When you own a home, 10 years can fly by quickly! Before you know it, there will be a few maintenance issues you’ll need to prepare for if you want to keep your property looking, working and feeling as good as new.
Replace Your Hot Water Heater
Hot water heaters have a lifespan of around 10 years, although they can last longer if they’ve been well-maintained. An old hot water heater can start to leak or fail completely, which can leave you with structural damage to your home as well as no hot water, so knowing the age of your home’s system is important. If your system is 10 years or older, it’s a good idea to replace it before the worst happens – you’ll also benefit from the energy-efficiency of new hot water tanks.
New Carpeting
Carpets are another home feature that last around 10 years – shorter if you have a busy home full of kids and pets! It’s a good idea to have your home’s carpets deep-cleaned each year to extend their lifetime but start saving for replacements too. Keep an eye out for stains, rips, tears, odors, and marks from heavy wear. This upgrade will leave your home feeling and renewed, up-to-date and clean!
Upgraded Appliances
Your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer work hard throughout the years and are likely to start giving problems when they are around 10 years old, including leaks, breakdowns and costly repairs. In the last decade, there have also been huge advances in home technology, with new machines offering greatly reduced water and energy consumption, greater cleaning power, better protection for your clothing and other advantages that make using them so much easier and more enjoyable. Newer machines also look great too and are a good investment if you want to add value to your home.
A New Coat of Paint
How often you’ll need to repaint the interior and exterior of your home depends a lot on your environment and personal tastes. Usually, exposure to factors like humidity, salt, and extreme temperatures will mean your house will need painting more often – but every 10 years is a good rule to follow. When repainting, be sure to clean walls thoroughly and apply fillers to cracks and damage, and to take care of any damp or water damage properly before you start to paint, as this will make your new coat of paint last as long as possible. Always use a high-quality paint that is appropriate for the space – for example, bathroom paint usually has mold-resistant and moisture-repellant properties, and exterior paint is incredibly hard-wearing and dirt-resistant.
Replace Your Garbage Disposal
There are few things as annoying as a garbage disposal that is no longer working properly, and if this is the case in your home, it’s likely just been worn down over the last 10 years. Fortunately, this is a fairly simple and affordable replacement job that a plumber can do pretty quickly, with minimal mess. It will make all the difference to your everyday life!
Have a Roof Inspection
This generally applies to shingle roofs where you may have to replace individual shingles that have been lost or damaged over the last 10 years, and flat roofs that require regular waterproofing to prevent leaks. However, even if you have other roofing types, it’s a good idea to have a roof inspection anyway to ensure the structure, materials and gutters are all in great shape. If there are any small issues, these can be quickly and inexpensively addressed before they lead to major problems. The great thing about a roof inspection is that professional companies don’t usually charge for them, so it’s a win-win situation for you.
Take Care of Those Trees
It’s amazing how well trees and shrubs can grow over 10 years! Now’s a great opportunity to give them all a professional inspection and trim. Professional arborists provide a fantastic service, inspecting your garden, cutting trees to suit their growth patterns, keeping them healthy by checking for disease and providing treatment and advice, and making sure they’re a real asset to your property. It’s a good idea to trim your trees and shrubs away from your home’s roof, windows and gutters to prevent damage in storms and clogs from leaves, and trees with invasive root systems should be removed to prevent damage to foundations, water and sewer pipes, and walls.
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