What are the maintenance works related to a house?
One of the important duties of a homeowner is to systematically maintain their house and its technical systems. While it is common and understandable that cars need to be serviced after a certain mileage, unfortunately, this is not done as often as necessary with private homes.
By failing to perform maintenance work in a timely manner, the risk increases that at some point, major renovation costs and problems will arise. Therefore, it is wise to account for home maintenance costs and set aside funds in your budget for this purpose.
In practice, when a new house is completed, maintenance work is usually neglected for years, and only when the house or its technical systems themselves show signs of problems are the first maintenance works undertaken.
What are the main tasks that every homeowner should perform to avoid major costs and keep their house in good condition?
The main maintenance tasks are:
– Cleaning roof surfaces and rain gutters, downspouts. Moss, branches, leaves, needles, and other debris clog the rain water drainage systems and can also damage roof coverings. It would also be wise to check that tree branches around the house do not reach the roof and are not being blown against it by the wind; if necessary, remove dangerous branches. Systematic roof inspection and cleaning should occur at least 1 x per year.
– Inspection of exterior walls. For exterior walls, it is worth examining the wall surfaces and looking for possible darker stains that indicate higher moisture. For example, areas below windows where window flashing directs rain water onto the wall and the wall cannot dry properly. When such spots are discovered, adjust or repair the window flashing so that water flows away from the wall. External wooden surfaces would need additional repainting / painting approximately every 10 years, but this largely depends on the house's location and the need for repainting may arise earlier or later.
– Maintenance of technical systems. A house's technical systems require regular maintenance. It is reasonable to replace the house water filters as needed, which generally means at least 2-3 times per year. It is useful to clean and flush the house water and heating pipes approximately every 8-10 years to ensure water quality and proper heating operation. If there is a ventilation system, it is necessary to clean or replace filters regularly, approximately 3-4 times per year. Once a year, the heating system should also be serviced; for example, ground source heat pumps or air-water heat pumps also need one regular inspection per year to ensure trouble-free operation.
– Adjustment of doors and windows. Windows and doors are worth checking once a year and adjusting if necessary so that their opening and closing functions smoothly. Misaligned doors or windows also result in heat loss, and with timely adjustment, this can be easily prevented.
– Interior sanitary renovation of the house could occur approximately every 8-10 years or earlier as needed.
The primary goal of maintenance work is to react early and prevent greater damage, and to ensure the long-term correct functioning of the structure or technical systems. Maintenance performed at the right time prevents major and unexpected costs!
Article source: Finnlog
