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It is normal for homes to be affected by the passage of time and, in order to maintain the quality of life, they need to be repaired on a recurring basis. Therefore, optimal home maintenance will help to achieve greater longevity, as well as reduce the costs involved in changes.
The main objective of home maintenance is to ensure the best quality of life and increase its useful life. With this security measure we ensure that the home is in a good condition to live and avoid major problems in the future such as mold on the walls or water leaks.
It is convenient to carry out the maintenance of the house in a progressive way, not only when the damages are serious. Avoiding major problems and putting an end to them when they are minor will also help your economy, as they will be much cheaper to solve.
It is essential, regardless of whether we are talking about a single-family home or a building, that maintenance processes are carried out five years after the end of its construction. Aspects such as the environment and pollution affect the interior and exterior during this period.
However, these first modifications are more superficial and related to aesthetics and hygiene. It is after 10 and 15 years when renovations require more work and seek to improve the quality of life in the home.
From time to time it is necessary to leave the drains free of obstructions, as well as to clean the roof. In this way, we can check the condition of the shingles and avoid water stagnation and subsequent dampness.
In the case of single-family homes, the roof openings usually have a drainage hole for water in case of rain. These must be constantly cleaned so that water accumulation does not seep into the interior.
It is necessary to check the condition of weather stripping on doors and windows, especially with the arrival of autumn. It is one of the ways we have to ensure energy savings in the house.
The function of these rubber or metal elements is, in the first place, to avoid the entrance of cold and heat to the house. Secondly, it is necessary that they are in good condition because they prevent the entry of insects into the house.
As you know, all electrical equipment has a certain life cycle that can be affected by external factors or misuse.
When an electrical appliance is in poor condition, it causes a higher energy expenditure, which has a direct impact on electricity bills. The maintenance of the house must also take care of those flaws that are far from the structure.
Changing old appliances for new ones according to energy efficiency labels or changing light bulbs for LEDs are simple changes that can improve the house.
The paint, in addition to the aesthetic factor, has the ability to facilitate the cleaning of the home and prevent deterioration. Currently, they can help to eliminate leaks, insulate and waterproof, thus helping the maintenance of your home.
Although a professional should be consulted to paint the exterior area and avoid possible detachments, it is advisable to paint the interior walls every two years.
Waterproofing is the way to prevent any liquid from seeping inside and dampness from appearing. For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the materials every four months, since their work can be interrupted by external factors.
A good sign to identify deterioration is when we see that the waterproofing begins to turn dark. At this moment we should reapply the waterproofing paint so that it does not lose effectiveness.
With the maintenance of the house we look for a good quality of life, and this is not possible if external factors such as noise or temperature affect our daily life.
It is necessary to check if the doors and windows are working properly. In many occasions, the use of heating is inefficient because the house is not insulated. This means an increase in energy use, so it is important to take into account the state of the doors and windows, as well as the state of the walls, floors and ceilings.
These elements that surround our house, will not only help to maintain the temperature inside the house, but will also greatly reduce the noise from the outside.
A small water leak can result in a large increase in the price of our water bills and a deterioration of the construction.
If we open all the water faucets from time to time we will be able to detect the points where the leaks are occurring and thus prevent major damage.
You should drain your home's water heater once a year to prevent sediment from building up and ending up in the pipes.
In addition, you need to pay attention to any drips, how much hot water you have and how long it takes to recharge the water. If it deviates from the normal parameters or the water heater leaks, it is necessary to change it as soon as possible.
Just as for the maintenance of the exterior of the house, proper cleaning is essential for the interior.
A clean house helps the quality of life of its inhabitants and avoids, in many cases, the deterioration of the furniture, structure and appliances that are part of it. Actions as simple as cleaning the dust in the highest areas, changing and cleaning the filters of the extractor hood or cleaning the pipes will help the maintenance of your home.
If at the time of maintenance of your home you are looking for greater efficiency and sustainability, a great option is the passivhaus. This type of building is based on the principle of energy saving and, to achieve this, they apply the principles of bioclimatic architecture.
By improving airtightness, ventilation and insulation, as well as the elimination of thermal bridges, the house is made much more efficient in terms of sustainability and economics because the energy required is much lower.
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