Taking good care of your home is one of the best ways to protect your investment and get the best returns from it. This can be done by working on a series of home care and repair projects over time as they become necessary. In this way, you can keep your home in good shape and avoid the exaggerated expenses that come about as a result of failed systems and elements around the home. If you don’t have an idea about what the details of the home care and repair that you need to work on are, read on to get an idea and do what is required at your earliest convenience. This way, you’ll also keep your family comfortable and secure, enjoying some of your best moments with them while at home.
1. Redo Countertops
The first essential item on your list of essential home care and repair is redoing the countertops. These are a prominent part of your kitchen and they also play a major role. This means that upgrading them is a sure way to have a marked impact on a popular space like the kitchen. Shop around to find a durable and appealing material to use, check online, and consult with professionals to find out the most popular materials to choose from. Making the right choice in this case can help you upgrade your kitchen in a remarkable way.
The bathroom may also have countertops, and you can give these an upgrade as well. Doing so can help you give the entire space a new look, especially if you pair this upgrade with another project such as repainting the walls or updating the cabinets and vanities. Make sure that you choose a material that will work well and last for a long time in a humid environment like the bathroom. In this case, it’s best to avoid using wood, which may need the thorough application of a high-grade water sealant. It will also require regular re-application of a sealant to make sure that it doesn’t get water damage and needs to be replaced in a short time.
2. Unclog Drains
Plumbing is the next item to add to your list of home care and repair tasks in order to keep your home functional and efficient. If there are any issues such as a recent onslaught of drain flies or discolored water coming out of your taps, you should know that there’s a possible issue with the plumbing. Problematic drains can leave you grappling with doing basic things around the house, such as cleaning up or even taking a shower. While you can use a drain solvent from the store to unclog the drains, this may be a temporary fix and leave you with a more serious issue to deal with down the road. The best solution in this case, especially if it’s a recurrent issue, is to call a professional to do a thorough inspection.
They’re likely to get to the bottom of the issue and deal with it once and for all. This won’t involve the use of chemicals, which may have a negative impact on the environment. On inspecting your home, the professionals will also find out if there are other issues that need to be taken care of. Even if this issue turns out to be an aged plumbing system that needs to be overhauled, it’s better to find out about it before it fails, which could leave you with a mess and many other expenses on top of dealing with the plumbing itself.
3. Repair Leaks
Don’t forget to add a roof inspection to your list of home care and repair tasks to handle. That’s because the roof of your home plays an extremely important role in terms of protecting your property. It’s also constantly exposed to the elements and therefore has a high chance of getting damaged, especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse. With this in mind, call a professional regularly to do a thorough inspection of your home’s roof. This way, they can find out if anything needs immediate action, or if it will be enough to simply clean the roof up.
If they find leaks or other signs of damage on the roof, they should be in a space to advise you on the best course of action to take. If the damage is minor and an isolated event, repairs can help you restore your roof back to a good state and keep getting great service from it. If the damage is major or there are other issues, including the roof having reached the end of its lifespan, you may need to replace the entire roof. In this case, pick the right roofing material in terms of durability, energy efficiency, and affordability. You’ll have made an investment that will offer you great returns over time.
4. Decorate the Outside
Home care and repair should not just cover actual repair work, but it should also encompass cosmetic improvements to the home. One of these is talking to a hardscape company that can help you restore the hardscape outside your home back to good shape. If there are damages like cracks or missing elements, these should be repaired as soon as possible. This way, the damage won’t worsen, and your hardscape will maintain a gorgeous appearance that adds to your home’s curb appeal.
Once any repairs or installations are done, you shouldn’t forget to find out the necessary maintenance for it. This may include the application of a sealant to help keep the elements whole for a long time. Re-applying this sealant as often as necessary can help you lengthen the lifespan of your hardscape elements and therefore get the maximum value for your investment.
5. Waterproof Spaces
Water damage can cause a lot of issues to your home, and these can end up costing you a lot of time and money to fix. Water damage can also spread through the house quite fast, leaving unsightly stains and rotten elements that need to be replaced in its wake. That said, find a way to prevent this from becoming an eventuality in any case by waterproofing your home. Professionals can help you identify the important spaces to waterproof and also let you know the best way to do this.
One of the most important parts of the house to waterproof is the basement. This is because it’s prone to water access, which can cause a lot of damage over time, including causing mold growth. That said, add basement waterproofing to your list of home care and repair projects to tackle. When you do this, you’ll have the freedom to use the basement in a variety of ways. From turning it into a home office or an additional lounge for your home to making it a play area for your children, there are many things that you can use a waterproofed basement for.
6. Repave Driveway
Another element of your home that needs proper care and attention is the driveway, which is constantly exposed to the elements. It’s also used a lot by people walking over it, cars being driven over it, and children playing on it. Over time, it’s bound to get damaged and stop looking as good as it did when it was new. It may also develop holes and cracks as it gets damaged, and ignoring these can lead to increased and faster damage to the driveway. As such, add it to your list of home care and repair items to deal with as soon as you can.
If your driveway is made of asphalt, call a local asphalt repair company to inspect it and suggest necessary repairs. If the driveway is damaged beyond the point of repair, replacing it is the best thing to do. After this, make sure to have it sealed so that it has an extra layer of protection against the elements. This is a great way to secure it and lengthen its lifespan considerably.
7. Take Care of Lawn
While taking care of the exterior of your home, you can’t leave out your lawn. The reason why lawn care is an important part of home care and repair is because keeping it in good shape can help you maintain your home’s curb appeal. A professional will be in a position to troubleshoot any issues that you may have with the lawn. These include uneven growth and bald or brown patches around your lawn. There are many things that can cause these, and an experienced expert will know the specific cause and consequently its solution.
One of the right solutions is replanting the entire lawn and starting the process from scratch. In this case, the experts will know the best sod to use for your area, which is one with a good chance of thriving. You could also think about using native plants to decorate your lawn instead of specialized grass. This will be a lot easier to take care of, and it may not need special considerations like fertilizer, pest control, and frequent watering.
8. Enclose the Space
Adding an enclosure around your home is another important home care and repair project to work on. That’s because it can help you secure your home, giving you and your family considerably more peace of mind while you’re home. To get the best outcome, learn about the options available so that you can choose the best one for your needs. This may be an electronic enclosure, which will deter burglars and wildlife as well if these are possible issues you face at your home.
If you have small children and pets, however, you should consider a different option. That’s because the electronic enclosure could pose a risk to them. In this case, one of the best solutions is a wooden fence, which will secure your home and also improve the privacy. Work with professionals who have proper experience with this type of fence installation so that they can do a job that’s worth the money you spend on the project. Find out how to do maintenance and also learn about the signs that could point towards damage so that you can keep it in good shape.
9. Redo the Patio
A patio is an amazing space to have as it increases your home’s livable space. It’s a great place for you and your family to relax, and you can also entertain guests on it when you have some. To get the best out of it, you should take care of it by maintaining it to secure it from the harsh effects of constant exposure to rain, snow, and sun. If it was installed a long time ago and has given you service for its set lifespan, you should think about redoing it with the help of professionals.
Hire experts who know the right way to go about redoing your patio, and who have the right tools. These may include a concrete cutter if your patio is made out of concrete. When redoing it, note that you can change its material and use a different one that you feel will work better for your home. You can add decor, outdoor furniture, and lighting to it to make it useful for a longer time and improve its comfort.
10. Motorize Your Garage
Last but not least, remember that the garage is one of the most-used elements of your home as it’s one of your home’s entryways. This means that it could get damaged after years of use, leaving it in need of repairs or replacement. If it’s old and is either at the end of its lifespan, or it simply makes your home feel extremely aged, you can upgrade it to a modern, motorized version. This will improve its function and efficiency, as well as your home’s safety and curb appeal. Overhead doors are one of the options that you can choose when thinking about the replacement to get, so talk to the garage door experts you hire about it.
These are the 10 essentials for home care and repair that you need to keep up with in order to make sure that your home is in great shape at all times. When you take care of them, you’ll get amazing returns as a result, the main one being that your family will be more comfortable and enjoy improved efficiency. Always work with the best professionals so that there’s no chance of getting a poor job done. This is something that will cause additional expenses for you in the form of almost immediate repairs.
