Homeownership is a journey, to say the least. Whether your home is newer or decades old, there’s always something to fix; whether you’ve lived in the same home for decades or this is your first home, home maintenance is key to a great home. You won’t be able to fix everything on your own, but there are some easy home maintenance skills everyone should know; learn what they are below.
Replacing Your Furnace Filters
One of the easiest ways to maintain clean air throughout your home is to regularly change your furnace filter. Regardless of how clean your home is, a furnace filter will eventually become covered with dust because it’s doing its job. However, if you don’t change the filter consistently, your home’s air quality will decrease and your furnace will work harder and drive up your energy costs.
Removing Caulk and Re-Caulking
Caulking is probably one of the easiest yet most important maintenance skills every homeowner should have. Assuming it’s installed correctly, caulk typically lasts for years, but you’ll need to replace it eventually. Before you can re-caulk, you need to remove the existing caulk. Most people remove the old caulk with a razor blade because it’s easy.
Turning Off the Main Water Supply
Again—our trusty friend, water. In the event you experience the unfortunate reality of a burst pipe, water leak, or basement flood, you’ll need to learn how to shut off the water supply. Most homes have valves in their basements or crawlspaces. Once you find the valve, make sure you put a tag or piece of colored tape on it so that you remember which valve to use. This is a skill you’ll never realize you needed until, well, you need it—and you’ll be glad you have it.
Cleaning Your Gutters
There are several signs you need to clean your gutters—most notably when you start seeing leaves accumulating on your roof. Cleaning your gutters and downspouts is extremely easy. You might be able to clean the gutters by simply spraying down the gutters with a hose. However, wet leaves and debris aren’t going to go anywhere with this method, so you’ll have to use a leaf blower or scoop out the leaves with your hand.
As you can see, these easy home maintenance skills everyone should know are actually easy. Once you learn each of these skills, you’ll be able to handle a lot of other home projects. For instance, some plumbing repairs may require shutting off the water. Alternatively, caulking is vital in your kitchen, bathroom, and basically anywhere water could be. With these skills, you’re going to be a super-homeowner in no time.
