When you buy your first home in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, it can be a truly exciting stage of life. Instead of watching your money get flushed away each month to cover rent, now your monthly payments are an investment in the future as you build equity. You no longer share walls with a neighbor or a yard with multiple residents. You have the freedom to invest in upgrades if you want to improve the home.
Although there are many benefits to homeownership, there is also a lot of responsibility that is now on your shoulders. There is no property manager or maintenance team to respond to an urgent repair need. It is up to you as the owner to take care of your home.
Fortunately, taking care of your home is a lot easier with help. Whether you learn to rely on contractors to handle various fixes or discover cleaning hacks to maintain the home, caring for the property is a necessary task. Here are some home care tips that you should know about to make the most of your new home in Intercourse, PA.
Hiring Lawn Care Services
While having your own yard may be an exciting prospect as a new homeowner, it could be an extra burden that you are not ready for. Weeds need to be removed, grass needs to be cut, landscaping changes may be necessary, and plants must be watered to be kept alive. If you do not have the time or interest in caring for the lawn, you can always hire contractors to do it for you. These landscaping experts will cost you a bit, but the burden of mowing, weed-whacking, and other lawn chores will be removed from your shoulders. Even if you enjoy doing all these tasks for your property, there may come a time when the mower breaks down and you need lawn mower repair assistance. Research the lawn services available to you in town if you need help caring for the property’s exterior.
Clearing Out Gutters
Gutters are an integral component of the outside of your home. When it rains, the water from your roof needs to be directed away from the foundation of the home to prevent water damage. If you leave your gutters as they are, they are likely to fill up with debris like tree leaves. Clogged gutters can cause water damage to the roof and the foundation of your home, which can turn into a very costly expense. Every year, you should make it a priority to clean out your gutters, especially after the fall when debris is most likely to build up. Doing so could save you thousands of dollars in water damage repairs in the future.
Keeping Drains Clear
Another cause of water damage you want to avoid is clogged drains in the home. Shower drains, kitchen sinks, and other areas are prone to clogging up and resulting in water damage, but it can easily be avoided if you know the right steps to take. First, and this is just common sense, avoid letting too many solids go down these drains. If the kitchen sink becomes clogged, you can unclog it with baking soda and vinegar. Keep a plunger on hand in the bathroom to deal with toilet blockages quickly. If you notice that a sink is draining slower than it usually does, you may want to invest in some drain cleaner fluid that can break down the buildup of solid substances that are causing the slow draining. Keep these plumbing components clear to avoid disastrous consequences.
Optimizing Your Toolset
Home repairs can sometimes be incredibly urgent. When this is the case, it is important to have the right tools on hand so that you can quickly handle the issue and stop it at its source. Additionally, paying for repairs can be a drain on your budget, and it is sometimes unnecessary to pay for a professional for simple tasks. However, you need to have the right tools to perform some of these repairs quickly and at a low cost. Now that you are a homeowner, investing in a solid toolset should be a priority since there is no on-call maintenance team to handle emergency repairs. Some of the basics include a hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, measuring tape, a level, a drill, wrenches, fasteners, a handsaw, and a utility knife. The more tools you have, the more repairs you can tackle yourself.
Make Home Care a New Priority
As a new homeowner, your responsibilities have changed. You likely spent a lot of money acquiring this house, so that should serve as enough motivation to take care of it. Otherwise, it may be difficult to sell in the future. For Intercourse, PA residents, this guide is simply a starting point for your home care journey. Discovering nearby lawn care services, cleaning out your gutters seasonally, keeping drains clear, and building up your toolset are all steps that will make your job easier when taking care of the property.
