Eight Home Maintenance Checks That Should Be Done Annually
If you’re like most people, the last time your house was inspected was when you bought it. Once you’ve moved, maintenance has likely become a reactive practice rather than a proactive one : you wait until something goes wrong or wears out, and then you repair or replace it. For example, when my roof started leaking a few years ago, I had to replace it—it was an expensive and stressful couple of days. A few months later I noticed that one piece of flashing had come off of my chimney. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it was a good lesson: Just because the job was done right and looked good on installation day doesn’t mean it won’t deteriorate or hidden problems won’t show up later.
It’s more than just a roof—your home is made up of various systems that work together to keep you safe, comfortable, and protected from the elements. And no matter how recently these systems have been upgraded, replaced or installed, something can still go wrong with them. What starts out as a small problem that’s easy to fix (like a botched flash) can turn into a costly disaster if you don’t know about it. This is why you should perform regular maintenance on your home.
What is a technical inspection?
“ A maintenance inspection is similar to the home inspection you probably had when you bought your home, but it is done more regularly and is designed to help you perform preventive maintenance rather than being reactive. In other words, regular maintenance checks help identify problems before they become costly and potentially dangerous. Catching these problems early can save you money and avoid problems.
General maintenance checks should be carried out regularly; The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) recommends annual home maintenance : 12 months of weather can affect the appearance of your home, and 12 months of wear and tear on interior systems can reveal failed components. However, if your home is new, some professional inspectors suggest you can have maintenance done every three to five years . Just keep in mind that your home is constantly aging, and over time, having it inspected annually will be a good idea.
But if the home has had major work done—like a new roof, a new HVAC system, or new wiring—you should perform maintenance on the new work about six months after it’s completed. This is enough time for defects to appear – defects that may not immediately affect the integrity and performance of the work, but over time can become major problems. These defects are not necessarily the result of poor workmanship – repairs and repairs can fail for a variety of reasons, such as:
-
Defective materials
-
Unexpected climatic conditions
-
Invasive animals and insects
-
Natural shrinkage and expansion of materials due to moisture or temperature.
-
Failure of other home systems (Everything in your home is connected. For example, if the foundation shifts, the chimney can become detached from the roof, exposing a seam.)
Who should carry out the inspection?
You can hire a professional home inspector to perform an inspection the same way you would when purchasing a home, and the cost will be about the same— $300 to $500 , depending on the size and complexity of your home. You can also do a DIY inspection if you’re handy enough and familiar with the basics of your home, or use a combination of both approaches, doing DIY inspections annually and bringing in a professional every three to five years for a more thorough inspection. systems of your home.
Either way, the following aspects of your home should be considered when inspecting your home:
-
Roof. A visual inspection of the roof should be carried out to ensure that there are no missing shingles, the flashing looks good and the gutters are in good shape.
-
Exterior. The exterior of the home should be inspected for damage, such as cracked siding, crumbling brick or stucco, cracks, or missing caulk or weatherstripping.
-
Windows and doors. The seal around windows and doors should be checked. All windows and doors must function properly without jamming.
-
Foundation. The home’s foundation should be inspected for cracks or other problems.
-
Basement, attic or cellar. These areas of the home should be inspected for moisture, mold, and the integrity of the floor joists or internal roof structure.
-
HVAC. The home’s heating and cooling systems should be inspected and visually inspected for mold, rusty equipment or other problems.
-
Electric. The electrical panel and all outlets should be checked, and all smoke detectors and CO detectors should be tested and batteries replaced (or replaced themselves if they are past their lifespan).
-
Plumbing. All drains and sinks should be inspected for small leaks and possible mold , and drains should be checked to ensure they are not clogged. Toilets and other fixtures should be checked to ensure they are installed correctly and are not leaking under floors.
Carrying out these checks on a regular basis means you’ll know about problems before they become obvious, meaning you can make repairs or replacements before real damage is done. If you discover a leaking second-floor toilet during an inspection, instead of waiting until water damage becomes obvious, for example, you can fix the problem before the leak rots the subfloor, destroys the ceiling below, and requires mold remediation on top of everything else. the rest.