Owning a home is one of life’s greatest achievements. It doesn’t matter if your home is old or new, a mansion or an apartment; every house is dear to its owner. However, owning a place comes with some responsibilities. Things will wear out over time no matter how much you take care of your house. If you want to keep your home’s interior and exterior in pristine condition, you need to refresh it now and then. The ideal period to keep in mind is every 5 to 10 years.
However, it is not all mindless spending, as the amount you spend on your home increases its resale value. Therefore, some upgrades are necessary from time to time. Even if you won’t ever consider selling your home and wish to pass it on to your grandchildren, occasional maintenance is essential to retain its grandeur.
Replace your hot water tank
Your water heater won’t show any signs of severe wear and tear on its own. Maybe the water heater never failed to work, or there was no leakage to alarm you. But it is vital to know the expected working age of the appliance before it starts causing issues.
Typically, the manufacturing date of the tank is embedded in the tank or mentioned on the serial number. However, it is necessary to keep the manufacturing date in mind because the appliance starts to give up and will cause issues after a decade or sooner. Hence, if your water heater has been working for ten years straight, we recommend that you find a replacement.
However, make sure you hire a local handyman to do the job, as removing a water heater, and its tank can be dangerous work. Hence, if you live in Des Moines, look online for a Des Moines handyman who can do the job for you.
Buy new kitchen appliances
Like the water heater, your kitchen appliances such as the dishwasher, fridge, or oven may have stopped working efficiently like before. For example, the dishwasher and fridge may leak a little now and then, or the oven may have stopped heating properly. These appliances fail because their parts are manufactured to work properly for a decade or so. After that, they need repairs and replacements, which can often get more expensive than the cost of the appliance. For this reason, start replacing your home appliances steadily, one by one, to prevent a massive dent in your wallet.
Get a new carpet
Years of walking around barefoot or in shoes will make the carpet lose its original color and texture. Besides, the average life expectancy of a medium-grade carpet is up to 8-10 years. After that, it starts to look excessively worn out and old, which can look very unpleasant in your otherwise beautiful home. Hence, once that time has passed, it wouldn’t hurt to get a new carpet for your home and make the floor look fresh and comfortable once again.
Repaint your home
After years of dust and dirt, the chances are that your wall paint will look dingy and old. But even if you don’t think that the paint is too bad, applying a fresh coat can immediately brighten the interior. Moreover, different types of paint and patterns add definition to your room. And while we are on the subject of repainting, don’t forget the exterior. Dust, rain, storms and other environmental elements may have damaged the shine and grace of the exterior paint over the years. Giving it a minor touch-up can help in improving your home’s appeal.
Change your hardware
It may seem insignificant to change perfectly good hardware. But it is the little details that can completely change your home’s look. For example, changing the switches, buttons, sockets, and other hardware in your home can add in a little modern detail that helps in improving its overall look.
Give attention to the doors and windows
If your home is relatively new and it hasn’t been more than a few years since its construction, you might not need to do much to upgrade its look. A simple paint and a fresh coat on the doors and windows can help create a color harmony that makes your home look clean and beautiful. But if your home is old, your windows and doors may need replacements. Moreover, some polish and glaze on your doors can make the old wood look beautiful and fresh again.
Re-caulk surfaces
Years of scrubbing and cleaning tears away the caulk fillings from your kitchen and bathroom. This small detail is mostly overlooked but is an inexpensive way to make your kitchen and bathroom look cleaner. In addition, re-caulking the tub, sink, and shower gives the space a fresh look. It also helps prevent any water from seeping in between the crack, which protects the tiles from loosening or breaking.
Refresh your landscape
Your garden and front yard are the first things anyone sees when they enter the premises of your house. If you have constantly maintained your yard, you won’t need to make a lot of updates. However, some shrubs and trees might have overgrown over the years. Apart from that, planting fresh plants, flowers, and greenery can help freshen up the look of your yard and make the area more pleasant.
Change the lighting fixtures
Small dingy bulbs can give your home a very gloomy look. On the other hand, large and too bright tube lights don’t do your home much favor either. Knowing where to install a lighting fixture to create the perfect ambiance along with convenience is an art form in itself. But even if you don’t have a lot of ideas, replacing old lights with new energy-savers helps reduce bills and makes your home look bright and beautiful.
Conclusion
You know your budget and your home best. If you don’t want your home to lose its charm, maintainence is essential. Even though there are a number of upgrades you can make, it’s always wise to seek help from experts, especially where repairing and refreshing your home is concerned.
