It is easy to get complacent about home maintenance when you are busy with life. There never seems to be enough time in a day does there?
Of course, money could be an issue. Perhaps when receiving a quote that seems a little on the high side, you might want to find cheaper options, or even do it yourself and not quite get round to it?
Whatever it is, you should always make sure that you don’t let that little maintenance issue become a big maintenance issue!
Those gutters that have lots of leaves in them might seem like not that serious until you get an extreme weather event and they block up and force the water under the eaves into your house.
A friend of mine was horrified when a huge hail storm filled the gutters with icy pellets and forced water through underneath into a Bay window. She said she stood watching it in shock as the water flooded though and ruined the Bay window seat. All this because the gutters were full of leaves.
Roof maintenance
Your roof can be one of the most easily things damaged, be it by strong winds, sun, hail or other weather conditions.
If your roof is old, then shingles and tiles can come loose or crack, and nails and steel can rust. It’s not a good idea to start clambering over your own roof, rather leave that to the professionals.
But you can make regular checks of your roof space, to check for signs of leaks.
A slow leak in your roof, or other part of your home, might not be noticeable immediately, but over time the drip can lead to major mould growth or structural damage.
This will likely be expensive to remedy or repair if left too long. Read more here
Plumbing maintenance
Have you got a leaking tap?
You should never ignore small problems.
If you can see a sink is draining slowly in the bathroom, or your toilet water level is changing dramatically after flushing, you might have a blockage problem.
By ignoring blockages like this can cause major issues later on, especially if your house was built pre-1970s, as they often have earthenware pipes that are prone to cracking.
Leaky pipes also require immediate maintenance. They almost always happen at the pipe joints. Tape and fillers can sometimes offer a temporary fix, but for something more permanent you may to replace a piece of pipe or its related fittings.
Dux Qest is another product you need to be aware of as it was notorious for failing and causing leaks throughout homes in New Zealand.
It was introduced in the mid – late 1970’s as one of the first plastic plumbing products to replace copper plumbing. Read more here
Insulation issues
Many older homes have limited or no insulation. This makes them more expensive to heat and can lead to an unhealthy living environment. Even if there already is insulation in a home, it may be less than optimal, or could have lost some of its performance over the years.
There are things that can be done relatively easily to improve this situation. Ceilings are often the easiest and most effective areas to insulate in an existing house. If the roof space is accessible bulk insulation can simply be placed over your ceiling lining and framing.
Get a professional to quote so that you are aware of all options. For calculations around insulation in NZ click here
“Rainy day emergency” Funds
It always pays to be prepared for whatever maintenance is required over the life of your property. Why not consider setting up a savings account and putting away a little money each month for problems that might arise.
If you already have a major maintenance issue in your home, don’t ignore it. Structural problems don’t just disappear, and often will cost more to remedy the longer you leave them.
2023 © complaintsrealestate.com/|women-in-realestate.com|Author| Kathryn
