Many people start the new year thinking about ways to improve their health, be more organized and manage their finances. Experts say there is one area that touches each of those resolutions – home care.
Early and routine home maintenance goes beyond fixing visible damage. It helps ensure a healthy living environment, extends the life of a home and can protect its long-term value, according to real estate professionals. Planning ahead for regular maintenance and for unexpected emergencies can reduce the risk of costly repairs later and help spread costs more evenly throughout the year.
According to research by the US Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, about three-quarters of existing homes are expected to still be in use in 2050.
“Maintaining the homes we have is really essential to protecting our health and our well-being,” said Amanda Reddy, executive director of the National Center for Healthy Homes, an organization that researches and advocates for reducing housing-related health disparities.
Regardless of who owns the property, says Reddy, keeping residences dry, clean, pest-free, well-ventilated and safe is the goal, which can mean different types of maintenance depending on the type of home, where someone lives and the time of year. Here’s what the experts say about home care and what tasks to put on the checklist this year:
Home care includes the big projects and the day-to-day decisions
On average, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, 70% of that time inside a residence, according to the National Survey on Human Activity Patterns.
“It’s not just that we spend time indoors, but at home. If you’re elderly, very young, have health concerns, or work from home, probably more than that,” said Reddy, emphasizing the reason why home care is a worthwhile investment.
What most people think of maintenance includes tackling water and gas leaks, pest infestations, cracks and other major repairs, but home builders say not everything needs a professional and can include simple actions like wiping down counters and sweeping floors of food debris, opening windows for better ventilation or clearing clogged filters and drains.
Residents should also consider the needs of those living in the home, commonly used spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, and typically neglected areas such as attics and basements. Reddy says that “wherever we are spending time” or often ignore and possibly missing the necessary repairs should be prioritized.
“At the end of the day, doing any preventative maintenance at all matters more than doing it perfectly or at exactly the right time,” Reddy said. “But timing can make a big difference. Many of these tasks are seasonal or annual, and you’re not going to do it just once. Homes are stressed differently at different times of the year, so seasonal maintenance helps us catch problems before they get worse from environmental stress.”
Seasonal maintenance that needs to be planned throughout the year
As for maintenance, planning and preparing for anticipated and routine changes in the environment can help mitigate natural wear and tear on the exterior of homes and also create healthy conditions inside — where many people take shelter from extreme weather events.
“What happens outside the house rarely stays outside the house. What is outside comes inside, what is inside builds,” Reddy said, adding that varying outside conditions put stress on devices and systems at different times of the year. “For many people, the seasonal rhythm not only makes sense because of those stresses, but it is also more realistic and effective than trying to tackle a long and overwhelming checklist at once.”
For example, experts say the best time to prepare for cold, wet weather, storms and other natural disasters is to address concerns before temperatures drop. Similarly, it is recommended that residents address systems in the homes that work to reduce the effects of extreme high temperatures, dry conditions and drought and associated risks such as wildfires and air quality in the season.
Professional guidance from home inspectors, builders and real estate agents says that spring and summer tasks should focus on preparing for warmer weather. Experts recommend checking air conditioning systems, cleaning dryer vents to prevent fire hazards, testing sprinkler systems, tending to gardens and plants around the exterior of homes and inspecting appliances, electrical equipment and plumbing fixtures. Experts also say that spring is a good time to clean and do any home project that involves painting or remodeling since rain is unlikely to cause delays during that time.
In the fall and winter months, experts suggest focusing on temperature control and air quality measures as people tend to stay indoors during incoming colder weather. The American Home Inspector Training guide says to check heating systems, clean air filters, make sure carbon monoxide detectors are working, seal air leaks, prioritize pest control, clean and repair roofs and chimneys, and inspect drainage options in and around homes.