Stop avoiding those maintenance tasks that are sitting on your to-do list. You should finally cross them off your list — not because it’s good to be productive and tackle the things you’ve planned on doing, but because getting them done could actually save you a lot of money in the long run.
What maintenance tasks can save you money?
Clearing Out Drains
Hiring a plumber to clear out a stubborn drain clog can cost you hundreds of dollars. You can save yourself the trouble by running regular maintenance on your shower, tub and sink drains.
Start by purchasing a drain snake designed for hair clogs — these are very cheap and available at home hardware stores. You will want to run this drain snake down your shower and tub drain to pull up any tangles of hair that have slid down there. When you’re done, place a silicone hair catcher over the drain to stop strands from making their way down into the plumbing system in the future.
With your sinks, you should do natural sink rinses to clear away substances sticking to the sides of the drains. In a bathroom sink, this could be soap scum. In a kitchen sink, this could be food scraps and congealed oils. A sink rinse is easy to do, and it doesn’t involve coming into contact with harmful chemicals that you’ll find in most commercial drain cleaners.
What if your attempts of using drain snakes and rinses aren’t working like they should? Then you should admit defeat and call a plumber. You might have a clog further down the plumbing system that you won’t be able to fix on your own. Don’t skip the service for the sake of savings. Ignoring serious plumbing problems will only cause you more stress and cost you more money later on.
If you don’t have enough savings sitting in your bank account to pay for a plumber’s visit, you could try applying for a loan online as a solution. With online loans, you can apply quickly — the process could take you less than 10 minutes to complete. An approved loan could give you access to enough temporary funds to pay the plumber quickly. After that problem is solved, you could steadily repay what you borrowed through a monthly billing cycle.
Cleaning HVAC Filter
When was the last time that you cleaned your HVAC filter? Has it been months? Then, you’ll want to either clean it out or replace it, depending on your type of HVAC system.
If your system has a built-in filter, you will want to remove it from its slot, clear off the coating of dust and lint and then give it a thorough rinse. Once it’s dried, you can slide it back into position. If your system uses disposable filters, you will want to purchase a replacement. Remove the old, clogged filter and slide the replacement into the slot.
When your HVAC system has a clean filter, it will run more efficiently. It will take more energy to run with a dirty, clogged filter, which can make your already expensive energy bills grow bigger. A dirty filter can also push your furnace to overheat from the effort to function, which could make it break down at the most inconvenient time.
Cleaning Your Gutters
Are your gutters full of dead leaves? Well, you should try to empty them out before the winter weather arrives. You won’t be able to go up on a ladder and remove the debris from the gutters when the ground is covered in ice and snow.
You may be wondering how this type of seasonal maintenance can save you money. First, clear gutters can prevent expensive water damage. When your gutters are filled with dead leaves, twigs and other detritus, they won’t be able to collect water properly when it’s raining. The leaves will clog the gutters and prevent the water from flowing through the downspout and away from the home’s foundation. Instead, the water will spill over the sides of the gutters. This could lead to water damage on the roof, the siding and even in the basement.
Plus, dirty gutters can attract plenty of pests into your home. Pests will see the collection of leaves and twigs as comfortable nesting grounds that they can stay in. And since those nesting grounds are attached to your roof, those pests will be tempted to move into your house and infest the indoors once the temperatures outdoors get too cold.
Cross these maintenance tasks off your to-do list! Putting in a little bit of effort to maintain your house could save you from some expensive headaches down the line.
