Nowadays, it can cost a lot of money to maintain a home. According to angi.com, American homeowners spend on average $3,192 a year on upkeep for their homes. This doesn’t even include larger repairs that might arise, such as fixing a leaky roof, buying a new furnace, or replacing a broken appliance. Here are a few tips for spending wisely on home maintenance.
- Get multiple quotes for larger projects. Have a few different people come out to give you a quote on large repairs. This will tell you if any one repair person is trying to charge you too much.
- Before buying a new home, ensure your home inspector looks at everything thoroughly and provides a detailed report about the things that may need to be fixed.
- Ensure you have adequate insurance that covers flooding, earthquake damage, and/or fire damage. This is especially important if you live in an area that has experienced these disasters before.
- Check your toilets, faucets, and sprinkler valves for leaks. Water leaks not only cost money due to wasted water but also can cause damage to your home, so it is a good idea to get them fixed quickly.
- Perform regular maintenance tasks such as changing your furnace filter, oiling your automatic gate, cleaning your refrigerator coils, etc. to ensure everything is working as efficiently as possible.
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