Every house has its own unique set of repair and maintenance issues that the homeowner has gotten so used to that they tend to overlook them. But there are certain repair and maintenance issues that should never be overlooked no matter how time-consuming and expensive they are to fix.
These issues are silent ticking time bombs that can cause a lot of damage at any time and without advance warning. Procrastinating to repair these issues will only cause a lot of repair expenses down the line.
Here are five of the top house repair and maintenance issues that if left unattended can lead to a catastrophe.
The foundation
A small crack on the exterior wall of your house may look like a small thing, something you can quickly fix with a bit of mortar and paint. But this is not always the case. What may look like a small problem that can be solved with a cosmetic fix can actually be indicative of a much larger problem – a fault with the foundation.
Unfortunately, there is no way a layman can determine if the crack on the wall is a simple cosmetic fault or a problem with the foundation.
If you notice a crack or series of cracks on the walls of your house, don’t take it at face value, get in touch with a structural engineer who will come and evaluate the foundation of your home. If you are suffering from a moving foundation and it is caught on time, the repair will not cost as much as when the damage is caught too late.
The roof
Roofs are designed to last for decades, but nor forever. Therefore, a roof may look in good shape to the eye while it is crumbling somewhere the eye cannot see. This has caused many homeowners to spend a lot of their hard-earned money in not just roof repair, but also repairing and replacing damaged house equipment, simply because they waited until the roof was actually leaking to identify issues with the roof.
There are lots of signs that you can use to tell if your roof needs work, but sometimes, these signs show when the damage is far gone, so while you are keeping an eye out for signs of roof damage, to be on the safe side, you can also carry out a physical inspection of your roof every five years
The plumbing system
Just like the electric system, old houses tend to have a lot of problems with plumbing, especially houses where the plumbing was added later.
Even if you live in a new and modern house, you could have problems with the plumbing and not know about it. The first sign that your plumbing system needs work could be when your home suddenly converts into a swimming pool.
Plumbing problems typically affect the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry areas, so keep an eye out for unexplained water, moisture, and mould.
Some plumbing problems can be fixed easily with tools around the house, but if it is not something you can do, you should definitely get a plumber over.
If you live in an old house, why take the risk. Instead of waiting and hoping that nothing goes wrong, save yourself the worry and invest in a home renovation. Not only will this detect and solve any problem, but it also has the added advantage of boosting the value of your property.
Once you have decided to renovate your Auckland home, be sure to work only with Auckland renovation experts, so that you can that everything will be done right and in a professional manner. And you can continue living in your home with peace of mind.
The HVAC Unit
Even though a faulty HVAC may not damage your home and property, it can result in really high energy bills and terrible operation.
When your HVAC gets to the point that it is almost not working no matter what you do to it, the only real solution is to get a new one, and this can set you back thousands of dollars.
But this situation can be prevented by servicing and maintaining the HVAC unit at least twice a year, with an additional check-up before the start of winter.
Apart from getting a professional over to make sure your HVAC is working as it should, another thing you can do to improve the life of your HVAC unit, its efficiency and the quality of air it produces is to replace the filter regularly. Do this at least once every 3 months, or less, if you have pets.
The electrical system
Old homes were not built to the same standard as homes built in recent years. In fact, these days, every locality and council has a set of rules and guidelines builders and electrical contractors must follow to ensure that the construction meets an approved standard for safety.
Additionally, old wiring and electrical systems cannot handle the modern and high-tech amenities we have today, and this can lead to a wide range of electrical issues and even electrical fire outbreaks.
The best way to avoid worry is to carry out a thorough evaluation of your electrical system at least every 10 years. Get an electrical expert or contractor over to check over your electrical system to identify fault points, make repairs, and if your home does not meet the relevant code, carry out a complete replacement.
Admittedly, this will be an expensive endeavour, but definitely not as expensive as what you stand to lose in an electric fire or electric related accident.
