Few things in life prepare you for owning a home, so learning how to maintain your home isn’t always easy. Here are some simple home maintenance tasks every person should learn to keep their property safe, comfortable, and looking great, from our cash for houses Dallas team. We can also help you sell your home in 24 hours!
#1 – Turning Off the Gas
In the event of a gas leak or a natural disaster, it’s important that you know how to shut off your gas quickly and safely. Take a look at your meter. The gas shutoff valve will usually be the first fitting (it looks like a lever) on the natural gas supply pipe (the one that comes out of the ground near the meter). You can close the valve by using a wrench to turn it until it is crosswise to the pipe. You can re-open it by turning it back to the original position.
Another good idea is to install a carbon monoxide detector near your gas appliances, and to check the battery each year. If the alarm goes off or you smell gas in your home, you should turn off your gas immediately, avoid using anything that can cause a spark, open the windows and doors, and move yourself and anyone else in the home outdoors, upwind from your property. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so be sure to call 911.
#2 – Stop a Leaking or Running Toilet
Even a small amount of wasted water from your toilet can increase your water use by 200 gallons each day! Over time, a toilet leak can occur due to regular wear-and-tear, and the replacement parts are readily available at hardware and plumbing supply stores. Other than calling in a plumber, there are a few things you can do to fix your toilet yourself. Here are some great DIY resources for fixing common causes for toilet leaks.
#3 – Replacing or Cleaning Air Filters
Clean air filters are critical to the performance of your HVAC and air conditioning systems, keeping the air coming into your home clean and fresh, while making your system run as efficiently as possible to reduce your energy bills. Luckily, cleaning or replacing an air filter is easy! Start by taking a look at your manual for instructions, as some filters can be washed and re-used a number of times while others have to be replaced.
First, switch off your AC unit, and open the latch to access the air filter. Remove the filter and take it outside (it helps to have a container or bag ready so that you don’t get dust all over your home). Tap it lightly to remove the dust and use the brush attachment on your vacuum to gently clean the filter. Lastly, rinse it off in clean water, leave it to dry and then re-install it in your unit.
#4 – Cleaning the Gutters
Clogged gutters aren’t just unsightly, they can damage your home. By causing water to pool, moisture can easily get into your roof and damage walls, cause rot, and lead to mold growth, making cleaning your gutters an important part of home maintenance. Ideally, you should clear your gutters before the rainy season and a few times in the fall, especially if you have trees that drop leaves, acorns, twigs or other debris.
To clean your gutters, wear some gardening gloves and some old clothes – it gets messy! Make sure your ladder is planted firmly on the ground, and head up. All you have to do is scoop out the debris, moving along each side of your home as you work. If the leaves are fairly dry, you can even use a leaf blower. Then, jet some water through the gutters and downpipes to make sure everything is cleared out. This debris make great home compost too!
#5 – Caulk and Weatherstripping
With the weather extremes we tend to have around Dallas, our homes spend a lot of time expanding in the heat then contracting in the cold. This is tough on structures, and especially tough on spaces around external windows and doors, as well as where brick, stone and siding meet. Cracks tend to appear each season, and this DIY home maintenance task should be undertaken every couple of years before the winter. Caulking and weatherstripping will seal these cracks, keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and helping you save energy. Here’s a great tutorial on how to do it yourself.
Sell Your Home the Quick and Easy Way with Our Cash for Homes Team in Dallas
If you want to sell your home fast and privately without the hassle of looking for a buyer or upgrading your home, then your best bet is to sell directly to cash home buyers in Dallas. We also have plenty of homes for sale if you are looking to buy investment properties!
Our cash for homes Dallas team is happy to buy it for a market-related price – sight unseen and no upgrades needed. It’s completely COVID-safe because we don’t need to visit your home for viewings, and you can sell your home in 24 hours. Here’s how our process works:
- You enter your information on our website. We’ll contact you directly to discuss an offer for your property (you can also get a free property evaluation from our website)
- You can accept or reject the offer
- You can also call us directly on 469-858-0088
Our team is compassionate and highly motivated to offer you the best possible market-related price for your home, so you can sell your home in 24 hours. Not only does this cash go straight into your bank account as soon as the sale goes through, but you also pay zero real estate agent commission. It’s all about making selling your home as fast and as rewarding as possible!
At Shiny Key Properties, our trained consultants have years of experience in helping homeowners to sell quickly. To find out more about our cash for homes Dallas service or to speak to our cash home buyers directly, please contact us today and speak to one of our friendly team members.