Owning a home is one of most people’s lifetime goals. What not a lot of people talk about is that after working hard to achieve this goal, you are now faced with a different challenge: homeownership. Most of the challenges associated with homeownership come with a price. It definitely helps to be strategic when it comes to preparing to tackle the list of things that you’d need to set aside money for when you own a home.
In this guide, you’ll learn three ways to lower the costs of homeownership just by being a little more intentional in the maintenance of your own space.
Care for your HVAC
When people talk about big surprise repairs, almost always, it’s related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, more commonly collectively called HVAC. Keeping your home temperature comfortable means having it equipped with the right HVAC system that’s matched to the weather of your area. Having the right setup when it comes to cooling down or heating up your home is essential, and this usually comes with a hefty price.
Many people fall into the trap of spending big on the initial system but totally fail to factor in maintenance costs. This results in neglected systems that break down to the point of disrepair, forcing homeowners to shell out big bucks for complete replacement by surprise. Not only can this spell financial disaster, but it can also put your family’s safety at risk. When temperatures are extreme, going without a functioning HVAC system can be extremely dangerous.
What you need to do to save money and keep your family safe is to make sure your system is regularly maintained. Whether you’re from an area where summer temperatures can get sweltering hot and winters can dip below zero, professional duct cleaning should be automatically on your list of basic maintenance work.
This doesn’t only ensure that small issues in your heating or cooling system are addressed early, you can also rest assured that you’re getting your money’s worth because regular maintenance means your home’s temperature is controlled in an efficient way. More energy savings always means more money saved in the long run.
Keep basic maintenance tools in the house
While there are home maintenance and improvement tasks that you absolutely need professionals for, there are also some that you can DIY with relative ease. These days, learning how to replace a filter or keep your sinks unclogged is easy with the help of the internet. To be able to do these, it helps when you have basic tools in the house. Nothing too fancy, just set aside small storage space for things that can come in handy in the house. You can start with this shortlist:
- Flat and Phillips screwdrivers
- Tape measure
- Hammer
- Pliers
- Basic power drill
- Stepladder
- Extension cord
- Wire cutters
- Safety gear (goggles, mask)
Having these basic tools cover most small repairs at home. This will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the long run, not having to call the handyman for every small thing that goes wrong in the house–and things WILL go wrong! You just need to be prepared for it and arm yourself with basic knowledge on handling these tools.
Call the pros, but don’t be clueless
You should definitely leave big electric and plumbing issues to the pros, but don’t be left with zero knowledge either! While you’d like to believe that every handyman in your community is honest, you don’t want to be the clueless homeowner. Like mentioned earlier, there’s a wealth of information on just about every part of your home and its maintenance, all available on the internet. Of course, nothing beats professional knowledge, but you don’t want to be charged for an overhaul when you actually just need to replace a screw.
Doing a little bit of research on how things work in your home will help you be a better homeowner and not be at the mercy of having to call a pro for every little thing. This is part of your responsibility as a homeowner–just be careful that you don’t get in over your head and think that you can do all the maintenance work in your home. Not unless you’re a professional yourself! Safety is still the priority here. So equip yourself with enough knowledge to know when it’s something you can DIY or something you need to pick up the phone for.
Homeownership is not a walk in the park but your home doesn’t have to be a money black hole either! Follow these hacks and you’ll be on your way to becoming a better homeowner with a healthy bank account!
