Being a new homeowner is an exciting time, but it’s not always the easiest. From learning how to secure our homes to getting used to managing every element of it by ourselves with no building manager or extra help (unpaid help, at least) to check issues out when they appear, it can be difficult to know exactly how to check your home for faults and to what degree you should enact a solution. Thankfully, there’s no reason as to why you should overthink this. With a little care, attention, and willingness to check the signs of maintenance requirement, you’ll be smooth sailing. Over time, you become more familiar with your property, and this can help as well. But in the meantime, exactly how are you supposed to check out those maintenance needs? It’s not always easy to tell.
In this post, then, we hope to discuss that and more. If you can achieve a level of understanding regarding when exactly to get the professionals in, then you’re much more likely to spend only when you need to, and at the right time to boot. With that in mind, let’s consider:
Regular Inspections
Regular inspections of your home can be helpful. For instance, it might be that you’ve begun some renovation work to help design your home anew. Having your home inspected during or afterward to make sure the plumbing is functioning correctly can be healthy. If you believe a problem could have occurred, it’s almost always beneficial to verify that and make sure your home isn’t at risk of damage. For instance, having a roofing contractor take care of roof maintenance after a particularly heavy winter could save you potentially thousands in reparative costs six months later.
Loss of Functionality
It’s not always the case that home issues make themselves known immediately. Sometimes, the slow loss of functional utilities from installations that may have worked perfectly before could denote a problem. Perhaps you’ve noticed that your home never seems to stay warm in the winter despite your heating arrangements, which could denote that your insulation is in need of necessary repair. A loss of functionality could also imply devices that may not be working and in need of repair, such as fire alarms that don’t beep when tested.
Chips, Cracks, Changes
If you’ve noticed chips, cracks or changes in your home, then it could be a good sign that something needs to change. For instance, wall cracks can sometimes indicate subsidence in a home, which may cause real injury if not immediately addressed. If you notice small chips underneath your roofing system, it could be that some of your tiles are damaged and loose, which could, again, cause injury if not seen to as soon as possible. Keeping a general eye on the condition of your household every week or so can help you notice changes rather than letting real problems broadcast that to you.
With this advice, you’re more likely to notice if your home needs maintenance.
November 30, 2022 at 8:45 am
Increased heating bills can also signal that something is going wrong. Most likely, the reason is the inefficiency of your heating system. Consider these tips to fix it: https://escoutah.com/how-to-prepare-your-home-for-the-heating-season/.
December 2, 2022 at 6:35 am
Good article! By the way, we have an article on how to know if it’s high time to check your furnace: https://polestarplumbing.com/news-media/dont-let-a-heating-emergency-leave-you-in-the-cold.
Since it’s winter now, I think you may be interested in this 🙂
December 12, 2022 at 7:18 am
Thank you for sharing this! I’d like to add one more thing. If you notice that your indoor air is musty, humid, or dry, then it might be a warning sign that your air conditioner needs repair. Most often, the cause of it is clogged air conditioner filters. You should remember to change them on a regular basis.
February 2, 2023 at 5:02 am
Yeah! That’s a good point actually.
For better indoor air quality and HVAC efficiency, replacing filters once every 60-90 days is recommended.
The good news is that changing a filter is pretty easy. The procedure should take five or ten minutes, and almost anyone can handle it. But if you have never done this, for the first time, you can hire an HVAC specialist to show you how to do it correctly.
January 9, 2023 at 2:58 am
Unpleasant smells can be an indication of something wrong. And it usually indicates that something is going on with your HVAC.
Sulfur(rotten eggs) is the most dangerous smell and typically points to a natural gas leak. If you smell sulfur, contact a professional HVAC technician immediately, as this leak can seriously threaten your family’s health.
If it smells burning when you turn on your heat for the first time, that’s a typical sign that dust has built up in the system, and it’s burning away.
Other common smells include a musty scent or chemical odors.
April 5, 2023 at 11:27 am
When it comes to home maintenance, I think it’s better not to look for signs here, but just try to do it regularly to prevent any problems. This is especially true of HVAC systems. The consequences of poor HVAC maintenance can be expensive. However, everything in your house likes caring, and when you forget about them, they refuse to work well.