Home maintenance tasks are vital to ensuring that the home you live in is habitable and safe for all residents. While some repairs and maintenance jobs are quick, easy and relatively inexpensive, some are more extensive and can really put a dent in your bank balance.
Generally speaking, you should be putting away around 1% to 3% of your home value for repairs each year. So if your home is worth £200,000, this would be £2,000 to £6,000 a year. This is where a sinking fund can be helpful; if you don’t need it in one given year, you can choose to keep it in there and not add any more or keep boosting it for more expensive repairs should they come along.
However, all homeowners need to be aware of the risks associated with neglecting to carry out repairs for any reason, from unsafe living conditions to deteriorating fittings and features of an increased risk to life, to name a few. Home maintenance and repair are vital to ensure you retain your current standards of living and that you live in a home that keeps you happy and healthy.
Read on to look at some of the home maintenance jobs you shouldn’t ignore.
Roof Damage
Your roof is an integral part of your home’s structure, and it is the main source of protection from the elements. So it goes without saying that should your roof experience damage or reach the end of its natural life, it will need addressing ASAP. Small holes and damage can lead to water entering the property, and you might be at risk from water damage, dampness and mould growth within the home, and increased droughts. Your roof should be replaced approximately every 15 years, although this could be shorter or longer depending on the roof’s construction and the materials used. Failing to repair or replace your roof can not only open you up to increased damage across your home structure and interior, but it could also potentially invalidate your buildings and contents insurance too.
Gutters
Your gutters, much like your roof, protect your home from rain and provide an outlet for water to run off a property safely to ensure its structural integrity. Your guttering will go around your roof and be funnelled down the pipe to a drain on the ground. If your gutters are damaged or blocked, this will cause water damage to your home, much like roofing damage would. You can counteract this by checking your gutters regularly and inspecting or clearing them after periods of bad weather to remove debris and check for any damage. Look for retailers such as Clear Amber Shop, who can help you source parts for damaged parts of your gutters or shop for gutters for new homes or full replacement gutters.
Boiler
Your boiler is your main source of heating and hot water, and if you neglect to ensure it’s in good working condition, this can cause massive problems for you. Typically, as the weather gets colder, more people start to turn on their heating systems, putting them under increased pressure, considering they’ve likely not been used much for heating for the previous few months. A boiler will last between 10 and 15 years. Still, you can extend its life span by ensuring you have regular boiler services to keep it in complete working order, ward off any issues, or identify potential concerns. The last thing you want is to sit in the cold when the temperatures drop because your boiler has given up the ghost! Get it serviced, use it correctly and get repairs done when required to avoid full loss of heating and hot water.
Blocked Drains
Blocked drains can range from a minor annoyance to being massively inconvenient. Homeowners are responsible for any blocked external and internal drains on their property up to their boundary line. Callouts for blocked drains can be high, and the remedial work they need to carry out can be time-consuming, messy and quite frankly disgusting, not to mention extremely smelly.
You can avoid the drama that is blocked drains by not flushing items that shouldn’t go down the toilets or rinsing food and fat down the sink, but once you notice a blockage, don’t just pray it resolves itself. Get it checked out immediately. The more debris that goes down a sink or toilet, the more likely the blockage is to grow and cause significant damage. So if you notice water bubbling back up the plughole or a nasty whiff from the garden, get your drains checked.
Cracks
Cracks in general plasterwork can be expected in new houses where the building needs time to settle. In older homes, it can indicate that you need to re-skim your walls. However, there are some cracks that can indicate structural issues, and ignoring these can be disastrous.
Large, deep vertical cracks that are wider at the top or bottom and seemingly zig-zag-down walls can indicate structural problems. Cracks on foundations, doors that won’t close properly, shifting door frames, cracks around windows, or sudden changes in the floor are telltale signs something isn’t quite right, and it’s best to get someone out to see exactly what is going on. The last thing you want is to ignore deep structural cracks that could reduce the stability of your home and lead to further damage or complete structural failure.
Structural cracks are more common in older houses or those constructed poorly and have not been built to regulations, but in theory, they can appear in homes of any age and should be a high priority for all homeowners should one occur.
There are many different repairs you can face as a homeowner. From minor faults and everyday wear and tear and damage to massive issues that threaten your home and, if not rectified quickly, can increase in severity and lead to a multitude of other fauls. Be vigilant, address problems as soon as they arise and ensure that your home is habitable and safe for everyone at all times.
