Maintaining the
Home:
Interior Maintenance
Preventive Home Maintenance Checkup
Your home can't take care of itself. Your monthly budget should include money for routine maintenance and repair for the house and yard. Plan to set money aside for the large, irregular expenses that occur normally as a house ages. Large expenses include interior and exterior painting, repairs or replacement of heating and air conditioning units and appliances, floor coverings and roof surfaces.
Housing experts recommend setting aside 1 to 3 percent of the market value of your house each year to pay for maintenance and repair costs. While all of these funds may not be needed if your home is new, the accumulated amounts will help you pay for large future expenses, such as re-roofing or replacing a heating unit.
Home maintenance helps provide a healthy, safe environment as it protects your growing financial investment. It is much easier to prevent the development of unsafe, unhealthy conditions and structural damage than to pay medical or repair bills or both.
Who is responsible for home maintenance? The home owner is responsible for what is owned. (Check your owner agreement if you live in a condominium or townhouse.)
Why should you do regular home maintenance?
- To maintain the value of the property.
- A well-maintained home usually sells more readily and usually brings a higher price.
- A well-maintained house is more comfortable.
- Regular care minimizes unexpected repair work and expense.
- Regular small repairs keep costs from becoming larger.
- A lender's agreement usually requires the owner to maintain the property to protect the lender's financial interest.
What is involved in home maintenance? Cleaning the roof and gutters, cleaning or painting outside wall surfaces, cleaning floors and walls, vacuuming the carpet, keeping sink and shower drains running freely, etc.
What is involved in home repair? Replacing broken glass in windows or doors, replacing warped or worn shingles, repairing a cracked or raised sidewalk or driveway, replacing worn out faucets, repairing a broken stair rail, etc.
How often should you do maintenance and repairs? Maintenance and repairs should be done as soon as the need appears. This sooner-the-better practice helps prevent further damage and keeps repair costs down. At least once every six months, inspect your house and yard thoroughly to identify items needing work.
Who should do the maintenance and repairs? The home owner who does his or her own maintenance and repairs saves money. To learn how to do your own maintenance and repairs, you can use:
- Manufacturer's use and care booklet and care guides from repair and cleaning products used.
- Extension leaflets on maintenance and repairs.
- Do-it-yourself publications often available free in builder supply or hardware stores.
- Home maintenance/repair books and videos in the public libraries or stores.
- An experienced neighbor or friend.
If you are not able to do the work, hire a qualified, experienced repair person. Ask friends for personal recommendations. Check the telephone book, neighborhood newspapers or special advertisements to find a reputable repair person. Ask for written estimates, and do not pay in advance for maintenance or repair services.
Include a maintenance/repair category in your monthly budget. If you do not need the money in a particular month, put it in a savings account for the periodic, expensive repairs that will happen as a house ages.
Regular inspection and maintenance of your home will help you keep the house in good condition and maintain its value. Doing maintenance and repair as the need arises also keeps small problems from becoming larger, more costly problems. Having and following a plan for home maintenance and repair will make the job easier. And finally, a well-maintained house will be more comfortable.
This material was adapted from publications produced by North Carolina State University Extension.
Next: Make a Basic Toolkit for Simple Home Repairs
