the line. Cleaning out gutters, inspecting the exterior, and checking the roof are simple tasks that can save homeowners thousands of dollars. Thank you for sharing these useful reminders and tips!
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I really appreciate your insights on home maintenance costs and the importance of addressing repair issues promptly. It’s all too common to overlook those smaller repair tasks while focusing on other financial responsibilities. Your reminder to identify and prioritize repairs is spot-on.