Tips on Mastering Your Home Maintenance

Owning a home is expensive. You don’t have a landlord to call when something goes wrong and any costly repairs come straight out of your own pocket.

Learning to do some of your own maintenance is a great way to save some money, while keeping your home repairs in check. Here are some simple home maintenance tasks you can do yourself, even if you aren’t a master carpenter.

Before you take on the responsibility of your home’s maintenance, it’s crucial to learn where all of your plumbing, heating and cooling and electrical sources are located, so you can learn to do simple repairs yourself.

How to Maintain Your Own Plumbing

Most houses have shut-off valves at each water source and a main shut-off valve where the water comes into the house. By locating these ahead of time, it will be easy to shut your water off to take care of minor problems or prevent further damage if a leak occurs.

Once you know how to shut down the water, you can easily take on projects like leaky sinks and toilets, or even replace your shower head.

It’s also important to remember preventive maintenance to keep everything in top shape and hold your repair projects to a minimum:

Make sure you disconnect hoses and drain outdoor faucets in the winter.
Install traps over shower and bathtub drains to prevent clogs.
Don’t put grease or fibrous waste down the garbage disposal and always be sure run cold water before and after using it.
Check your toilet once a year for hidden leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If you have a leak, the color will find its way to the bowl in around 30 minutes.
Give your water heater a yearly flush to clean out sediment, which can cause corrosion. Check your owner’s manual or the company website for instructions on your specific model.
If you stop getting good hot water from your water heater, consider replacing your own water heater thermocouple.

How to Maintain Your Own Heat and Air Units

Note the locations of your registers and the air intake grill, so you don’t inadvertently block them with furniture.

Preventative maintenance is your best strategy when it comes to your heat and air units:

Change your filters monthly to avoid overworking your system.
Be sure to keep the area around your outside condensing unit clean and clear of leaves, overgrown vegetation and other debris.
Try to leave all air vents in your home open, this will ensure adequate air flow and not overwork your system.

How to Work on Your Own Electrical

In an emergency, or to complete certain home repairs, you may need to shut your electric off at the source. Locate circuit breakers ahead of time and label them, so you know which one shuts down each room.

There are many electrical repairs and projects that a mid-level DIYer can complete. Fixing light switches, installing a ceiling fan or dimmer switch and even adding under cabinet lighting are all projects you can do yourself. Be sure to turn off the electricity before you begin and follow any manufacturer’s instructions to be sure it’s done correctly. When it comes to electricity, remember safety first!

Outdoors Home Maintenance Tips

Home maintenance isn’t only important inside the home. You should keep up with your outdoor living spaces to help you avoid damage and high repair or replacement costs to roofs, decks and other outdoor structures. Here are a few tips:

Keep your gutters clean to keep water flowing away from your roof and house. When your gutters are filled with leaves or other debris, backed up water can cause flooding, rot, or mold.
Protect your deck with a fresh coat of paint or stain. Depending on the finish, your deck needs to be re-coated every five to ten years. Also, tighten any loose railings or boards to avoid more expensive problems in the future.
Clean and repair your foundation vents. If your screens have holes larger than a quarter, be sure to repair them to keep mice and other unwanted visitors out of your house.
Keep branches and shrubs trimmed away from your house. Branches within five to seven feet of your roof can conduct moisture and provide the perfect platform for squirrels and raccoons who want to make their home in your attic.