Home maintenance is as important to home ownership as insurance and paying your mortgage on time. As the single largest asset in most people's portfolio, maintenance is essential to your equity. Appraisers use “functional life” as part of the valuation process which is tied to the age of a home. With many homes in Central Contra Costa County 60 to 70 years old, the age of a home and its components all come into play. It's good to keep an eye on the major components for repair or replacement, particularly if you have owned your home for more than 20 years.
In addition to the major systems, there is annual maintenance to the small components of a home that help with functional longevity as well as aesthetics and personal enjoyment. Recommended Annual spring maintenance includes but is not limited to:
- Washing windows and inspecting screens
- Change heater/air conditioner filters, service air conditioner
- Check batteries in smoke and CO detectors (consider upgrading to hard wired and/or 10 year sealed models)
- Check crawl space and attic for moisture and make sure no rodents have taken up winter residence.
- Clean sprinkler heads and check for leaks in irrigation in preparation for turning the system back on
Please contact us if you would like recommendations for inspectors or contractors. As I like to say, “Sherry knows a guy.”
