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If you’re a homeowner, home maintenance and repairs are an essential responsibility for keeping your house in top condition.

Just as your doctor does during a regular health check-up, you can tick off a bunch of tasks to make sure each area of your home is working efficiently and safely, and there are no issues that could lead to bigger problems if left untreated.

When you inspect your home’s internal and external features, you’ll be able to see if you can do some DIY repairs or need to hire an expert for more specialised maintenance.

Learn more about staying on top of your regular home maintenance below.

Overview

• What is considered home maintenance?
• Why home maintenance is important
• Home maintenance checklist
• How to choose the right person for your home maintenance
• Does the contractor need to be licensed?
• Questions to ask your contractor

What is considered home maintenance?

If you’re wondering, “What kind of maintenance does a house need?”, there are a range of tasks to be completed indoors and outdoors to ensure your property is consistently aesthetic and functional. They help you identify any issues early so they can be rectified, and also prevent risks in future if any unexpected weather events occur.

Common external housing maintenance jobs involve checking:

• Foundations, footings, and slabs
• Roofs and gutters
• Gardens and landscaping
• Decks and balconies
• Driveways and paths

Essential internal home maintenance tasks involve inspecting:

• Appliances
• Hot water systems
• Heating and cooling systems
• Windows and doors
• Moisture and mould
• Plumbing fixtures
• Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
• Pests

Why Home Maintenance Is Important

Home maintenance is a crucial part of your role as a homeowner, and in the long run, a very worthwhile investment in your time, energy, and money.

There are several reasons why home maintenance is important:

It Saves You Money

By checking your home over regularly, you’ll be able to get on top of any damage early or even prevent certain issues altogether. This will save you higher costs in repairs if things are left to worsen over time, as opposed to allocating a small home maintenance budget in the beginning.

Your Home Runs More Efficiently

Checking for certain issues around the home, such as a leaking pipe or clogged air conditioner filter, can reduce water or energy wastage and therefore allow your home to operate more efficiently.

Everyday Living is Enhanced

There’s no denying that by keeping your home in its ultimate condition, life for your family and guests will be significantly better. A high-quality paint job will make your interiors appear much more inviting, an efficient aircon will keep your home more comfortable in summer, and functioning smoke detectors will keep everyone safe in an emergency.

You Can Increase Your Home's Value

When it comes time to sell your home, if there are appliances or features that have been poorly maintained and need replacing, potential buyers may be deterred by the extra costs and effort involved. This can either lead them to choose another property with less maintenance required or offer a lower price.

By maintaining your home regularly, it’ll be in the best condition at sale time, and you can confidently ask for the highest reasonable price.

Home Warranties and Insurance

You’ll often find that home warranties and insurance don't generally cover issues caused by a lack of maintenance. 

For example, if you fail to change the filters on your HVAC system for an extended period of time and the fan breaks from overload, it may not be covered for repair or replacement as it isn’t considered regular wear-and-tear. 

Also, maintenance helps ensure your property can withstand severe weather events (such as a storm) and prevents issues that may cause delays in the insurance claim process.

DIY Home Maintenance Checklist

Having a home maintenance schedule in the form of a checklist is the best way to make sure you don’t forget the most important home maintenance tasks when you’re looking after your property.

Here are some of the key tasks to consider:

House Exterior

• Paint: Pay attention to your external paint surfaces, and do touch-ups when needed — even a wash can make a world of difference!
• Windows: Inspect windows for air leaks and repair them to prevent heat loss and draughts.
• Screens: Install or repair insect screens to allow you to open windows and ventilate the home without pests entering.
• Roofing: Repair damaged roof tiles to strengthen the surface in case of rain or storms. Clean gutters at least twice a year, removing leaves and checking for leaks to improve drainage and prevent water damage.
• Landscaping and Gardens: Trim trees surrounding the house to prevent leaves and branches from making a mess or damaging the roof.
• Hot Water Systems: Inspect your system to prevent leaks from causing building damage.
• Decks and Balconies: Regularly oil and seal your timber deck or balcony to prolong its appearance and finish, and check for cracks or loose boards that may need repair.
• Termites: Regularly get a professional termite assessment and complete the preventive steps recommended in your termite report, and have the infestation removed by a pest controller if it already exists.
• Foundations: Check for cracks in your house slab, driveways, and concrete paths, and repair them when necessary to prevent further damage.

When it comes time to fix any of these issues, you can discover more about the most common home maintenance repairs.

House Interior

• Fridge: Check the seals on your fridge doors to make sure cold air isn’t escaping.  Vacuum up any dirt or dust from the coils at the back twice a year to increase efficiency, and adjust the internal temperature to accommodate the needs of the current season.
• Tumble Dryer: Unplug the dryer and remove the ventilation tube so you can pull out any lint or build-up at both ends. This reduces the fire hazard and increases the life expectancy of the appliance.
• Heating and Cooling: Hire an HVAC technician to service your units annually and detect and repair any issues. It’s also recommended to clean the filter monthly and replace it quarterly.
• Rangehood and Extractor Fan: Remove the hood and clean it with hot, soapy water or degreaser to remove the fatty residue, allowing your fan to function more efficiently, ideally monthly.
• Smoke Detectors: Test your smoke detectors yearly to ensure they’re still operating in case of a fire. This is crucial, as if your house was ever to burn down, an insurance claim may be void if you haven't checked it in the past 12 months. 
• Fire Extinguishers: While they’re designed to last for an extended time, it’s important to check the expiry date yearly so that in case of a fire, it will still function as intended.
• Plumbing: Check water supply and drainage pipes for instances of rust or leaks, then get a professional plumber to replace them if necessary.
• Fireplace and Chimney: If you live in a cold environment, give your fireplace a good clean in autumn to have it functioning perfectly when winter hits.
• Damp: Look for signs of damp, which can present itself as mould, mildew, and rot and affect your health and the structure of your building. Combat this by improving ventilation or repairing relevant leaks.

Learn more in our monthly home maintenance checklist.

How to Choose the Right Person for Your Home Maintenance

Even if some of these tasks are possible to do yourself, if you don't have the right equipment or materials, the time, or desire, you can instead opt to hire a professional to do the job for you.

If you’re doing an online search for “home maintenance services near me”, a handyman can often do many of these jobs, and will also be able to advise you if the task will need a specialist, such as plumbing or electrical repairs, a pest inspection, or structural building work.

Here are a few tips for finding the best contractor to complete your home maintenance jobs:

1. Get Multiple Quotes

Enter the information outlining your home maintenance needs on Service.com.au, and we'll provide you with a list of local businesses that can help.

2. Narrow Down Your Search

Service.com.au uses a three-tier badge system to assist you in making the right choice.

We recommend selecting a tradie with the highest level (badge 3 – ‘recommended’) from our three-step verification process.

3. Do Further Research

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, check out the contractor’s online presence to get an understanding of their reputation and range of services. Visit their website and social media pages to find customer reviews and see the quality of their work in photos.

Does the contractor need to be licensed?

This will depend on the type of home maintenance jobs you need help with, as this will determine which type of contractor you’ll hire.

For instance, a handyman won’t need a licence for many small tasks. But for other trades, such as air conditioning specialists or plumbers, a licence may be required. 

It is recommended to check with the relevant authorities in your state or territory to determine if a licence is necessary. Additionally, it would be wise to check the tradesperson's credentials and insurance before proceeding with the work.

Questions to Ask Your Contractor

Here are some questions that can be helpful to ask when hiring someone for your home maintenance tasks:

• Can you provide references or a portfolio of previous work?
• Are you licensed or insured?
• How long have you been in business?
• Do you have experience with specific types of home maintenance?
• How do you communicate with clients during the process?
• Are you flexible with your schedule, and can you work on weekends if necessary?

Once you’ve narrowed down the tasks you need help with or which you’d like to tackle yourself, you can gain a better idea of the types of contractors you’ll need to get your home looking and functioning at its best.