The Best Ways to Overcome Home Maintenance Anxiety
Taking care of your home can seem difficult. Repairs and even routine maintenance can seem complicated, and if you don’t already know how to do it, completely overwhelming. But putting off repairs can lead to more serious problems in the future (and cost even more money). Even if you don’t have much experience or just need to figure out how to order the right repairs, don’t be afraid. There are many things you can do to help you overcome your anxiety and feel confident about fixing things around your home.
Where to Find Good Housekeeping Tips
One of the biggest obstacles for those new to maintenance and repair is getting the right advice. Between the conflicting opinions on social media about how to solve a given problem, asking for help can be intimidating, especially if the help comes from someone who has authority or is dismissive of your problems or questions. While this can be a difficult hurdle to overcome, there are some good places where you can get friendly, unbiased advice on how to handle a particular renovation.
One of my favorite sources of information on DIY and maintenance, especially for apartment dwellers, is Mercury Stardust. Her new podcast , Maintenance is a Drag , is a question and answer show that takes the audience through several projects and helps them find solutions. As for general advice, her TikToks also feature plenty of sound advice, complete with a healthy dose of confidence, as well as a bit of humor. Don’t hesitate to ask her a question; she answers often.
With instructions from a maintenance professional aimed at empowering women to use tools and perform maintenance, See Jane Drill offers a variety of instructions for a variety of projects, helpful tips and tricks, and instructions on how to use specific tools. Although her channel is aimed at women, anyone who wants to learn about service can benefit from her helpful and accessible videos. You can also visit the See Jane Drill website for articles, as well as a database of tools and more aimed at beginners.
How to plan ahead for maintenance and repairs
Because some maintenance is routine, such as replacing the filters in your HVAC system or cleaning your dryer vent, these activities can be part of a regular plan you make to keep up with home maintenance. You can start creating such a plan by taking note of your appliances and fixtures and writing down the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. Then you can add annual and semi-annual tasks, such as cleaning gutters or rearranging ceiling fans. Put these tasks on your calendar to create a schedule. Knowing what will happen can help reduce anxiety and ensure regular maintenance. There are apps like Home Keep that can help you create a calendar if you don’t know where to start. Monthly subscription costs $1.99 per month.
When it comes to emergencies like hurricanes or wildfires, it’s harder to predict exactly what you’ll need. However, creating a maintenance fund, even if you only put a few dollars a month into it, can help you prepare for emergencies and unexpected repair costs. If you’re a homeowner, having a home warranty can also help cover repair costs along with homeowners insurance. For tenants, reading the maintenance policy that comes with your lease can give you an idea of what your responsibilities are and what your landlord should be taking care of.
If you’re worried about finding reputable professionals to help you with things you can’t do yourself, it’s worth asking friends and neighbors about their experiences. If you start with some information that you trust before you need to call a professional, you’ll have an easier time making choices when you’re in a stressful situation.
How to request maintenance
If you live in an apartment, you will need to request certain repairs from building management or the landlord. Repairs that you should not do yourself include electrical work, plumbing leaks, or outside water ingress. These issues may require a phone call, but you should also submit a formal request for repairs in writing. This is because, as a tenant, you are usually responsible for notifying the landlord of any problems. As soon as your landlord knows there is a problem, they must fix it, so it is important to have formal correspondence. You can find many free templates for requesting maintenance for your apartment from management if your building does not have forms available.
If you own a home and need repairs, you can check with your homeowner’s insurance about emergency repairs, and you can also check with a home warranty company before calling a repair professional to make sure your repairs will be covered. You should also check to see if your device or fixture is under warranty from the manufacturer or installer before paying out of pocket for repairs. Here are some ways to take advantage of the insurance and warranty coverage you’re likely already paying for to reduce the cost of repairs.