Owning a home offers financial benefits along with the feeling of freedom that dictating your own property rules offers. But homeowners also have a significant responsibility to maintain their homes and offer a safe place for their family to live. In the course of caring for their homes, people often forget the most basic elements of home ownership and it is those basic principles that can often cause the most trouble.
Ignoring Maintenance and Repair Needs
As a homeowner, you have probably heard the furnace knocking and then breathed a sigh of relief when the noise stopped. That knocking could indicate a more serious problem that needs to be addressed before your furnace quits on you in the middle of a winter night.
To avoid maintenance disasters, you need to have professionals come to your home once a year to inspect each part of your home and make maintenance and repair recommendations. For example, you could have a certified professional from EZ Plumbing Inc come to your home once a year to check on your pipes and make sure everything is in order.
Putting Too Much Weight on Your Upper Floors
Your house feels like a strong building, but it has its limitations. If you put too much heavy furniture on the second floor of your home or load the second floor up with too much weight, then you could be looking at serious structural problems.
Keep your second floor usage to a reasonable level and avoid structural problems that could cost thousands to repair. If you have any questions, bring in a structural engineer to give you advice on how to not overload your second floor.
Anchoring Fences to the House Itself
A fence should have a starting post and an ending post that are not connected to the house. In a severe wind storm, your privacy fence could act like a sail and rip part of your house off. Never anchor your fences to the house itself. Always use anchor posts or poles.
Trying to Walk on a Roof
Unless you are a professional roofer, you should never walk on the roof of your home. A metal roof can get slick and present a hazard that could cause serious injury. The shingles on your roof may be doing their job, but they may also be brittle and could crack when you walk on them.
If you need to get something off your roof, get a ladder and a telescoping arm to remove the item. If your roof needs repair, then call a professional.
Not Having Enough Insurance
When you first bought your home, your homeowner’s policy was probably enough to cover your home and all of your possessions. But as you have remodeled your home and added more possessions, the value of your property has risen. If you have not updated your insurance, then you could be in for a rude awakening if something were to happen. Talk to your insurance agent about updating your homeowner’s policy to meet your current needs.
Homeowners work hard to maintain their homes, but everyone makes mistakes. When you understand the most common mistakes homeowners make, then you can take the necessary steps to avoid them.
