How to Put Your Home Maintenance on Auto-Pilot and Keep Your Pad from Turning into a Money Pit.
Home maintenance is one of those things that's easy to forget or put off, because many tasks only need to be done once in a while or a few times a year. If you're not careful, though, you can end up being that house in the neighborhood with the overgrown yard, peeling paint, and a list of expensive, but possibly could-have-been-prevented repairs. But what if you're the busy or forgetful type? Turn to technology, of course. We've created a home maintenance schedule which you can copy, customize, and subscribe to in a simple click so you'll never forget important maintenance again.
Well, the truth is, I need this too. Home maintenance checklists abound, but the problem with those is the lack of a reminder. I've downloaded and saved scores of checklists over the years, but honestly cannot remember the last time we checked our roof for repairs or had the chimney cleaned—basic things that I need my computer to nag me about and keep a record of. (If it's not on a calendar, I've learned, it's probably not getting done.)
Most of these tasks apply more if you own a house, but there are also some safety and other home maintenance tasks that even apartment renters or condo owners should keep in mind.
Maintenance You Need to Do to Keep Your Home from Falling Apart
That sounds kind of dramatic, but it's the little things like caulking around the tub and making sure your gutters aren't clogged that prevent bigger things like serious water damage, interior and exterior. Beyond checking that everything's working, simple maintenance also extends the life of your appliances and the systems that keep your home running (plumbing, heating, and so forth), can save you money (e.g., weatherproofing projects), and also helps reduce threats to your home's and family's safety (e.g., twice-yearly fire alarm checks and making sure your dryer vent won't catch fire). These aren't all things you need to pay for—some are just chores you have to remember to do.
So the problem is knowing what you need to do to maintain your home and when. Our solution: A one-click-to-subscribe Home Maintenance Calendar that lays out all the most common, necessary home maintenance tasks so you won't forget.