Saving money through home maintenance

Many Nigerians fancy fashion. Some display this in the kind of clothes, shoes and other ornaments they wear, the brand of cars they ride and the type of houses they build. Some, living in rented apartments, so tastefully furnished them that visitors to these places may wonder if they own the residences.

Despite the huge amount spent in acquiring any of the property, poor maintenance has hastened their depreciation in quality and value.

Maintenance experts are of the view that people will be required to spend much more when maintenance is delayed.

A British born Nigerian, Tolu Abatan, writing on “My Nigerian Perspective,” notes that Nigerians lack maintenance culture. He laments, “We drive our cars until they break down, we live in houses until they become a hazard to live in, and we use our roads until they break up. Even in factories, I have heard of parts used until they cease up, causing an entire production line to come to a grinding halt.”

The writer, therefore, stresses the need for people to change their perspective about maintenance culture. “The more regularly we maintain what we have, the longer we will be able to get some long life usage out of it. Let us take care of what we have been blessed with and adopt a proper maintenance culture,” he says.

Talking about maintenance at home, some experts contributing under wikihow.com offer a number of tips for individuals, who wish to keep their home clean and have the items functioning at their best all the time. This process, they note, will enable them to save money they would have been spending fixing a big problem resulting from mere negligence.

Your home, according to Buzz.com, is your personal heaven on earth. It notes that the home is where you enjoy most of your time. It is the place to return to for comfort and happiness. However, you cannot expect your house to give you great returns year after year with almost zero effort on your part to maintain its tip-top shape, it says.

It notes that cracked window panes, peeling paint, overgrown weeds, poor lighting and bad wiring are things you must avoid in your house. Apart from defacing the structure, they could also pose health hazards for you and the kids. For instance, unsteady dining tables may cause hot food to fall off, leading to burns and injuries. Thus, instead of trying to run away from home maintenance, you should make it a part of your regular schedule.

The wikihow experts say every member of the family living in the home can be engaged in taking care of the house, including the children.

Having a proper plan is ideal for an organsied family. A well laid out plan keeps you focused and helps you follow a particular method of work that saves a lot of time, says Buzz.com. It adds that since every family has its own schedule and lifestyles, it is completely up to you to devise a plan that suits you. Also, do not make a plan that is too rigid as glitches are inevitable and you may have to adapt to the circumstances.

One of the ways to keep the home tidy, which will cost almost nothing, is by cleaning up all messes immediately. Once you walk away from any mess within the house, you may not go back to it. And this may cause inconceivable damage requiring a lot of money to fix.

You are advised to make a habit of cleaning up as you go. This saves time and keeps your home clean and organised. Washing dishes as you cook works great and prevents the large pile to wash after the meal.

You are also expected to observe every area of your house and look for issues that need correction. Any dull looking furniture items should be pulled out for immediate re-touching. You can also move into the kitchen and check every appliance for proper functioning. You are advised to check the level of lighting in the rooms, if it is too low.

The wikihow experts also enjoin you to “check the air conditioner valves and the wires. Any issues with the electric devices should be given high priority. Schedule some time weekly or daily to clean the bathrooms. Also, a thorough carpet cleaning is important to prevent dust allergies. Make sure that there is no peeling paint in any room. It is important to check that none of the furniture or appliances in the house presents any hazard to people. So look carefully and keep noting down everything.”

Home maintenance experts in their contribution under ourfamilyhome.com also expect you to check for evidence of any leaks in the baths, especially around the toilets and under the sinks.

There may be leaks under the sink at the kitchen; check out for this from time to time and around dishwasher. They urge you to check the burner operation on stove and the caulking around the doors and windows as well as the glazing around window panes.

You should also watch out for accumulation of tree limbs, branches and debris that can attract wood eating insects at the lawn and garden.

It is also important to make sure electrical outlets are equipped with safety plugs, especially If there are young children in the house. Checking the house for safety hazards also entails making sure that there is no loose railing, inoperative detectors and malfunctioning door keys.

Everyone wants to have a big house with all possible luxurious amenities, note the Buzz.com experts, adding that to get all these luxuries and a comfortable living, home improvement is required.

Source : Punch