|
Give Your
Home a Tune-Up
Just as you take your car for a regular tune-up to ensure
it continues to run smoothly, your home also needs some
special attention. There is a lot more to keeping up a
house than cutting the grass and clearing snow from the
driveway.
Ensuring your home "looks" good and is in proper working
order not only makes it more attractive and comfortable,
but it can also increase the market value of the property.
Homeowners who plan to move within a few years are often
reluctant to invest time and money on improvement projects
that may not pay them back. But unless these improvements
are very specialized, any project you choose -from fixing
leaky faucets to installing new energy efficient windows
-will start to pay you back in energy savings and comfort
long before you sell. The wisest improvements you can make
to any home are those that keep it running smoothly and
bring it up to the standards of other homes in the
immediate area. And these needn't break your budget.
Easy maintenance, repairs
Start with simple repairs that don't cost a lot and you
can do yourself: securing loose tiles, adjusting a door,
installing a lock, repairing a leaky faucet or pipes, and
so on.
If the decor in your home is bothering you, don't decide
right away to rip everything out. Changing styles in decor
and every-day wear and tear can make any home look worn
and tired. But all it may take to make your home look more
attractive and in better repair are small improvements
such as refacing cabinets and counter tops, changing the
colour scheme, repainting, paneling, hanging new wall
coverings or installing new lighting.
It is a good idea to locate and read your gas, electricity
and water meters on a weekly or monthly basis. This will
help you gain an understanding of seasonal increases and
decreases in consumption and enable you to take measures
to become more energy and water efficient. The savings
could be substantial.
You should have your furnace inspected and serviced
annually to ensure there are no problems. Unless you know
a lot about furnaces, this is something you should not do
yourself. You can and should, however, change or clean the
furnace filter regularly. You should also inspect the
smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home; you want
to be certain these work in the event of a fire or other
emergency.
Bigger upgrades
While replacing leaky faucets can drastically improve a
bathroom's appearance and cut down on water usage,
sometimes it takes a lot more than that to bring an old
bathroom to an acceptable standard.
A bathroom tune up can pay big dividends. The first items
to replace should be the fixtures -the sink, faucets,
vanity, bathtub, shower and toilet. This is where you will
add value and save money by opting for a water-efficient
toilet, water-conserving showerhead and faucets, efficient
fans and other energy-saving devices.
The floors, walls and accessories are not an essential
part of a bathroom tune-up but you can save time and money
if you do your overhaul all at once rather than one piece
at a time.
Other good major home improvements include replacing old
carpets and flooring with new, more durable products;
adding a garage or carport if your home does not have one;
installing central air conditioning; repairing or adding a
fireplace; upgrading your basement space; replacing old
windows with new energy-efficient ones; adding terraces,
wooden decks and fences that add privacy; and investing in
landscaping that adds value and is easy to keep up. |
