Not every home maintenance task deserves equal attention. If you cannot do everything at once, this guide can help you decide what to focus on first and how to budget for it.
In most homes, plumbing, roofing, and HVAC deserve early attention because problems in these systems can quickly lead to expensive damage, loss of comfort, or habitability issues. Before getting into those three priorities, it helps to start with a simple maintenance savings plan.
What each home needs in the way of upkeep can vary greatly—so much so that two neighboring houses built in the same year, by the same builder, using the same materials may have very different maintenance needs. One common rule of thumb is that homeowners should set aside somewhere between 1-2% of their home’s value for ongoing maintenance. For a home worth $250,000, this means saving somewhere between $2,500 and $5,000 annually to use for upkeep and upgrades.
However, consider this calculation more of a general guideline than a hard-and-fast rule: after all, there is no actual relationship between your home’s value market and its month-to-month maintenance needs. Factors such as the age of the home, its size, and how well it was cared for in the past can all influence what it needs when it comes to maintenance.
Of course, if you’re able, saving more is always better. The money you set aside for maintenance doesn’t expire, so you can always roll the leftover cash together to pay for large projects or to use in emergencies.
When multiple repairs compete for the same budget, start with the issue that carries the biggest consequence if you wait. In most cases, that means addressing anything that can let water into the home, create a safety or habitability problem, or cause a major system failure.
For plumbing, prioritize active leaks, drain backups, water heater issues, or anything that could lead to water damage. For roofing, move quickly on missing shingles or tiles, drainage problems, and signs that water may be getting past the roof surface. For HVAC, put the most urgent attention on systems that are not heating or cooling properly, especially when seasonal weather makes the home uncomfortable or unsafe.
It also helps to separate homeowner-safe upkeep from work that should be handled by a licensed professional. Basic monitoring and routine tasks may fit into your regular maintenance plan, but repairs involving water lines, roof surfaces, or heating and cooling equipment usually deserve professional attention before a small problem becomes a larger one.
For obvious reasons, make sure any pipes exposed to cold winter temperatures have proper insulation to protect them and prevent them from freezing. Homeowners who live in areas with hard water may also want to consider having a whole-home water softener installed. These systems can remove the mineral content from water as it comes into the home.
Have a professional check in on your water heater at least once per-year. This service should include a water heater flush to remove sediment, as well as a pressure-relief valve test and an inspection of the anode rod. In the case of the latter, an anode rod replacement halfway through the life of the system can greatly extend its lifespan.
Protect your drains by watching what you put down them. Avoid treating your kitchen sink—even one with a disposal—as a trash can, and never put grease, oils, or coffee grounds down the drain, as they could eventually form a clog in your sewer line. Have a plumbing professional treat any drain clogs and avoid using store-bought chemical drain cleaners, which rarely clear the clogs as advertised and can wear away at the inside of your pipes.
Your roof is the shield that protects your home from the elements. Any gaps in the armor—such as broken tiles or missing shingles—expose the underlayment to sun, rain, snow, and wind. Over time, a damaged underlayment means that the roof structure itself is exposed, which can lead to damage, roof leaks, and other problems.
Our recommendation is that you have a professional roofer out to your home at least once per year to inspect the roof and ensure that all the roofing material remains in good shape. When it’s time to replace your roof, don’t put the service off.
No matter how well-protected the roof is by the underlayment and roofing material, any standing water or ice on the roof structure is bad news. Make sure to keep your gutters clean so that they can successfully carry water off of your roof. If your gutters are not draining properly and water is getting trapped on the roof, consult with a professional roofer.
Your air conditioner and furnace are key to your home’s year-round comfort. To keep them running efficiently and free of any problems, schedule seasonal tune-ups. Have a local HVAC professional maintain your air conditioner in the spring ahead of the hot, humid summers. Then, have that professional back out in the fall to make sure your heating system is ready for the cold winter soon to come.
Preventative HVAC maintenance saves you money in two ways. First, it makes your home more energy efficient, lowering your monthly energy bills. Second, it reduces the risk of a system breakdown, which means you avoid the repair costs associated with getting your system running again.
As mentioned earlier, no two homes have exactly the same maintenance needs. Our recommendation is that you focus on the three basic areas listed above, and then build out your seasonal maintenance checklist with other items as you go. Eventually, you will have a detailed checklist that fits what your home needs.
For more specific tips and a guide to taking care of your roof, HVAC systems, and plumbing, be sure to check out this infographic courtesy of Wagner in Albuquerque, NM:
Sammamish Mortgage can help. We serve clients across Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Oregon, and California. Since 1992, we’ve been providing several mortgage programs and products with flexible qualification criteria to borrowers across the Pacific Northwest. Visit our website to get an instant rate quote or to use our online mortgage calculator. Or, reach out to us if you are ready to get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Plumbing, roofing, and HVAC usually deserve the earliest attention because problems in those systems can quickly lead to water damage, loss of comfort, habitability issues, or expensive repairs.
A common rule of thumb is to set aside about 1% to 2% of a home’s value each year for maintenance. For a $250,000 home, that works out to about $2,500 to $5,000 annually, although actual needs depend more on the home’s age, size, and condition than on market value alone.
Start with the issue that has the biggest consequence if you wait. In most cases, that means anything that can let water into the home, create a safety or habitability problem, or cause a major system failure, especially in plumbing, roofing, or HVAC.
Active leaks, drain backups, water heater trouble, missing shingles or tiles, drainage problems on the roof, and heating or cooling systems that are not working properly are all signs that a small issue may turn into a costly repair if it is delayed.
Basic monitoring and routine upkeep can fit into a homeowner’s maintenance plan, but repairs involving water lines, roof surfaces, or heating and cooling equipment usually should be handled by a licensed professional before the problem grows.
A water heater should be checked by a professional at least once a year. A roof should also be professionally inspected at least once a year. HVAC systems should be serviced seasonally, with air conditioning maintenance in the spring and heating system maintenance in the fall.
Regular maintenance commonly includes checking for plumbing leaks, inspecting drains for developing clogs, flushing the water heater to remove sediment, inspecting the roof for damaged or missing materials, and servicing HVAC equipment to help it run efficiently.
Insulate exposed pipes in cold weather, avoid sending grease, oils, or coffee grounds down drains, and have a professional address clogs instead of relying on chemical drain cleaners. Annual water heater service, including a flush and component inspection, can also help prevent bigger plumbing-related costs.
The roof protects the home from rain, snow, wind, and sun. Missing shingles, broken tiles, clogged gutters, or standing water can expose underlayment and roof structure to damage, which can eventually lead to leaks and more costly repairs.
Preventative HVAC maintenance helps the system run more efficiently, which can reduce monthly energy bills. It also lowers the risk of a breakdown, helping homeowners avoid repair costs and comfort problems during hot or cold weather.
Our loan officers are ready and waiting to help you apply for your home loan.
Learn more about the people behind Sammamish Mortgage
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
Mortgage Support — 24/7
No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.
Adjust the parameters based on what you want to track
