Maintaining a Home

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Understanding the basic maintenance tasks required for homeownership such as cleaning, repairs, and preventative maintenance. Knowing when to call for professional help and how to budget for unexpected maintenance costs.

Cleaning: Covers the proper and regular cleaning of different areas and surfaces inside and outside the house to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
Cooking and Meal Planning: Includes meal planning, grocery shopping, and kitchen organization and safety.
Simple Home Repairs: Covers basic repairs such as fixing a leaky faucet, replacing light bulbs, and fixing a loose door handle.
Plumbing: Covers the basics of plumbing such as unclogging drains, fixing leaks, and installing new fixtures.
Electrical Systems: Covers electrical safety, how to reset breakers, replace GFCI outlets, and replace light fixtures.
Heating and Cooling: Covers the basics of HVAC systems including changing filters, understanding thermostat settings, and troubleshooting common issues.
Pest Control: How to prevent pests from entering and infesting the home, and how to deal with an infestation.
Gardening: Covers the basics of lawn care and gardening, such as planting and caring for plants, trimming trees, and maintaining the yard.
Home Security: Covers the basics of home security, including how to test alarms and lock windows and doors.
Home Organization: Covers the basics of decluttering and organizing a home, including storage solutions and organization tips.
Safety: Covers fire safety, emergency plans, and basic first aid skills.
Home Energy Efficiency: Covers ways to lower energy bills such as using energy-efficient light bulbs, insulation, and using programmable thermostats.
Water Conservation: Covers ways to conserve water in and outside the home, such as using low-flow toilets, fixing leaks, and collecting rainwater.
Home Insurance: Covers the basics of home insurance, including what is covered and how to file a claim.
Budgeting and Home Maintenance Costs: Covers effective budgeting strategies and how to plan for home maintenance costs.
Cleaning: Keeping the home clean and tidy by dusting, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and wiping surfaces.
Laundry: Washing, drying, and folding clothes, linens, and towels.
Carpentry: Repairing and building furniture, shelving, and other wooden items.
Plumbing: Fixing leaks, unclogging drains, and maintaining toilets, sinks, and showers.
Electrical: Installing and repairing electrical fixtures, outlets, and light switches.
HVAC: Maintaining heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Painting: Updating or refreshing interior and exterior walls and surfaces.
Landscaping: Maintaining outdoor spaces such as lawns, gardens, and patios by mowing, weeding, pruning, and planting.
Pest Control: Identifying and removing pests such as insects, rodents, and termites.
Security: Ensuring the safety and security of the home by installing and maintaining locks, alarms, and surveillance systems.
Organization: Creating and maintaining a system for organizing items in the home such as paperwork, clothing, and kitchen utensils.
Maintenance: Regularly inspecting the home for damage or wear and tear and repairing any issues before they become larger problems.
Decor: Designing and updating the interior style and decor of the home, including furniture, wall art, and accessories.
Budgeting: Tracking and managing expenses related to maintaining and improving the home, including utilities, supplies, and repairs.
Safety: Understanding and practicing safe methods for using equipment and chemicals related to home maintenance.
Quote: "Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home, and is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems."
Quote: "Many types of repairs are 'do it yourself' (DIY) projects."
Quote: "Others may be so complicated, time-consuming or risky as to require the assistance of a qualified handyperson, property manager, contractor/builder, or other professionals."
Quote: "Home repair is not the same as renovation, although many improvements can result from repairs or maintenance."
Quote: "Often the costs of larger repairs will justify the alternative of investment in full-scale improvements."
Quote: "It may make just as much sense to upgrade a home system (with an improved one) as to repair it."
Quote: "Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home, and is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems."
Quote: "Others may be so complicated, time-consuming or risky as to require the assistance of a qualified handyperson, property manager, contractor/builder, or other professionals."
Quote: "Many types of repairs are 'do it yourself' (DIY) projects."
Quote: "Although many improvements can result from repairs or maintenance."
Quote: "Often the costs of larger repairs will justify the alternative of investment in full-scale improvements."
Quote: "It may make just as much sense to upgrade a home system (with an improved one) as to repair it."
Quote: "Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home..."
Quote: "...require the assistance of a qualified handyperson..."
Quote: "...require the assistance of a property manager..."
Quote: "Home repair is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems."
Quote: "Home repair is not the same as renovation..."
Quote: "...justify the alternative of investment in full-scale improvements."
Quote: "...incur ever-more-frequent and expensive maintenance for an inefficient, obsolete or dying system."
Quote: "Others may be so complicated, time-consuming or risky..."