Home maintenance can be expensive, especially if you are looking into owning a historic home. Experts say you ought to begin planning for home maintenance at least a year ahead of time, and historical evidence suggests that most homeowners ought to plan to spend at least 1-4% of their house value on regular upkeep every year. However, is that really enough to gauge what you’ll be spending on home maintenance? What are home maintenance costs that everyone should expect when buying a historic home?
HVAC Units are One of the Most Common Home Maintenance Costs
One of the most common home maintenance costs is the homeowner’s heating and cooling unit. It’s important that every homeowner has a good HVAC unit that is in good working order. Unfortunately, most HVAC units require at least one major service per year. Most homeowners do not realize that they can save money by doing simple maintenance repairs to their HVAC units on a regular basis, such as changing the air filter, replacing bulbs, testing the furnace, checking the blower for leaks, etc., before a hot weather season arrives.
Plumbing Problems Can Impact Your Historic Home
By the 2021 census, there are already more than two million households in the United States that have plumbing problems. Plumbing problems can impact the value of your home in many ways, including affecting your home appraisal. A major concern with plumbing problems can be mold growth. Mold growth can compromise the structural integrity of your home and can lead to damage or even the loss of your home. The problem is, most homeowners do not have a plan to prevent mold growth. Mold can cause many serious health problems, some of which can even be deadly. For this reason, if you have the proper plumbing system, it may be easier to avoid the health risks.
Roof Replacements
When it rains, or when snow falls, your home’s roof will usually sustain damage. Determining the best course of action for your roofing material will depend upon where the damage is occurring and whether repair or replacement is needed. For example, damaged shingles might require a full roof replacement in order to protect your home’s roof. Similarly, if hail damages your roof, repairing the damage will probably require roofing materials such as tar paper.
Even Appliances are a Part of Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs can vary greatly depending on what you have in your home and what you plan to use it for. Appliances such as the washer, dryer, refrigerator and even the dishwasher can have a huge effect on the overall cost of running your home. For example, if you are using a dishwasher on a regular basis to prepare and cook your meals then you will more than likely need to hire a professional service to come out and make necessary repairs on your appliances. This will not only cost you extra but could put a damper on your overall enjoyment of having your own home. On the other hand, repairs to these types of appliances can be fairly inexpensive so it really depends on the purpose that you have for your appliances as well as your willingness to take care of them.
One thing to consider is that when you look at home maintenance costs you should factor in the cost of hiring someone to come out and do the repairs on your appliances as this will more than likely be an ongoing process. If you plan on living in your home for a very long time, then the costs of repairs to your appliances will be much higher than it would be if you just replaced them on a yearly basis. There are many things that you can do to cut down on the costs of owning your home, and the first thing is to carefully examine the appliances in your home. You can learn a lot by studying historical home data that has been researched and written by others.
Bad Wiring Can Be Common in a Historic Home
Another thing that can add to the cost of running a home is bad wiring. Old, worn wires are expensive to replace, but they can also lead to electrical problems. Any homeowner should consider testing all of the wiring in the home to ensure that it is not damaged. Doing so will cost some money, but it will be money well spent. When it comes to safety, testing is almost always a good idea.
Conclusion
Many people are surprised by the amount of money that home maintenance costs actually require when they are looking into buying a house. Most people believe that the only thing they need to worry about is fixing the major problems, such as leaks in the plumbing, roofing problems, etc. A home maintenance costs checklist can help to determine which problems will need to be fixed first, and which can wait. As well, by making a home maintenance costs checklist, it can help anyone who wants to maintain their home to stay organized.
