This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

December Home Maintenance Checklist and Inspection Routine

Owners of a $200,000 house should plan to budget $2,000 to $6,000 per year for ongoing maintenance and upkeep depending on the age of the home.

Home ownership is one of the single biggest investments we will make in our lifetime. That is why proper home maintenance is so important. Regular home maintenance enhances the properties economic age (the number of years a house is expected to survive), ensures safety, prevents simple upkeep from turning into costly repairs and may even reduce energy consumption. Having a well maintained home provides piece of mind and increases resale value. To support our fellow homeowners in achieving this objective, Greenwood Real Properties/Keller Williams Realty has put together a monthly checklist, home improvement and inspection routine for you to follow. ENJOY!

  1. Replace filters in heating/cooling system and humidifier. Change monthly during peak season no longer than 3 months dependent on filter type. Not sure how to change the filter? CLICK HERE.
  2. Review emergency procedures and practice fire drill escape routes. Every family should have an emergency escape plan in place and know how to evacuate in the case of fire. An emergency escape ladder stored in the upper floor of your home may save you and your family’s life. You can get a decent one for under $100 that could prove to be invaluable if ever needed.
  3. Set it and forget it. A programmable thermostat “remembers for you” to lower the heat while your home is empty and/or overnight to reduce heating costs by up to 10% while allowing you to come home and wake up to a cozy house.
  4. Opening curtains, blinds and other window treatments on west- and south-facing windows allows sunlight to naturally heat your home during the day. Close the window treatments at night to retain the heat inside after dark.
  5. Tune up fireplace and/or wood/pellet stove.
  6. Inspect exterior lights and outlets
  7. Inspect indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations and inspect lights and extension cords to see if replacements are needed.
  8. Water Christmas tree daily and turn lights off before leaving home.
  9. Leave milk and cookies out for SANTA…if not sure how CLICK HERE
  10. Enjoy your Holidays!!!

 

How important is preventative maintenance? Without it, your home could easily lose 10% to 12% of its appraised value. Researchers suggest that regular maintenance increases the value of a house by about 1% a year. However, professional appraisers are quick to point out any gain is typically offset by the ongoing cost of maintenance. According to the U.S. Census, over time annual maintenance can cost upwards to $3,300 or 1% to 3% of a home’s initial cost dependant on its geographic location. To put this in perspective; owners of a $200,000 house should plan to budget $2,000 to $6,000 per year for ongoing maintenance and upkeep depending on the age of the home.

Find out what's happening in Norwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?