While we've already discussed bits of information that you have to know before moving into your new home in our article on the 10 Practical Things Every New Homeowner Should Know. Your work is far from over as there's still the process of maintaining your new home. Read on to learn more about our home maintenance checklist for first-time homeowners.
Check on Ventilation
Forbes highlights the importance of taking care of your home ventilation system, as poorly maintained ones can cause a slew of problems. One such problem is the growth of mold. And while a minor mold problem shouldn't be too hard to deal with, major mold removal could cost you somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000. If you do end up developing some minor mold, there is a quick way to fix this issue. An article by HomeServe recommends spraying the affected area with a solution of one-part bleach and four-parts water, as bleach has properties that can kill many types of fungus. With that being said, prevention is still the best option. So how do you prevent this from happening?
As mold grows in warm and damp areas, it is vital to maintain your ventilation system often so that you have better control of your home’s internal temperature. A good rule of thumb would be to have your vents cleaned every three years to avoid any complications. Another simple method is to simply open your windows, even on cold days, to let fresh air in. This is because fresh air is very efficient at evaporating any surface moisture and reducing a room’s humidity levels.
Maintain Your Heating System
The mileage on your heating system will vary depending on where you live, as places with colder year-round temperatures tend to make use of their heating systems more. This means that maintenance will also vary but it's recommended that you have your heating system inspected annually to detect any complications early on. Another determining factor is whether your home is equipped with a gas boiler.
But if you want to be proactive and do all you can to help maintain your heating system, there are a couple of things you can do. If you have a central heating system, it would be wise to check on your air filters every month and see if they need replacing. For gas boilers, it would be wise to check on the boiler's pressure gauge. Remember that it needs to be somewhere between one and two bars, anything lower than that means you need to have your boiler re-pressurized.
Check On Your Toilet
The toilet is one of the most used pieces of hardware in your home. A survey by the National Association for Continence has found that the average person spends around two weeks a year in the bathroom, which means a significant amount of effort needs to go into maintenance to ensure that everything continues to work properly.
One thing you have to be wary of is keeping the toilet clean. The particles that build up in your toilet are caused by the minerals in the water, and the longer you put off getting rid of them the harder it'll be, as the minerals tend to harden as more and more time passes by. This problem is about to be minimized in Japan due to the expert toilet-makers at Toto Ltd that have invented toilets with self-cleaning mechanisms. However, for those of us living in the United States, vinegar and baking soda should do the trick. First, you pour the vinegar into the toilet bowl and swish the liquid around. After around 30 minutes, proceed to scrub the toilet with a toilet brush. If the residue remains on the toilet, take your baking soda and apply it onto the brush and use it to scrub at the toilet again.
These tips may seem obvious but you will be surprised how often first-time, and long-time, homeowners miss them, only for these issues to become a costly expense further down the line.
Post solely for saintcharlesroofing.com
By JBright