When you are a homeowner, you cannot just call your landlord for faulty shingles or chipped paint. Unless you’re an avid handyman, the best thing to do is to hire an expert to carry out essential maintenance and repairs to prevent bigger problems.
To give you an idea, here are some of the common home maintenance you should monitor to keep your property safe and secured.
1. Roof Replacement
Few people think about replacing their roofs unless they show significant wear and tear or are already leaking. If you leave a leaking roof unrepaired, it could result in significant structural and interior damage in time, which would mean higher repair costs.
According to the National Association of Home Builders notes, a wood shake roof should last about 30 years, an asphalt shingle roof about 20 years and fiber cement shingle roofing should last up to 25 years before it needs replacing. If you have lived in your home for more than ten years, you should be prepared to get a new roof within the next decade.
2. Garage Door Opener Repair
Besides sump pumps and paint, your garage door opener is likely to be one of the components of your house with the shortest lifespan. According to research by Utah State University, a garage door opener should last about ten years on average, with replacement costs averaging about $400.
This average life expectancy is based on a door opener installed by professionals from commercial garage door services in a place like Salt Lake City. This includes competent maintenance of tracks, pulleys, springs, rollers, as well as lubrication of moving parts.
3. Heating and Air Conditioning
Even if you do not require a new unit, there will be a need for you to carry out continuous maintenance on your HVAC unit or heat pump. At a minimum, you should have an expert carry out a tune-up and clean the unit every year. However, these visits are costly, with Home Advisor noting that, on average, HVAC unit repair was $320 per year, while the annual cost of fixing a furnace is $270 annually.
A full replacement of the unit is naturally much more expensive but could save on the number of repairs in the future. No matter the type of unit you have installed, regular maintenance and proper upkeep should see it provide decades of service.
4. Replacement Siding
If your home is in an area with relatively mild climate conditions and you maintain siding appropriately, vinyl siding could last up to 40 years. However, in areas with harsh climate and extreme temperatures, the lifespan of vinyl reduces drastically. When taken care of as it should, aluminum siding should last for over 50 years.
Unfortunately, when the time comes to replace siding, it doesn’t come cheap. Even vinyl – the most affordable option – will cost you $6,000 to $8,500 as the base cost for replacing siding on a 2,200 square foot house.
Carry Out Preventive Maintenance on Your Home with Experts
Home maintenance requires dedication, hard work and significant amounts of money. However, if you enlist the help of experts to carry out major maintenance or repair works, you will save much more in the long run as the components of your home offer you decades of trouble-free service.
