Home repairs, maintenance, and upkeep, while they may seem like never-ending tasks, are crucial for the longevity and safety of your home. The thought of having to repair yet another problem or support aging parts of the house can be daunting, but with regular maintenance, you can stay ahead of potential issues and avoid costly repairs.
The temptation to put things off for another time or simply put it up with faults can be great, especially if you’re experiencing repair fatigue or are simply too busy to address it right now.
While not all home repairs or upkeep tasks are emergent, others are. Neglecting to carry out those essential repairs can open your house up to more extensive damage, leave you at risk of unsafe living conditions, and even, in some cases, void your homeowner insurance due to your negligence. Being aware of these potential risks can help you prioritize and address necessary repairs in a timely manner.
When it comes to repairs, the following needs your undivided attention and should be fixed as soon as possible so you can maintain a good standard of living in a safe and secure home.
Roof
Your roof is your home’s primary source of protection from the elements. It performs a huge and vital job every single day. And while you might not notice or realize it, each day, it can sustain damage or pressure that leads to its inevitable failure. Roofing can last anywhere from 15 to 50 years, depending on the materials used and their condition, the care and maintenance it has been afforded, and your local environment.
While it is expected that damage will occur over the years, neglecting to contact a Roofing Company to help you ascertain the damage and fix it can put your entire home at risk. You could be facing increased damage, complete roof failure, pest infestations, rot, mold, and more from not getting any roof repairs fixed in a timely fashion.
Electrics
Electrical problems can be deadly and are a leading cause of domestic fires in the US. You need to be on top of identifying any electrical issues within your home, especially if you live in an older property that does not have up-to-date electrics meeting current required standards.
Telltale signs you have a problem with your electrics can include
- Warm walls or outlet covers
- Sparks from outlets
- A burning smell coming from inside the walls
- Flickering light
- Tripping switches
- Noises coming from outlets or your electrical control panel
While trip switching occasionally isn’t a massive issue, ongoing electrical problems should be a warning that something is amiss and that you need to get an electrician to check it out immediately. Electrical failures and fires can be deadly, and this is one maintenance and repair task that should never be avoided or ignored.
Plumbing Problems
It might just be a blocked toilet here and there, a leaky faucet, or a drip from a pipe that seems small and irrelevant. But it could also be a sign that your plumbing is starting to fail. The issue with plumbing, as with electrical systems, is that, for the most part, the pipes are hidden, meaning you won’t know there is an issue until it’s already substantial.
A massive indicator that something is amiss within your plumbing system is that your water bill increases despite not changing your usage habits.
However, it is not advisable to tackle any plumbing issues yourself. In fact, plumbers often state that their most frequent call-outs are for emergencies where DIY repairs have made things a whole lot worse and more costly for homeowners. Seeking professional help can ensure that the issue is fixed correctly and give you peace of mind.
Overgrown Trees
While this might not seem important at first glance, overgrown trees can cause massive problems to the property. If a tree is left to grow in close proximity to a property, the roots can extend, causing foundation damage and interfere with plumbing and sewerage in their pursuit of a water source.
In addition, falling branches can be a massive problem, as they can fall toward your property as they die and become detached from the tree itself. In the worst-case scenario, overgrown trees could actually be rotting and dying, putting your home at risk if they fall.
Mold or Damp
Mold and dampness can be considerable problems in any home, and it’s a sign water is in places it shouldn’t be. You can use dehumidifiers to facilitate the removal of excess moisture from the air; however, if you notice any signs of mold in your home, you need to act fast to identify the cause and fix it immediately. Mold can cause massive damage to both external and internal aspects of your home, not to mention have health implications for you, too, especially if someone at home has a respiratory condition like asthma. Prolonged exposure to mold can lead to respiratory issues, allergies, and other health problems.
Neglecting to rectify a damp issue will enable it to spread, take over more significant areas of your home, and become more emergent, causing physical and health damage, especially if it’s toxic mold.
Termites
Termites are bad news for homeowners. If you delay eradicating them from your home, they can cause massive amounts of damage that can be incredibly expensive to fix. This is because termites feed off the wood in your home, and they can and will treat your home like an all-you-can-eat buffet until there is nothing left to eat.
The signs you have a termite infestation might be minor at first. You might notice wood buckling, floor swelling, a sweet odor, or even visible termite mazes that are synonymous with their activity. Other signs include hollow-sounding wood, mud tubes on exterior walls, or discarded wings near doors and windows. But the key is to get help in eliminating termites from your home as soon as possible before they cause complete and total devastation in all wooden areas of the property.
