As a homeowner, there is a lot to bear in mind all the time. You need to ensure that your home is always comfortable and that it is also practical for your entire family. So there is no wonder that many homeowners always make the same mistakes while they are running their household. To ensure nothing ever goes wrong in your home, here are some of the most common mistakes that all homeowners make. Try to keep these in mind so that you can try and escape them.
Not Addressing Issues When They Arise
Ideally, you need to address any issues as soon as they arise. Once you notice that something isn’t quite right in your home, get it sorted as soon as possible. Otherwise, what was just a small issue can get a lot worse and turn into a big problem. Another reason for sorting out any problems as soon as you notice them is that it will be a lot cheaper, and you may even be able to fix things yourself. For example, you could repair and fix things with some simple DIY. However, wait too long until the problem becomes a big deal, and you may have to call in the experts. Which can end in you paying a hefty bill!
Skipping Annual HVAC Maintenance
No matter what climate you live in or what type of house you have, you need to make sure that you are carrying out important maintenance on your HVAC system. You should ensure that you are carrying out this essential work at least once a year. Try to do it either in the fall or spring. That way, you can ensure your air conditioning is ready for summer and your heating is ready for winter. Even if you don’t think there is anything wrong with your system, you should still get it serviced every year. If you ever need HVAC help, there will be a number of specialist heating and air conditioning companies in your local area.
Not Researching Contractors
Hardly any homeowners carry out thorough research when they are looking to hire contractors. This can lead to various issues. The main one is that the work might not be done to a high enough standard. To ensure that you hire a trusted contracting firm who are good at their job, listen to recommendations from friends and family. If no one has hired any local workmen recently, you should go online to check reviews on sites such as Yelp. If you are unable to find any reviews of a specific contractor, ask to see a portfolio of their previous jobs. This should give you an idea of the quality of their work. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t just hire a contractor over the phone. No professional worth their salt will be able to give you an accurate quote without seeing your home and the exact type of work that needs carrying out.
Doing Your Own Plumbing Work
Unblocking a toilet or tightening a leaky pipe may be well within your abilities. However, if your plumbing issues are a lot more serious, it is important not to attempt to fix them yourself. Make it easier on you and your family, and just call out a professional plumber. They will be able to fix the problem in no time at all. But what’s more, they will do so without making things worse. Making things worse could potentially cause significant damage to your property. This is highly likely to occur if you attempt to fix any big plumbings faults yourself. So step away from the frozen pipes and call your nearest plumber!
Not Cleaning Out Gutters
Gutters are extremely important to every building. They direct the flow of water away from the property. This prevents any serious water damage from occurring. So, as you can see, it is important that you take good care of all your gutters. However, there are still lots of homeowners who neglect to clean them out on a regular basis. Once they get clogged up with dead leaves and other debris, the water will not be able to flow through them. As a result, water could drip down the walls of your building and end up causing hundreds of dollars worth of property damage.
Not Dusting + Hoovering
Most households dust and hoover. But they don’t realize that they aren’t doing it as much as they should be. Ideally, you need to be doing this at least once a week. It can help you manage your family’s allergies, and will also help your home look neat and tidy. While you are dusting and hoovering, are you also checking all the vents in your home? If not, you should be. Make sure you check and clean air vents and filters. If they are clogged with dust and debris, clean them out. If you leave the dust to just accumulate in the vents, your home’s systems could end up faulty. Rather than pay to replace or fix entire systems, simply clean out the vents and filters as often as possible.
Dispose Of Old Documents Safely
Identity theft is a crime that is growing by the day. Many families are not protecting themselves against it. Thankfully, it is very easy to do so. All you need to do is dispose of your old contracts, bank statements, and old documents safely. The best way to do this is by shredding them. This ensures that the paper is cut so small, no one will be able to read your sensitive information. Don’t just throw scrunched up papers straight in the bin! It is also very important to protect you and your family’s identity online. The best way of doing so is to make sure that your cyber security is always up to date. Ensure your firewall and virus protection are the latest editions, so hackers and viruses will have a hard time of getting into your computer.
Forgetting About Smoke Alarms
Many families forget to regularly check their smoke alarms regularly. This can be very dangerous and could cost lives. To make sure that your smoke alarm is working fine, all you need to do is check the battery. You can do this by pressing the test button that is located on the alarm. You will hear the alarm go off for a few seconds. If you do not hear anything, then it means that the batteries are dead. Replace them as soon as you can. It is also important to check your carbon monoxide alarms. These need replacing every few months to ensure that your family is alerted in the event of a carbon monoxide leak in your home.
Buying The Wrong Insurance
So you bought some homeowner’s insurance when you purchased your home. That’s great news as it will cover you in the event of any damage to your property. But are you sure that you bought the right policy? When you take out an insurance policy, it is very important that you read all the fine print. There may be some hidden clauses that mention that particular damage is not covered by the policy. When you are looking for new insurance for your home, it is a good idea to take out an insurer’s most complete coverage. This way, you can be sure that almost every type of damage or accident to your property will be covered. But again, it is still important to check the small print just to be on the safe side.
Not Getting Permits
Are you planning on building a conservatory or adding an extension to your home? Then you need to check with your local authority to see whether or not you need a permit. Some building projects will need permission. Especially if they will be noticed by the public or make any major changes to the overall structure of your property. Carrying out the work without a required permit could end in you getting a fine and being ordered to remove the work. And that could cost you dearly. So before you get started on any major building work, check with your local authority to see if you need a permit. If you do, it should be fairly easy to obtain. As long as the proposed work isn’t too extreme, it should be accepted. If not, you may be requested to make some changes to the design so that the addition fits in with the surrounding architecture.
Starting Without The Basics
So you are planning on doing some DIY. Do you have all the tools and equipment that you will need? If not, be sure to get them before you start your work. Nothing will slow you down more than having to leave your job half way through to go to your local hardware store. And remember to always pay for good quality tools. They will help you finish all the work to a very high standard and will last for a long time. Unlike cheap tools, which could even break while you use them.
Mia Guerra
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