When you own a home, you’ll be faced with various household repairs that you may or may not have been prepared for. Some will be minor and cost little to fix, but others are going to be costly and require you to hire professionals. While there are a lot of joys to homeownership, there are also the disadvantages, the extra expenses, and the overall frustration when things aren’t working correctly. Being prepared for household repairs will lessen the frustration and financial strain.
Here are a few household repairs you may or may not be prepared for, from common to rare.
Broken Appliances
Your appliances include the refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, clothes washer, dryer, microwave, ice maker, and garbage disposal. Many people assume that getting appliances repaired is costly, so it’s normal to buy new appliances when the current ones break. However, as Oahu appliance repair technicians can explain, the problem is often minor and inexpensive to fix. The repair may be something as minor as replacing a switch or seal on the appliance and may be significantly less expensive than buying a new appliance.
Drafty Windows
Replacing windows is a costly repair but sometimes necessary. Recaulking windows costs less than $50, and you can do it yourself. Windows may be drafty because they are old single-pane windows that need to be replaced, or they could be drafty because the caulk sealing them is old and cracked. Drafty windows will cause your utility bill to be extremely high, as your house cannot maintain its temperature. Extreme heat and cold can happen anywhere, so it doesn’t matter where you live. If you need to wait to replace the windows, you can cover the windows with plastic and then thermal curtains to prevent energy loss through the windows.
Foundation Problems
If you suspect foundation problems, you need to call a professional to look immediately. Foundation problems can be costly to repair, and the longer you wait, the worse the problem will get. Call a professional if you notice large cracks in the foundation leading up to the house or in the walls of the basement or chimney. If you start getting cracks in your walls, the house is settling unevenly, and that needs to be looked at. If the basement walls appear to be bowing, you need to call a professional immediately. Bowed basement wall repairs will protect the stability of the entire house and are a necessity if you have bowed basement walls.
Leaking Roof
A roof leak will also be a costly repair and is not very common unless you have a very old roof. Roofing material is designed to last a long time and withstand all types of weather. You can’t put off roof repairs because water leaking into the house will cause many other problems, including wood rot, mildew and mold growth, and sagging ceilings. Unchecked water damage can destroy a house. Suppose your roof is leaking due to damage caused by extreme weather. You may be able to get it repaired with an insurance claim, but that will depend on the extent of the damage and the deductible on your homeowners’ insurance policy.
While there are a lot of repairs you may encounter while owning a home, these are a few to be aware of. The foundation problems and leaking roofs may be uncommon, but they can cause a great deal of damage, so it is essential to watch for warning signs and be prepared to call a professional for help, as there are some home repairs you should not try to fix on your own.
