Maybe you just moved into your first apartment, or perhaps you have finally saved up enough money to put down a deposit on your first house. Whether you have just started renting a place or are a proud homeowner for the first time, chance are you have now realized that home maintenance is all on your shoulders.
There is so much to think about when it comes to taking care of your home that you might not know just where to begin. Here are three ways to take care of your new pad that you might not have thought about before.
1. Look Into Pest Control
Practically every region in the United States is home to its very own variety of pests that can get into a house and cause issues. Ants, spiders, and rodents are all culprits when it comes to unwanted houseguests. If you have just moved into a new home, one of the first things you should do is look into the local pests in your area.
Some pests, like rodents, can cause serious electrical damage to your home’s interior wiring. Others, like termites, are notorious for creating hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars worth of damage to the structural integrity of a house. Whether you need help preventing roaches in the southwest or if you need to enlist the services of Salt Lake City pest control to take care of an earwig issue, finding the right company to rid you of local pests should be at the top of your home maintenance list.
2. Degrease Hood Filters
If you’ve ever spent any amount of time in the kitchen, then you are familiar with the fan that is located above a stove. This is the fan that helps control any steam that comes off of food as it is cooking.
The steam in question, however, isn’t always simply water-based. Instead, those fans help filter out grease-based steam as well. That grease will build upon the filters of those fans, and if allowed to build up for too long, it can become a fire hazard down the line.
About once a month, you should clean the filters to prevent any potential grease fires. Simply remove them and soak them in a grease-fighting solution, let them air dry, and replace.
3. Clean Out Rain Gutters
Cleaning out your rain gutters is important to do at least twice a year, especially if you live in a region that undergoes regular rainy seasons. The build-up in gutters can result in roof damage and the pooling of water in undesirable areas around the outside of your house. Both of these outcomes can result in some hefty repair costs, which is the last thing you want after just moving into your home, as it has already been an expensive endeavor.
There are companies that you can hire to come out and clean your rain gutters, but this is a maintenance item that you can also easily take care of yourself. Just be sure to use caution when you are up on your roof.