Buying a house is a costly affair for which you have to spend years of savings and take huge amount of loan. Therefore, you always want to be there with your family. But the cost of living in your home can increase if you have to incur major costs on repairs. While many of the expenses on home repairs are inevitable, some expenses can be eliminated by maintaining the roof, foundation and other important parts of your structure. In this write-up, we have shared some simple tips that you can reduce significantly on home repair and maintenance.

1) Test your sump pump to avoid flood

Basements and foundations require regular maintenance to avoid major damage due to climate effects and natural disasters. To increase the longevity of the foundation, you must take precautions that are the last line of protection against flooding, condensation construction and draining water. You should consider testing the sump pump every 6 months.

2) Maintain Plumbing

If you want the water to flow easily through the bathroom, kitchen and sink, then you should maintain good hygiene at these places. Toilets and sinks should be used regularly; otherwise, frozen and solid layers of calcium carbonate can cause obstruction in pipes and taps. In addition, you must prevent fat, oil, dirt, and hair to enter the drainage pipe. In the case of accidental spills of oil or fat down the drain, consider flowing hot water down your drain with some dishwashing liquid. To prevent hair from going into the water drains, you should use a hair strainer for the bathtub.

Although acids are helpful in cleaning the clogs in the pipe, you should not overuse it as it can cause considerable damage to your plumbing, including premature leakage.

3) Keep rodents and termites away

Mice and termites can cause slow but heavy damage to your property. Mice can build their nests in AC, wardrobes, electric wiring systems, bookshelves and garden machinery. They can damage household goods, eat groceries, and cause extensive damage to property.

Similar to rodents, termites can pose considerable exposure to wooden furniture. Termites are more likely to grow in moist areas where sunlight does not reach properly. So take special care of such area. If possible, spray anti-termite solution once a year in wooden doors and furniture units.

4) Paint the house every few years

Painting the house once every few years not only give the property a new look, but also allows you to detect sealant areas and cracks in the wall. You should apply primer before applying paint. Additionally, if there is a moisture issue in the wall, look for a waterproofing solution. If odor at home is an issue, consider adding a few drops of vanilla to your paint.

5) Maintain your roof

Taking care of roofing issues, you should stay away from costly repairs. You should look for leaks and vents due to water damage. It is best to inspect the roof professionally at least once a year.