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Your house is asking for maintenance, don't ignore the signs

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A famous tagline of a paint manufacturing company says, “Every house tells who resides inside.” Basically, your house sends out a clear message about how well you maintain it. Now that you are most likely working from home, you would find time to take a closer look at every nook and corner of your house and notice how your house has braved different seasons over the years. Things like clogged pipes and chipped paint are glaring signs that your house needs repair. Ignoring these ‘little things’ can later cause you a hefty sum in rebuilding the whole structure. So, here are some home maintenance tips.   

 Top maintenance tips for your home

• Check your pipes: Every house has many pipes carrying clean water into the water tank and taps, and to drain out the used water in the sewage tank. Minor leakage can flood your floor or ruin your walls. So, if you feel something is hindering the flow of water, it could well be dust and other debris clogging the pipes. Call a plumber immediately and get it checked.

• Check windows, doors, and the main gate: You need to safeguard the entrance of your house to make sure no one can break it. So, check if all the windows and doors, as well as the main gate, are getting locked properly. See if the latches are working fine and if they are sturdy enough to withstand any blow. If they are making a creaking sound, they need to be lubricated.  

• Check the wiring: Several wires run through your walls to provide you with power supply. If rodents chew even one of them, it can cause a short circuit and the house could catch fire. Check the switchboards, A/C units, etc. to make sure there aren’t any chances of electrical faults and fires.

• Pest control: If you have noticed termites ruining your expensive furniture or cockroaches having a field day in your kitchen, you are in deep trouble. Termites can gradually destroy every woodwork while roaches, mosquitoes, houseflies, and other insects bring along health hazards with them. You can use different repellents to drive them away. Poke the wood with a screwdriver or pen and check for weaknesses. If the wood is flaky, it is already infested. If the situation doesn’t seem to be under control, call for professional help. Also, remember that the more well-lit your house is, lesser is the number of dark corners for insects to build nests.

• Ensure the fire extinguisher is working: We keep a fire extinguisher at home and fortunately for years never use it. However, make sure that it is still functional and to do so, check if the safety seals are intact and if it has any corrosion or not. You don’t want your fire extinguisher to fail when you need it the most.

• Clean the chimneys: If you have one, then clean it regularly so that dirt, birds’ nests, or anything else is not clogging the chimney. If the chimney is not working efficiently, it can cause a build-up of smoke or deadly carbon monoxide in the house and even lead to a fire.

• Trim the trees in your garden: You should make sure that the branches of the trees in your garden are not reaching your balcony as anyone from thieves to squirrels, can use it to sneak into your house. Also, a bit of trimming gives you a nice view of the surrounding.  

• Clean/repair your appliances: Doing this will increase the efficiency of your fridge, TV, AC, washing machine, desktop, ceiling fan, oven, etc. and they will last longer. Also, it will minimise the chances of any electrical snag.   

• Touch up the paint: Retouch the paint that is getting peeled off, not only because it will create a good impression on the guest, but more importantly it will keep moisture from seeping in the walls. Also repainting your entire house will cost way more than doing small touch-ups.

• Sanitize: This may not have been that important, but ever since the Coronavirus pandemic began, it too has become a vital part of home maintenance. From doorknobs, railings, to faucets, everything that is often used by others, should be sanitized daily to save yourself and your loved ones from any kind of infection.   

• Insure your home: Lastly, buy a comprehensive home insurance policy . Despite taking care of your house with the utmost sincerity, some damages can hardly be prevented. For example, natural disasters and cases of fire, vandalism, etc. are beyond an individual’s control. So, to save yourself from financial loss in such unfortunate events, get an insurance plan that suits your budget and needs.

Conclusion

Earlier, you were too busy on weekdays working and were too lazy on weekends to take stock of things. But now, courtesy the lockdown, home is your new office, and you need to keep it spick and span. Home maintenance can look like a daunting task, but if you maintain a list of things to do and space out the tasks on a monthly basis, it would be a smooth ride. The key, however, is not being complacent because a little prevention will go a long way to keep you and your loved ones safe as well as save you some money.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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