Author Topic: Advice on home care and improvements  (Read 1966 times)

zinnie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 710
  • Location: Boston
Advice on home care and improvements
« on: January 05, 2018, 04:24:08 PM »
Personal info cleanup :)
« Last Edit: August 16, 2020, 06:49:30 AM by zinnie »

aasdfadsf

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 204
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2018, 08:50:25 PM »
For example my neighbor mentioned that he puts fresh caulk around the wood window frames every year.

Every year? What is he using for caulk, peanut butter?

Cwadda

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2178
  • Age: 29
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2018, 10:34:02 PM »
Hi zinnie,

Maybe it would be best if you provided a list of what you think needs to be done, and your thought process through it?  Your questions seem fairly general to me with the info given. 

I suppose the first thing that comes to mind, when speaking most generally about home maintenance, is water damage. Water damage is an absolute killer, and you want to make sure your home is adequately controlling water, inside and out.

Do you live in CA?  If yes, I wouldn't worry a whole lot on the preventive maintenance side.  You folks don't have to deal with the crazy rain, snow, and cold weather we New Englanders have :P

Carrie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 602
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2018, 10:51:46 PM »
I am really surprised that your architect husband doesn't have a resource for these questions. 

Cwadda

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2178
  • Age: 29
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2018, 10:56:01 PM »
Welp, those other 2 replies are certainly helpful!

Carrie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 602
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2018, 11:12:55 PM »
An architect would usually have professional contacts who (if the architect didn't know what to do) would know these things. I'd certainly turn this question over to contractor/architect friends than this group. :)

But to answer the question more helpfully
Keep water out. If you need to freshen the caulk, do it. 
Keep up with current trends and what is selling and popular in your area. Choose what you like and can do inexpensively,  and start upgrading what you need.
Get an annual contract on your hvac system or learn how to maintain it yourself.  A maintained system will last longer.
You need to drain your water heater yearly, especially if you have heavy sediment.
Make your list then get estimates. If it seems like a good time value thing to hire out, do that,  if it's something you want to learn or can do, then perfect opportunity for diy. If it's electrical, I'd hire out. If it's painting, I'd diy.

aasdfadsf

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 204
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2018, 01:31:56 AM »
Welp, those other 2 replies are certainly helpful!

Sorry for being such a douche, but the OP needs more specifics. "I own a house now tell me what to do" isn't something that is likely elicit a reasonable answer.

For example, this:

Quote
2. I have a long-ass list of things I want to do, but how do I prioritize it in terms of what to do when and what will contribute to my home’s overall value?

What is the list? Are there three items on it, or two hundred? How do you give advice on what to prioritize on a list you can't see?

Morning Glory

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4867
  • Location: The Garden Path
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2018, 07:50:38 AM »
I'll take a stab at this: Don't make renovations to keep up with trends or because you think they will increase the value of your house, especially if you think you will be there a long time because trends can change. That is for consumer suckas.

Your first priority should be routine maintenance and fixing any problems before they get worse (gutter cleaning, exterior painting, etc.). Once these are done work on upgrades that will make your home more energy efficient (this will vary by location). Third, do projects that will make your home more enjoyable for you to live in (e.g. if you hate the carpet, rip it out and put in something you like). Again, don't pay attention to trends, and for Pete's sake stay the hell away from HGTV.

HawkeyeNFO

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 347
  • Location: Moose Scrotum, Alberta
  • Retired at 44.....back to work at 45
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2018, 06:32:53 PM »
If you are planning to move out in 5 years, I would look at doing things that will help it sell.  You probably do not want to be landlords on a house that is 100 years old. 


zinnie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 710
  • Location: Boston
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2018, 02:05:27 AM »
Personal info cleanup :)
« Last Edit: August 16, 2020, 06:49:56 AM by zinnie »

Cwadda

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2178
  • Age: 29
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2018, 07:23:24 PM »
Quote
1. What types of preventative maintenance do you do on your home, and when? Monthly, yearly, every few years, etc.? Are there things you check on a regular basis to make sure they are working?

Quote
preventative
Just a side note, just say preventive! What's the need to add extra syllables? Sounds like when I wrote contracts for the federal government. "Preventative maintenance...." UGH!

Anyway, some things that I do for my place. I always start with the potentially most dangerous things first. I.e. making sure gas furnaces don't cause an explosion. I would never want anyone to get hurt, especially my tenants.

1. Checking around for leaking pipes, excessive corrosion on furnaces, water heaters, oil tank. If I smell any sort of gas leak, I call the gas company and have it fixed immediately.
2. If you have central air, cleaning out the duct and changing the filters. Cleaning out the humidifier if you have it hooked up to your A/C unit. Not cleaning this stuff out can make people get sick.
3. Cleaning the gutters to prevent roof leaks.

TheWifeHalf

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 506
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2018, 10:59:20 PM »
Every few days I get a newsletter from 'The Family Handyman' that is full of lists of 'what to do now'
It was a magazine we used to read years (and years) ago that we still  get something out of the newsletters (free)
https://www.familyhandyman.com/

My dad was farmer stock, and could do almost anything, as is TheHusbandHalf. Dad built the house I grew up in and I now live in a 1915 house that we've done almost everything to. I don't know where we'd be if we didn't have the upbringing we did, so I feel for you.

TheHusbandHalf looks at a lot of You Tube videos if he doesn't know how to do something.  The most recent - he rebuilt the motor for our central vac. It's 35 years old, and now it's like new, all from a You Tube video.
Our refrigerator was leaking, and again, you tube to the rescue. Saved us a repair call, it was actually something simple, but not mentioned in the manual.

I agree with keeping water out. Do you have a basement? Keep an eye on that for water coming in. Keep an eye on water outside - does it flow away from the house? Make sure the lawn slopes away from the house.

Again, use the internet, you tube? to learn how a roof is supposed to look and how it will look when it's wearing out.

Whatever kind of siding your house has, look it over to see if any place looks 'off.'

Are there any places around the windows that could possibly be water damage?

Do your exterior doors seal  well?  You tube might help there (it's just one of those things we've been doing so long, no you tube needed.

That's all I can think of  at this late hour

Carrie

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 602
Re: Advice on home care and improvements
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2018, 01:39:17 PM »
We live in a wet, humid, warm climate and pay for a termite contract. They inspect yearly, treat if necessary. I consider this part of our ongoing maintenance.
I also got the yard graded/installed basins & drains to get water flowing away from the foundation. I had the foundation inspected, and will have that re-evaluated next year because I *think* fixing the drainage took care of the worst of the foundation issues that we were starting to have. All of that to say, keep an eye out for cracks, sloping floors, doors not shutting, and have evaluated by an engineer for recommendations.
Keeping gutters clean and making sure there is no pooling water near the foundation is important.   
Paint exterior wood to protect it, and keep it painted. (Or if necessary to replace, look for prefinished siding products like hardi-board.)