Going DIY for home maintenance can be a great way to improve your skills and make some money. However, it is important that you know what you are doing. Your home is an enormous investment and essential to your life. If you mess up, you could end up having to pay a lot of money to fix it. Here are some important tips to follow for DIY maintenance at home.
Keep Things Clean
Cleaning should be a major part of your home maintenance. Cleanliness isn’t just about the aesthetic of your home. A dirty home attracts pests and can lead to mold and sickness. Plus, dirty appliances and systems have to work harder, which leads them to break down. Make sure that you’re keeping your home clean. Check things like filters and grease traps. According to the plumbing industry standard, your grease trap should be cleaned when grease accounts for 25% of the volume. Many other parts of your house will have similar requirements.
Learn How to Do things Correctly
If you’re serious about DIY maintenance, it is important that you understand how to fix things. While some things require a professional, others can be done at home. But if you try to do these things without learning the correct methods, you might make the damage worse. Then you’ll have to call an expert anyway, leaving you with a hefty repair bill. The plumbing industry’s revenue was over $107 billion in 2018. If you want to contribute as little as possible to that, study your maintenance before attempting to fix anything.
Focus On Energy Efficiency
If you want your home maintenance to be as affordable as possible, you want to focus on energy efficiency. The average family spends $2,000 annually on energy bills. About half of that goes toward maintaining a comfortable temperature in the home. You can take steps to reduce that amount. There are small things you can do, like keeping your HVAC system clean and functional. You can also consider major investments like solar panels. Either way, a focus on energy efficiency will save you a lot of money on home costs.
Make a Schedule
Certain tasks need to be done at certain times. For instance, you don’t want to do yard work in the middle of the winter. You also don’t want to put off maintaining appliances until they break down. Take some time to create a schedule for your home maintenance. Make one for the year, as well as one for tasks that need to be done more frequently. This will help you keep track of what needs to be done, ensuring that you don’t forget anything.
Know When to Call an Expert
Some things cannot be done by yourself. You need licensed professionals to handle things like plumbing and electricity. It is very important that you accept the things you can’t do and call in an expert who can. If you try to do these tasks yourself, you could end up severely injured or killed. Or you could cause major damage to your home that could have been avoided by paying for an electrician or plumber to come in. As you get to these tasks during your maintenance, get quotes from the necessary experts. That way, you can still get the best possible deal on the work you need to be done.
DIY home maintenance can be very useful. Not only do you save money by doing work yourself, but you also build up your skills and confidence around the house. However, it is very important to do it correctly. Keep these tips in mind as you plan out your next home maintenance project.