As time passes, it isn’t uncommon to notice instances of wear, and even damage, around parts of your house. This is why a vital part of home ownership is regular home maintenance. However, it can be time-consuming, as well as financially stressful, to account for all the necessary repairs and servicing, especially when these tasks range from cleaning and updating home systems like drainage, heating, and smoke alarms, to conducting damage checks for windows, doors, roofs, as well as other important household appliances. This is why finance professionals suggest setting aside 1% of the home's purchase price just for home maintenance.
That said, keeping a catalog of home repairs may be difficult to deal with on your own. especially if you're a busy person. To stay on top of your home maintenance checklist, you can read our helpful guide on professional solutions you can utilize despite your busy schedule.
Cleaning and housekeeping
Cleaning and home organization can take up a lot of your time. Plus, your home's cleanliness and order can greatly affect your quality of life, so specialist cleaners can help ease your home maintenance worries.
Carpet Cleaners - Depending on your carpet’s material, the professionals can approach cleaning with a variety of agents and water settings. For example, steam carpet cleaning uses high-pressure hot water to loosen the carpet fiber and dissolve dirt in the carpet. With this method, it usually takes a day for carpets to dry. Meanwhile, dry carpet cleaning is a non-disruptive process that uses a cleaning compound typically made of biodegradable material that works like micro-sponges to effectively absorb dissolved dirt in the carpet.
Upholstery Cleaners - Depending on your specific upholstery, you will need to avoid color bleeding, shrinking, and other damages. One way you can do that is by checking your furniture’s fabric cleaning code to determine how to clean it. Water-based products are okay to use on synthetic upholstery, while steam is best used for natural upholstery made from cotton, wool, or linen. Specific treatments are required for combined upholstery so booking a professional is ideal to avoid damage and wear.
Air Conditioning Cleaners - Depending on your air conditioner unit type, cleaning can require intensive steps by professionals. Portable aircons like the Everest ET10PORM-HF or the Fujidenzo 1HP only need their water drained, the air filters cleaned and replaced, and the coils checked. For split-type units like the Mitsubishi FDT60V, additional cleaning is required for bacteria filters and cooling fins. These units will also need to be covered by a large plastic bag to catch all the falling dirt and drippings.
Landscaping
To identify the most appropriate layout for your outdoor space, you will need a landscape planner or architect to help factor in maintenance requirements, material considerations, as well as your goals.
Landscaping entails a multitude of tasks, so it’s crucial to employ a professional who follows an order in land preparation like tilling, grading, and seeding while ensuring your space’s aesthetic and economic benefits. However, most landscape professionals may find it difficult to navigate through time constraints, especially since delays can affect and reduce the advantage of natural processes.
This is why our iScape app is not just a good tool to have in optimizing outdoor spaces, but also a helpful recourse to cutting down on time and costs. Our app allows landscapers to visualize a client's ideal landscaping design by giving them free rein on adjustable elements, layers, and color. This can be their solution to efficient landscaping, brought by our beautiful designs and cutting-edge technology, and will allow homeowners more detailed options to choose from.
Renovations and maintenance
Even with good planning, it will take a lot of effort and resources for your project to be completed as cost-consciously and efficiently as possible. One common mistake homeowners usually make is impulse buying, which deters them from careful budgeting. While it’s fine to purchase an item you think you’ll need in the future, renovation schemes often change depending on design, material availability, and overall costs.
This is why home renovations benefit from employing contractors or architects, as they can help envision and execute your design, search for materials, and purchase the right tools. If possible, use recommendations from family and friends who have done previous house renovations since they can provide trusted contacts.
In case you want to forego renovation projects, contractors can also provide regular home maintenance visits. This way, a checklist of maintenance and repair (like plumbing, leakage, and exterior updates) can be categorized and accomplished on a weekly or monthly schedule.
For more home improvement tips and insights, check out our latest posts.
Download iScape now and create landscape designs that improve curb appeal and transform gardens. iScape it!
Article contributed by Runa Jaclyn
