Some homes are older than others. The older a building is, the more likely it may be to have significant problems. While some old buildings were definitely built to last, every building is slowly deteriorating, even if they do it at different rates.
When you buy an older home, you have to be prepared to take care of a property that will likely have more problems than a much newer home. Knowing how to look after it will help you to protect your home and can save you money and trouble too. There are some essential things you should be doing if you want to keep your home in good condition so that you aren’t over-whelmed with a whole bunch of urgent repairs all at once.
How To Keep Your Older Home In Tip Top Shape
Start on the Right Foot
If you’ve just bought an older home, you should try to start off well by taking care of any urgent work. You don’t know if perhaps the previous owner hasn’t taken good care of the property. They might have delayed essential repairs and maintenance, which has only made any existing problems worse. You can start your life in your new home by finding any of these issues that might have been neglected. Sometimes this could mean discovering that costly repairs need to be carried out.
Keep Track of Necessary Jobs
An aging home can present a lot of repair and maintenance jobs, both big and small. You might not have time to turn your attention to all of them at once, but it’s important that you know what needs to be done. Keeping track of anything that you notice will help you to ensure you get around to all of those important jobs eventually. A spreadsheet can be a good way to keep track of jobs. You can make a note of any signs you notice, what needs to be done, whether it’s a DIY or professional job, and if it’s already in progress.
Make Repairs ASAP
When you do see anything that needs to be repaired or any problems that require diagnosis, taking care of them as soon as you can is always the best idea. There are certain tasks that might not be a priority, but it’s smart not to leave them too long. Don’t put off anything that you notice or ignore any symptoms. The longer you leave something, the worse it might get. Leaving one problem without repairing it could lead to another issue, which could even start creating more problems.
Survey the Roof Regularly
One of the most important parts of an older home is its roof. A roof can last for varying amounts of time, depending on what material it’s made of and how it is constructed. Eventually, it might need to be replaced, but that might not be necessary right now. There are plenty of roofing jobs that can be carried out to keep your roof in good condition before replacing it.
While you can take the DIY route for many jobs around your home, roofing repairs and maintenance really require the professional touch. Professionals such as Mighty Dog Roofing in Cambridge, MA can carry out the work safely and correctly.
Check the Plumbing and Electrics
In addition to the roof, some of the most important parts of an older home are the plumbing and electrics. These can be anywhere from inefficient to dangerous if they’re old and haven’t been maintained well. You will want to check on them when you first move into a new home to see if everything is working as it should be. Rewiring or replacing the plumbing completely is certain to be expensive, but it will be a huge improvement for your home. You may not have to carry out a job that large. Some smaller updates could be useful too. Like replacing light switches or faucets.
Replace Old Heating and Cooling
Keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer is a must if you want to be comfortable all year. Old heating and cooling systems can be inefficient and expensive to run. They can sometimes be dangerous too if they are not maintained well. Replacing these systems can be the best option if you want to improve their efficiency, although it’s not the only option. Good maintenance can also help to keep everything clean and working well. Regular inspections of your heating and cooling systems will help you to identify problems early plus reduce the chances of a costly break down at the most inopportune times of the year.
Be Careful with Renovations and Updates
Renovations can help you update an older home. However, it’s important to be careful when you’re thinking about carrying out renovations. When you’re dealing with an older home, it can complicate things. There might be certain things that you will need to consider, from whether any materials in the building contain asbestos to the structure of the property. You might want to work with a renovation company that specializes in older homes. They can help with navigating the sticky issues and preserve anything that you want to keep.
Carry Out Preventive Maintenance
Regular maintenance is a must in an older house. As your home slowly deteriorates, it’s best to stay ahead of it. Preventive maintenance stops large problems from developing by taking care of the smaller issues. For example, regular servicing of your furnace or air conditioning unit will keep it running smoothly. Having a schedule of tasks to carry out will help you to take care of anything that needs to be done, from roofing surveys to refinishing floors. You could save money by carrying out these jobs, instead of waiting for some big repairs to come along.
Make Your Home More Eco-friendly
Older homes are unlikely to be particularly energy-efficient or eco-friendly. One way you might want to improve an aging home is by changing this. There are various things that you might do, including adding extra insulation, updating your heating system, installing new windows, and updating your lighting and appliances. When you make your home more eco-friendly, you can save money on your bills and make your home more comfortable. It will also help you to reduce your carbon footprint so that you can live a greener and more responsible lifestyle.
Take care of your older home by being diligent about everything that needs to be done. If you’re smart about it, you can keep your home in great condition and keep your costs low by identifying problems before they become an emergency.