Seven Services You (Probably) Don’t Have to Pay to Perform
Life is full of tasks that need to be accomplished: there is work, cleaning and maintaining order in our homes , undergoing medical checkups, feeding ourselves and our families – the list of tasks is endless. And your reward for checking something on this list? Probably more to do. Keeping up with it all (and even knowing what needs to be done) can also be exhausting, which is why we’re often happy to pay someone to take care of some things for us. But just because you can pay someone to perform a service for you doesn’t mean it’s worth it. While everyone’s DIY skills (and specific needs) obviously vary, you can often save a little money and wasted effort by doing something yourself—or not doing it at all.
Air duct cleaning
If you have forced air heating or central air conditioning in your home, you’ve probably been asked to clean your air ducts. The common argument is that it will make your HVAC systems more efficient and make the air in your home healthier by removing all the dust and other contaminants.
But according to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no evidence that cleaning your air ducts actually prevents health problems, and unless your air ducts are completely clogged with dust, infested with pests (or visibly filled with mold), then the impact is likely for cooling or heating will be negligible. If you’ll sleep better at night knowing you can dine inside the ductwork, they’re easy to clean DIY , so don’t pay someone up to $1,000 for the service.
Photo Framing
There are six framing shops in the city where I live. And it’s a small town, so I have to assume that at least some of these stores are just fronts for organized crime. I mean, I’ve had to take maybe half a dozen photographs in my entire life , so I can’t imagine it’s a big business.
And if you really need something framed, it’s best to just buy a frame at Target or somewhere else. There simply isn’t much of a difference in what the final product will look like when it ends up on your wall , so the only time it’s worth going to a frame store to pay for a service is if you have something uniquely sized or you’re really want to make a custom frame and presentation.
Roof cleaning
Your roof requires regular maintenance if you want it to last, including periodically clearing the roof itself of leaves, branches and snow and keeping your gutters clear . Not everyone is comfortable or comfortable going on the roof, so many people simply hire someone to do these maintenance jobs (or just skip them, which is a bad idea).
But you don’t have to climb on your roof to clean it. Many homeowners can purchase a roof rake and gutter rake and remove most debris or snow from their roof and gutters in just a few minutes, with minimal physical effort and without wasting time on a ladder regretting their recent life decisions.
Protection of furniture and carpets
When you buy upholstered furniture or new carpeting, you’ll often be asked to pay to protect the fabric in case a stain or accidental damage occurs. It’s essentially overpriced insurance that you don’t really need, even if you’re bringing furniture or carpet into a house full of wild animal-like children. First, you can pretty cheaply and easily apply your own fabric protection spray and it will work just as well. Secondly, you can remove most stains from carpet or fabric with a little effort.
Basement waterproofing
If your basement or basement is damp or has standing water every time it rains, there are steps you can take—for example, a septic tank can help drain the standing water. But hiring a waterproofing contractor is probably not worth it for one simple reason: it addresses the symptom, not the cause. Waterproofing the inside of your basement probably won’t work because, as every homeowner knows, water is a sneaky demon that will always find its way into your home, often in mysterious ways. If you want a dry basement, you’ll need to consider outside forces : the grading of the land around your home, the condition of your gutters (adding gutter extensions can ensure they don’t just drain water onto your foundation), and installing a rain gutter. garden. There may be scenarios where paying for interior waterproofing is the right move, but they only come after relatively simple and cheap tasks on the exterior of the home have been addressed.
Home warranties
There are arguments for paying for a home warranty , but they all stem from desperation: You don’t have the huge amount of money needed to pay for certain repairs, so you opt to pay a small monthly fee just in case. the worst happens. The average cost is $1,049 per year , which is significant, and most guarantees are loaded with maximum payouts and other exclusions , so the coverage you get is usually much less than you might expect. Additionally, home warranties usually require you to use specific contractors and replace items with approved brands and models, which are rarely high quality. You’re better off setting aside that $1,000 each year to create an emergency fund.
Home Security
Having some sort of home security system isn’t a bad idea: there’s evidence that they’re a pretty decent deterrent as professional thieves want to avoid potential extra work. But police response can be slow and they often have a high false alarm rate. Smart doorbells with cameras offer the same deterrent to would-be thieves as traditional home security systems, and offer a number of other features, such as the ability to see who’s at your door (and what they’re doing) and even talk to them. If you need a whole-home system, there are reliable free options that offer the basic benefit of containment without the service charge.