What is Home Maintenance?

When was the last time you got your car’s oil changed or maintained? It has become general knowledge that cars require basic regular maintenance to continue functioning properly. From oil changes and regular services to more extensive repairs, most responsible car owners are aware they need to do these things to preserve the life of the car.

Why do we not extend this care to our homes? These are after all much larger investments, with longer life spans and importance. When was the last time you, let alone a professional walked your house inspect its many components? The problem with houses compared to cars is there is no check engine light, once you finally see the problem it has grown significantly. A prime example of this is a leak. Water enters the home through some gap or crack, slowly building up and worker deeper inside your house. Initially you have no idea, as the water makes its way through the exterior, then the framing, the insulation, before you finally see it as it begins to show itself through your walls or floors. In its path the water damage that has gone undetected for who knows how long, it some cases it can take years for a leak to present itself.

Let’s now compare this again through a car analogy. A flat tire by itself is a minor inconvenience, Change your tire, or bring it to the dealer and be on with your day. Now imagine if you drove on this flat tire for a month? What about 6 months? What about a year? Not only do you still have the initial flat tire to fix but the cars suspension is now ruined, shocks shot, and the rim itself has become damaged. What was once a relatively cheap fix has turned into potential repairs being worth more than the car itself. Now bring this back to your house. A leak spotted early is a simple fix and can be solved at the source of the problem. On the other hand a leak discovered through your walls with have similar consequences to an unfixed car tire. The leak still needs to be stopped, but in addition drywall needs replacing and repainting, new insulation is needed, and that’s without even bringing up the possibility of mold or rot within your house. By staying on top of your homes maintenance like you would a car you can extended the life of your home while reducing repair costs. Keep your home happy.