From home to office, and renters to buyers, it’s important that you are protected from as many things as possible when it comes to your biggest investment, your home. If you are looking at a literal checklist to help you out with something as broad as your annual home maintenance, you aren’t alone! Here are some must-do details to get you started.
Clean from top to bottom, inside and out
Pick a time of year where it’s comfortable to be outside and free from rain and wind and well the hot humid summers of Texas. Then start from the top and work your way down. Hire someone to clean out the gutters or carefully get up there and do it yourself. Use a hose with the right attachments to clean the siding and paving stones as well as any patio or decking. Give your doors and windows a serious scrubbing with the right detergents as well. Then head inside and clean the interior of your home from top to bottom as well. Don’t forget the fans, trim and crown molding!
Check your property for damage and/or dead trees
Get out onto your property and take note of any seemingly dead trees or external damage such as broken or weak siding and/or shingles. Take photos and notes and make sure you get calls out to the right professionals to have any issues taken care of as quickly as possible. A somewhat dead-looking tree could easily fall in a windstorm onto your roof and create serious, expensive damage. A missing or cracked piece of siding could mean a pest infestation. Some damaged shingles could mean water damage and potential leaks into your home. So, note anything out of the ordinary and call in the professionals to have a closer look!
Bring in the technicians
You’ll want to make sure that you remember to clean out your ventilation systems. This includes HVAC, heat pumps, air conditioners, bathroom and kitchen ventilation, etc. While it seems expensive to think of all of these professionals, a clean home (especially when it comes to something as crucial as clean air and ventilation) is going to both feel great and also help you prevent sickness and other issues down the road.
Check for leaky pipes, faucets or signs of water damage
Water leaks can be sneaky. Check all faucets, taps and pipes that you can access to check for signs of water damage in your home. You don’t want to find out about a water leak after it’s already created mold or rotted out a wall over time, after all.
The importance of annual maintenance
A lot of these seem like things that you can put off, which isn’t uncommon for the busy homeowner. However, you should also do what you can to protect your home from serious repairs and damage. Regular maintenance and checks on an annual basis will help you to keep your home safe and maintained for the long run. Even something as simple as replacing the batteries in the smoke detectors regularly can be easily overlooked and the results could be disastrous as well as potentially life-threatening.
Your home and property rely on you to keep it safe, which in turn keeps your family safe. This general checklist will give you the right starting point to make sure you just do that. After a few years, you’ll find that the tasks get easier, too, and that it wasn’t as inconvenient as you thought.
Contact Harbour Insurance Services at (281) 520-4090 to go over any of your home insurance needs such as a review of your homeowners or condo insurance, your flood insurance, windstorm insurance or any other personal insurance needs.