Owning a home is not always peaches and rainbows. Although you have the freedom to do or change anything you want, you also have the responsibility of keeping it in tip-top shape; after all, your home is most likely the biggest investment you’ll ever make, so you need to do everything you can to ensure its taken care of — especially if you have plans to move farther down the line.
Home maintenance comes in many different forms and ranges in size from the colossal to the minuscule. Though the effort in any one of these jobs may seem overwhelming at the time, they’re well worth the exertion. Let’s take a look at four things in your home you should check on as soon as possible.
Pump Your Septic Tank
Approximately 20% of Americans rely on septic tanks to dispose of their wastewater. If you fall into this category, it is extremely important that you pump your septic tank every three to five years; if you don’t remember how long it’s been, it’s been too long. The risks associated with being lazy are far more costly than you’d expect.
- Sewage in home: If your tank is never emptied, it will eventually clog and overflow. This can cause raw sewage to back up into your pipes and end up back in your home — the last place you want it to be.
- Flooded backyards: When your septic took is too full, your drain field will flood with wastewater. It is guaranteed that a foul stench will accompany the soggy mess, so don’t take the chance.
- Costly repairs: The work required to deal with a clogged septic tank is far more extensive than a simple pumping. Don’t exacerbate your problem by ignoring it!
Clean Your Refrigerator Coils
This is a task that few homeowners — if any — ever perform. Your refrigerator condenser coils are located at the back of the fridge or across the bottom; due to this location, they easily become clogged with dust, pet hair, and cobwebs (in addition to anything you’ve ever dropped and tucked under the unit). In turn, these clogs can force your compressor to work harder and longer than it was designed to, causing more energy to be used and shortening the life of your fridge. Fortunately, this is a simple clean: buy a coil-cleaning brush and a vacuum and you’ll be done in no time.
Repair Concrete Cracks And Fractures
Concrete is present in most of our homes, either in our basements, garages, carports, or driveways. Although most concrete is extremely strong, it isn’t impenetrable; cracks and fractures can cause if subjected to the right amount of stress. These should be taken care of relatively quickly because water penetration can worsen the problem — soon, you’ll facing slab replacement rather than slab repair. Slabjacking, an easy and fast technique, can offer you a great result that you don’t need to wait two to seven days to use.
Your home is your palace; it should be treated like one. Though it’s easy to lose yourself to all the other worries and tasks that occupy your life, it’s crucial that you stay on top of as many maintenance jobs as possible — or you’ll end up paying the price.