Picture this: you’ve just bought a house. As a first-time home owner, you’re not sure how and when to begin home maintenance tasks because you’re already on a tight budget. We hope this collaborative post is helpful with where to start.
But the good news is that if you know the tricks to carry out home maintenance tasks effectively, nothing can be easier than this. Besides, home maintenance also helps you stay away from the annual repairs that could cost you a lot of money.
Curious to know how?
Follow these budget-friendly tips.
Inspect And Clean HVAC Filters
Though HVAC professionals recommend changing filters every month, this isn’t always compulsory. If you’re a small family (without dust allergies or pets), changing your filters every two to three months also makes sense. But before that, inspect if the filter is dirty. If it’s not, leave this maintenance task for next month.
Get Rid Of Ice Dams
Ice dams are caused by poor roof or attic ventilation. If not maintained proactively, ice dams may damage your roof, paint, insulation, gutters, and even interior surfaces.
When formed on your roof, ice dams are difficult to be removed. Therefore, it’s always better to prevent them from forming right from the beginning. To do this, follow these points:
Make sure the heat from the interior of your house doesn’t warm your attic. To do this, increase the insulation in your attic floor.
Melted snow will not be able to pass through the gutters if they’re clogged. Thus, keep the gutters clean by removing fall leaves.
Already got ice dams? Follow these tips to remove them.
Dust The Light Fixtures Regularly
Chandeliers and electric lanterns illuminate the interior of a house and add a rich ambiance to it. But here’s the bitter truth: they attract dust, dirt, bugs, and cobwebs. If left like this, the accumulated dust over the light fixtures may reduce the amount of light they produce.
To prevent this situation, cleaning the light fixtures on a weekly basis is necessary. Here’s what to do:
Before cleaning the light fixture, turn the light off for at least an hour.
Instead of climbing the ladder, get a long-handled dusting brush so it reaches the ceiling easily.
Use this brush to remove any cobwebs or dust from the light fixtures.
Change The Water Of Your Fish Tank
Keeping custom aquariums, feeding the fish, and seeing them roaming from one corner of the aquarium to the other is a pleasant experience. But you should also ensure that you’re providing a healthy environment to these bright-colored pets.
To do this, consider these points:
Change twenty percent of the water of the fish tank once a week. Doing this regularly will clear the water from any debris.
To avoid cloudy water, inspect and replace the filter according to the instructions that are written in the aquarium manual.
Green algae may form on the sides of the fish tank. You can scrape it while changing the water.
Clean The Chimney
Lighting a chimney may be one of the easiest house chores you may have. However, lack of maintenance may hinder its performance while the harmful smoke caused by excessive burning can also lead to a chimney fire. To avoid bearing the costs of buying and installing a new chimney, it’s better to get it cleaned right away.
Though you can clean a fireplace on your own, chimney maintenance requires a higher level of effort than you might think. Thus, a better option is to call an expert for detailed inspection. The inspector will be able to look for any obstructions, soot, and the amount of creosote build-up. Accordingly, he’ll tell you if it’s time to sweep the chimney. If there is a need, he’s clean it with extension poles, brushes, and vacuum.