As a homeowner (or even tenant) you’ve probably found yourself urgently in need of a maintenance guy. Although not everything can be predicted, certain things such as roof repairs Melbourne residents find themselves regularly dealing with, can be prevented. For example, frequent maintenance can help you avoid getting caught with a leaking roof.
It is important to have the numbers listed of maintenance contractors, especially for emergencies. Many people find themselves in need of a hot water system repair at the most impossible hours of the day—for example in the middle of the night. You’ll need to get hold of a plumber as soon as possible, especially if your hot water system is leaking.
For this and other issues, let’s discuss the importance of proper home maintenance.
Why is Preventative Maintenance Important?
Doing regular maintenance on your house not only gives you peace of mind you have everything working efficiently. Routine maintenance helps you identify small problems before they become emergencies and a well-maintained house can actually enhance your quality of life.
Furthermore, frequent maintenance prolongs the lifespan of your house’s structure and improves the overall value of your property. Once you take a good look at this topic, you’ll realise there are financial, physical and environmental benefits. We discuss the most prominent ones.
6 Benefits of Home Maintenance
Most people prioritise keeping their car well maintained but have you ever thought of all the benefits that regular home maintenance bring you? Here is a list of the 8 top benefits of regular home maintenance to motivate you to schedule tasks around the house more often.
- Maintenance Saves You Money
Yes, for the initial job of getting a professional on site or fixing something, you might have to reach deep into your pocket. However, in the long run, routine maintenance saves you money.
Often, homeowners tend to ignore home maintenance thinking that they’ll attend to it when it really becomes a problem. But that is the point where it becomes costly. For example, having to repair a hot water system after hours or needing roof repairs on a public holiday will require a great expense. Meanwhile, a small repair a few weeks before that emergency could have prevented it from happening at all!
Maintenance delays the need to replace and saves you money in the future.
- Reduce Stress with Regular Maintenance
As already mentioned, a well-maintained house enhances your quality of life. How? Homeownership can be stressful. With regular maintenance, instead of worrying about what will break next, you’ll know you’re in control of what’s happening on your property.
Surveys have shown that 68% of homeowners feel overwhelmed by the tasks of maintaining their homes. This has a severe impact on their mental health. Yes, unexpected repairs will arise, but with a proper maintenance routine, you will be more prepared and have fewer stressful surprises.
- Minimise Pests with Home Maintenance
Simple routine checks can help you keep pests like small rodents at bay. Regularly check your foundation for cracks and leaks, to prevent mice and insects from getting inside your house. Also, a well-manicured lawn doesn’t harbour nests for baby rodents, leaving you with one less thing to worry about.
- Reduce Additional Damage
Secondary damage is one of the biggest risks homeowners are faced with. If you do have a leaking roof, this can cause secondary damage to your paintwork, floors, and furniture. Water damage leads to mould, which can be a serious health risk to you and your family.
Even if you don’t detect a leak, having your roof inspected at least every three years will help you reduce the risk of having to replace the roof because of finding a problem too late.
- Extend the Life of Your Appliances
Regularly maintaining your appliances will prolong their lifespan and avoid premature replacements. All appliances will eventually need to be replaced, but if you keep yours maintained, there is no reason why you can’t get more than your warranty period from your oven or dishwasher. Simple tasks like regularly changing filters and cleaning pipes are a little that will go a long way.
In addition to the lifespan of your appliances, regular maintenance on your heating and ventilation systems also means a cut on your utility bill, thanks to them functioning properly. Yet more proof of how continual maintenance saves you money (see point number 1 above).
- Validate Insurance and Warranties
The fine print of most insurance policies requires homeowners to do their bit and keep their property in a neat condition. Unfortunately, most insurance policies don’t cover issues or damages caused by a lack of maintenance.
So, not only does a well-looked-after home appear attractive to potential buyers, but you’re more likely to be successful with insurance claims if your maintenance is up to standard.
Conclusion
It’s clear that there are many benefits to carrying out regular maintenance on your home. Can you afford to ignore it any longer? If you don’t have a set maintenance routine, get this in place as soon as possible so you can rest easy at night.
Consistently performing small inexpensive maintenance tasks will do wonders for your mental and financial health, not to mention the resale value of your property!