Home Improvement Resolutions For The New Year

Once again, it's that time of year to start thinking about resolutions for the New Year. As a homeowner you may want to consider a resolution to improve the value of your home. Many homeowners, especially new homeowners, forget that there is also time, money, and physical effort needed to maintain and increase the value of a home. Yearly resolutions that include the maintenance and improvement of your home will not only make it look nicer and more usable, but also increase the value. Home improvements also include maintenance to prevent more expensive repairs. Home maintenance performed regularly prevents things from breaking, thereby reducing expenses in the future. The easiest way not to have a problem in the future is to regularly maintain it.

• Home Improvement Resolution List - Each year discussing what needs to be done to your house with your spouse is a great way to prepare financially for what projects need to be completed. This is a great way to find out how much work is ahead of you and what the cost will be.

• After The Holiday Clean-Up - Taking down the Christmas decorations is the perfect time to organize your attic or storage areas. Pull the boxes out of your attic or storage areas and sort them. Make a pile for items that could be donated, a pile for items that can be thrown away, and a pile to be put back into the storage area. This is a great way to get rid of any unneeded items or donate them.

• Test Your Smoke and Carbon Dioxide Detectors - This is a simple task but you need to do this on a regular basis to find out if the batteries need to be replaced.

• Test Your Garage Door Opener - This is to make sure that it is working properly and that the auto-reverse feature is working. If the garage door auto-reverse feature is not working the repair could be as simple as aligning the sensors on the garage door tracks.

• Water Heater - This is a great time to test your water heaters pressure release valve to safeguard against leaks and to make sure your water heater is running efficiently.

• Refrigerator Coils - Thoroughly vacuum refrigerator coils which will help your refrigerator run more efficiently. This should also keep your electric bill in check.

• Check Your Roof and Gutters - Do a visual inspection of your roof and gutters to make sure that there are no ice dams or icicles; this should be checked throughout the winter. Ice dams and icicles can be a danger to people, but can also damage your roof and your foundation when they melt.

• Furnace - If you haven't already done so at the beginning of winter you should check your air filter for your furnace. This should be done every 30 days to make sure it is working properly.

• Windows - Now is a great time to check your windows to see if there are any drafts. You may need to re-caulk the windows or possibly install a plastic sheet over the windows for further insulation.

• Dryer - Vacuum out the clothes dryer's exhaust hose to ensure your dryer is working efficiently.

• GFCI (ground fault circuit interpreter) - Test all the GFCI outlets in your house to make sure they are working properly. These outlets are typically by the kitchen and utility tub sinks as well as the bathrooms.

Although this is not an extensive list of what could be done to maintain your house, it is a good start. Taking the time to properly maintain your house will not only make it more comfortable, but will save you time and money. Preventive maintenance costs a lot less than an emergency situation when it comes to home repairs.

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