The beginning of the year is a great time to evaluate your home maintenance goals and plan out the individual tasks you want to accomplish throughout the year. Understand what should be done on a regular basis versus once in a while, and consider what kinds of home updates and renovations you want to prioritize this year.
Here are some tips to organize your home maintenance tasks this year:
1. Plan Out This Year’s Routine Maintenance
Create a home maintenance calendar to remind yourself when certain tasks should be completed. It doesn’t matter if you use a digital calendar or a physical calendar, just be sure you choose a method where you’ll actually see the reminders. Here are some home maintenance tasks you should consider scheduling:
- Test smoke alarms and replace their batteries – once per month
- Check your water heater for leaks – once per month
- Replace HVAC and air filters – once every 3 months
- Clean your gutters – twice per year
- Check your foundation for cracks – twice per year
- Vacuum your refrigerator coils – once or twice per year
- Look at the trees on your property for signs of disease – once or twice per year
- Get your septic tank pumped – once every 3 years
2. Have a Checklist for Vacations
If you will be heading out on vacation this winter, consider shutting off your home’s water supply before you leave. This will help prevent water from sitting in your pipes and freezing, which could lead to burst pipes and water damage. Unplugging small appliances before a vacation can also help you save energy and cut down on utility bills. Turning your thermostat down or your AC off when you are away can also help you save on energy costs. Just don’t turn your heat down too much in the winter if you haven’t shut your water off, or you could come home to frozen pipes!
3. Prepare for Power Outages
Put together a power outage emergency kit and store it somewhere you’ll be able to find it in the dark. Keep flashlights, extra batteries, and a portable power bank in the kit. You might also want to look into installing a whole house generator, especially if you live in an area prone to severe storms. Generators can be pricy, but generator financing can help.
4. Plan Ahead for Big Projects
Taking the time to plan ahead for the home improvements and renovations you’d like to tackle this year can help you avoid any financial surprises. Create a list of the projects you would like to see done in your home and research their average cost so you can understand which ones will realistically fit into your budget this year. If you anticipate that you’ll need financing for your home improvements, you should get the ball rolling now so you’ll be ready when the time comes.
5. Review Your Homeowners Insurance
No one wants to think about a fire, flood, or other catastrophe destroying their home, but these things can happen. It’s important to review your existing homeowners insurance policy to ensure that the coverage still meets your needs. Home values and construction costs have risen steadily over the past few years, and you want to be sure you’ll have the funds needed to rebuild or repair your home in the event of a disaster.
Getting ahead of home maintenance and recognizing what needs to be done can save you time and money in the long run. If you’re a homeowner in MA or RI and planning any major home improvement or maintenance projects this year, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have a variety of home improvement financing to meet your needs.