Maintenance is one of the most time-consuming parts of owning a home. Not only does it take up a lot of your weekends and evenings, but it can cost a lot of money to keep up with updating and correcting issues that pop up throughout the property.
Fortunately, there are ways to cut down on how much maintenance your property needs! These are some of the most durable remodeling projects anyone should try, and why they matter!
Updating Floors to Something Reliable
Your floors are the part of your home that takes the most use, and yet many people overlook this update until it's too late. If your floor is old wood or cracked tile, you may spend a lot of time having to repair it, updating it, or keeping it safe when you should be able to rely on this part of your home to last.
To get better flooring, consider updating to a more resilient flooring that can handle anything you can throw at it. This is especially important for rentals or properties that see a lot of wear and tear.
Getting Gutters That Will Protect Your Home
One of the largest projects many homeowners deal with every year is fighting against leaves falling on their property. The worst part is having to climb up a ladder to clear them or paying someone to remove all of the leaves from your roof. It can feel risky and takes up an incredible amount of time, yet it is necessary to protect your gutters.
Thankfully, there is a way around this! Instead of having to climb up every couple of weeks, put in heavy-duty aluminum gutters with high-quality gutter guards. These will divert all water away from your home while also stopping themselves from being cluttered with leaves.
Upgrading Your Siding
Your siding decides how people describe your home, protects it from outdoor elements, and insulates, so you're able to stay comfortable inside: as long as it's in good condition. The average home's siding lasts for twenty to forty years, depending on the brand, materials, and where you are. If your siding is aging out, you could be seeing issues with temperature control.
You can tell if the siding is too old by looking for signs like cracking, warping, or discoloration or if you notice that it's lifting away from your home. This might mean it's allowing moisture underneath it, which can quickly lead to mold and rot.
Updating, even with manufactured stone panels, is to be completed as soon as you realize it's necessary, so make sure to keep an eye on your siding.
Installing New Windows and Doors
If any of your windows or doors are leaking air, you could be wasting tons of money every year on your heating and cooling bills. Leaky windows and doors can also add moisture to the air, allow insect life through, and are generally a giant nuisance.
To test which parts of your property are leaking air, close all of your doors and windows, and walk near them with a lit candle. If the flame flickers when you pass any of these entrances, this means you have an air leak.
You can seal a door and add weather stripping, but if you want increased security, replacing it entirely can be a great choice. If only one or two of your windows are leaking, it might be a better idea to seek out a partial window replacement rather than updating all of them to save a little money.
This update can add a lot of value and curb appeal to your home!
Giving Your Garage New Life
Nobody wants their garage to be lackluster, but upgrading it is so much more than just making it look pretty. When you update your garage, you're building in value and increasing how safe your items are within it.
To start with, you should replace your garage door if it's older than 20 years. Not only do garage doors wear out increasingly fast, but the moment you replace them, you're building in a lot of value. Replacing a garage door has a higher return on investment than any other home update and increases your property's curb appeal if your garage is front-facing.
Another update for this space that many forget about is finishing the floors. Garage floors are hit by everything from leaks from your car to spilled cleaning supplies, so it's vital that you get a base that can handle all of that and more! Putting in epoxy-painted concrete floors will give you a chance to update your property to something fantastic. Not only do these look great, but they protect your flooring and last for an incredibly long time.
There’s Nothing Like Remodeling to Reduce Work!
Although remodeling may require an incredible amount of work upfront, in the long run, it will save you countless hours of maintenance and work. If you have your eye on the long-term, consider some of these updates!
Andrea Erickson is a freelance writer that loves sharing her knowledge and expertise on commercial building cleaning and maintenance. She lives in her hometown of Austin, Texas where she enjoys spending time with her husband and decorating with her children. Andrea’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource launching in the New Year.