Home Maintenance Checklist

“When you own a home it’s best to do routine cleaning and maintenance so when you’re ready to sell, there is less work to be done”.

In this checklist, we will have an overview of why pending home sales fall through because of common repair items. We will also discuss what to look for while inspecting your home from a maintenance perspective.

Critical Systems:

Critical systems are comprised of air conditioners, heat pumps, and furnaces. On average ACs last for 10 to 15 years, furnaces for 15 to 20 years, while average heat pumps are supposed to last for about 16 years.

While looking for home maintenance, you might come across a few signs that indicate that your critical systems need a bit of repairing and upgradation. These signs include excessive dust, humidity problems, high energy bills, loud noises, and high temperature.

With these signs, you must check for any broken or damaged thermostat control, sealed ducts, and any exterior cracks in the system.

Roofing:

Depending upon the type of material used, an excellent roof can last for up to20 years. However, the aging of your roof can be accelerated by numerous factors such as algae, mosses, and improper ventilation.

For maintaining your roof make sure that there are no broken tiles or caps, and that sealants are free from any blisters, bubbles, and cracks. Also, look for the area where water gets pooled, and if there are any gaps and punctures in the roof.

It is also suggested to use the garden hose at lower pressure while cleaning the roof as it may damage the protective granules.

Flooring:

The flooring of your house is one of the most obvious and foremost things that get noticed. That is why it is extremely necessary to make sure that there are no highlighted defects and damages on your flooring. Experts suggest adding a layer of flooring every 3-5 years and cleaning carpets every 12-18 months.

In flooring, you must check for tears and damage in the carpets, stained floor, dents in tiles and wood panels, and uneven flooring.

Walls and Ceilings:

Most of the damage to walls and ceilings can be corrected by using some drywall and a layer of paint, but a few will require professional attention.

In walls and ceilings look for peeling paint, water damage, cracks in walls, and any chips and major scratches on the baseboard. Also, make sure to use the right paint color.

Windows and Frames:

Windows are quite a multifunctional part of the house that not only add natural light to it but also provide insulation.

Look for any broken panes, malfunctioning window lock, discoloring, peeling, bubbling, and scratches on the glass. Also, make sure to place the frames in place.

Quick Tip: Wooden windows are more likely to last longer than aluminum windows.

Doors:

Minor damages to the door or door frame can be covered by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Not only door hardware such as locks and hinges should be completely functional but doors should be completely rust and damage-free. Moreover, ensure that doors open easily without force and don’t have any obstruction.

In addition to these external factors, you must also look for the maintenance of interior pieces of stuff such as kitchen and appliances, sinks and faucets, bathtubs and showers, attic, utilities, smoke detectors, and circuit breakers, and electrical panels.

Ensuring such maintenance can facilitate your home selling process.