6 Clever Ways to Lower Your Home Maintenance Expenses

Most people who buy a home look at what their monthly payment is going to be and figure that’s what they will pay every year. But homes are expensive to take care of, with routine maintenance costing hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year. But there are things you can do to keep your maintenance costs to a minimum. Here are six clever ways to lower your home maintenance expenses.

Share equipment

There are certain types of equipment every homeowner should have, such as a lawnmower. But other equipment gets used infrequently. For example, do you really need a chainsaw if you only need to cut down a tree once every couple of years. In this case, you might find friends and relatives with which you can share equipment. You might let your neighbor use your wood chipper, and he in turn can let you use his chainsaw.

Clean your gutters

Gutters clogged with leaves can lead to water getting into your home during the warmer months and damaging ice dams during the winter months. An easy way to avoid trouble is to ensure they are clear. A good rule of thumb is to check them once a month in spring and summer and then more frequently during the fall once leaves start falling.

Clean your air-conditioning unit

Your home’s air-conditioning unit sits outside, often in a spot that doesn’t have grass, which means it accumulates a lot of dust. Hosing it out a couple of times a year will ensure your unit operates more efficiently, leading to lower cooling bills.

Replace furnace filters

The filter in your heating and cooling unit collects all the dust and debris that otherwise would make it into your vents. In addition to helping ensure cleaner air, the filter also improves the efficiency of your HVAC unit. Replacing it four times a year — essentially at the start of each season — will ensure your unit runs more efficiently, saving you money on your heating and cooling expenses.

Cleaning your vents and ducts

Another way you can improve the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioning is to clean your ducts and vents. Using a professional such as East Side Ventilation Ltd. ensures the job is done correctly and that you will get the most efficiency, thereby saving the most money.

Weatherize your home

Having your HVAC system operating at prime efficiency won’t save you money if that warm and cool air is escaping through cracks in your home. Doing things such as sealing up cracks and applying weather stripping to doors and windows will help you save money on energy costs.

By doing these simple things you can save a lot of money on your regular home maintenance.