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The Importance of Home Maintenance

As most of us know, owning a home requires a tremendous amount of responsibility. All this responsibility is crucial for any homeowner to be aware of and to fully understand. Living in Minnesota or Wisconsin, the harsh winters make it inevitable that over time your house will need some kind of work. Even the best products will fail over time and will need to be replaced and or fixed. It’s not always easy to take care of your home maintenance but the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to regularly maintaining your home. The interesting part of this topic is that it’s alarmingly common to put off your home maintenance. Think about it. How many times have you came home to the same problem that has remained unfixed because you are always busy or simply you just lack the knowledge? And for our elderly homeowners, it’s just not that easy anymore! At some point in time, we can all relate that it is easy to pass up on our home issues. This is a dilemma many homeowners across the U.S. are facing on a day-to-day basis. As home maintenance is a critical component of homeownership, I will explain why you should upkeep your home and how you will benefit from doing so. By the end of this blog, I hope to have you convinced that forgetting about home maintenance is a costly mistake.

The unfortunate truth is that all this responsibility included in maintaining a home takes time (more than you think) and occasionally money. It does not always cost you money to fix a repair, but for most people, you will eventually need to go buy something to perform the maintenance, or you will have to pay a professional to come in and take care of your problem. That’s the harsh reality of sustaining the health of your home! With that being said it is without question, very important to keep up with all of your maintenance work and repairs no matter the price you pay or the amount of time it takes. To help you understand the importance of your home’s health, ask yourself, “What is my greatest financial investment?”. Some of us may answer, “the kids!”. But I imagine most of you answered with “my house”. For me, knowing that my home is the most expensive investment of my life thus far, it’s enough reason to be sure I stay on top of my own home maintenance. Another reason that will probably catch the attention of any reader is that keeping up with your home maintenance can help you save money. Hear me out; if you can fix a problem in your home in a timely manner it will help prevent these problems from evolving into bigger and much more expensive problems. That is where saving money comes into play. The bigger problems ordinarily come with a price, and they often catch the homeowner off-guard. Giving you no advance of how much this will cost you or how long it will take to be fixed. For example, it’s as simple as forgetting to check or change your filters for your HVAC unit. They tend to build up with dust and debris which causes your HVAC unit to burn up resulting in a fried HVAC unit that will need to be replaced. If you know anything about HVAC units, they are expensive to fix or replace and it can become a safety hazard if not taken care of. This is just one example of many problems that could happen if you do not maintain your home on a consistent basis.

The chances of building equity on your home will go down the more you put off your home maintenance. Your home’s ability to function will also decline. The better your house functions the more efficient it will operate, just like the human body, if you take care of your house, it will not only look better but it will work better. A common example of your house not functioning efficiently would be those poorly sealed windows or exterior doors in which causes drafts throughout your home. This will cause your heater or air conditioner to work harder than it needs to, and in return, you generate a higher energy bill, and your HVAC unit will not last as long as it should. The moral of the story is that home maintenance is crucial for everyone that owns a home as it can help save you money in the long run and it will help reduce your anxiety that has been created by all these problems. If you cannot keep up with your home’s maintenance for whatever reason, I would have someone come take a look around your house before something pops up and catches you off guard. Hiring a home inspector would be a good start.

Common Problems In Minnesota Regarding Home Maintenance

  • Broken or Damaged Shingles
  • Hot Water Heater Tripping Out
  • Plumbing Complications
  • Water Damage (Mold, Rot)
  • Leaks
  • Damaged Siding
  • Air Drafts
  • Damaged Foundation

These are just some of the problems that you will find in homes across Minnesota. If you have not been paying attention to any of these details I would begin doing so immediately. Winter is unforgiving and can cause a lot of these problems, but if you stay up to date on your maintenance projects, these overlying issues can be fixed or even prevented. Taking good care of your home will improve your financial wellness, increase your home’s value, and allow your home to run efficiently. Most of us have busy schedules and when you think about home maintenance projects it’s intimidating and easy to push off or forget altogether. If this is the case for you, you are not alone. I hope this has helped build your understanding of the importance behind home maintenance. Paying attention to some of these details can help you avoid pricey fixes down the road when you are least expecting it.

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