Photo by Soroush Karimi on Unsplash
Whether you’ve recently bought your first home or have been on the property ladder for several years now, it is in your best interest to find ways to increase your home’s lifespan. After all, this often saves you money when it comes to repairs, while also protecting your most valuable asset.
With that in mind, here are some simple yet effective ways in which you can increase your home’s lifespan.
Carry out regular property inspections. Regularly inspecting your property for the warning signs of potential damage or maintenance issues means that you can address urgent issues as quickly as possible. This means they’ll have as minimal impact on your property’s health (and lifespan) as possible, as you can get to the root of the issue right away, before it has a chance to worsen or cause long-term damage. Ideally, you should conduct cursory inspections once per month, or at the very least, at the start of each season.
Replace your windows. Working with a window installation company to replace your home’s original windows with newer, more efficient models is a great way to extend the lifespan of your home. This is because it can help to prevent a wide range of maintenance issues that could otherwise lead to disaster. For example, they can help to properly insulate your home, protecting you from damage such as condensation, water damage and mold build-up.
You may also find that replacing your windows helps you to lower your energy bills, which many owners are struggling with right now. This, in turn, means that you have more money to play around with each week, which means that you’ll have more cash to spend on home repairs and improvements.
Take good care of your roof. Taking good care of your roof can also add to the longevity of your home, as damage to this fixture leaves you vulnerable to everything from flooding and water damage to pest infestations. While you may feel as though you’re able to tackle minor fixes yourself, such as replacing a few missing shingles, remember that working at height always comes with a risk, and it may be better to pass this work over to a trained professional instead. After all, increasing your home’s lifespan should not come at the expense of your health and safety. If in doubt, bring in an expert for help and assistance.
Keep it clean. Believe it or not, keeping your home clean and tidy can also increase its lifespan. This is because, once again, it’s an added layer of protection against a wide range of maintenance issues, including pest infestations. This is because pests are drawn toward ‘messes’ such as crumbs, moisture, and even clutter. Not only are pests among the least-desired group of houseguests, but they’re also hard to get rid of, which means that you should avoid granting them access in the first place.
Remember, when keeping your home clean, you should make sure to get the whole family involved. You don’t have to do everything by yourself – its a team effort.
Ensure your home is well ventilated. Poorly ventilated spaces are a breeding ground for mold, which puts both your own health and your property’s health at risk. In extreme cases, it has been known to lead to significant structural damage. Fortunately, this can be prevented by ensuring that your home is well-ventilated. For example, you could:
- Install an HVAC system within your home
- Get into the habit of opening your windows to allow air to flow through the space
- Install fans in areas where poor ventilation tends to be an issue, such as in your kitchen and bathroom
If you do notice mold in your home, make it a priority to remove it. In the early stages of an outbreak, you can buy mold remover over the counter. However, you should make sure that you put preventative measures in place to prevent future build-ups after the fact. Otherwise, you may find that you’re dealing with the same problem over and over again (and that your health suffers as a result of this).
Protect yourself from adverse weather conditions. Damage caused by adverse weather conditions, such as storms and hurricanes, can, obviously, cause significant damage to your home. While this may seem unavoidable, there are plenty of steps that you can take to minimize this kind of issue.
For example, this could include purchasing storm-proof windows or shutters, which can protect your windows and doorways from damage caused by flying debris. You should also make sure that you do not plant trees directly next to your home, and that any in the surrounding area are trimmed back when necessary.
Set aside money for emergencies. As mentioned above, being able to take action quickly whenever a maintenance issue arises means that you can minimize long-term damage to your home. However, responses to these kinds of issues are often delayed when homeowners need to scramble to pull the money together to carry out essential maintenance work. While this is understandable in the current climate, it can be avoided by setting aside some money into an emergency fund each month.
You should also make sure that you take out some kind of home insurance, which may provide you with access to the funds you need. This way, you won’t need to have to pay entirely out of pocket for repairs or put your property at risk.
Final thoughts. As mentioned above, it is well within your best interest to work on improving your home’s lifespan. After all, this can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, when it comes to repairs and improvements, while also ensuring that you can remain in your home for years to come. For example, you could focus on setting money aside for emergencies or replacing fixtures such as outdated windows.
For the most part, your ability to increase your lifespan, whether that’s by ten years or twenty, lies in your ability to be as proactive as possible.
