Home Maintenance and Wellness Tips

Congratulations on your new home! As a homeowner, you have made a significant investment, and it's essential to protect it. Just like how annual doctor’s appointments help us catch health problems early, regular home inspections play a crucial role in identifying potential issues before they escalate into unexpected, costly repairs. By proactively addressing preventable problems like mold growth, faulty wiring, sewer blockages, energy inefficiencies, and other maintenance issues, homeowners can enhance their home value, increase their safety, and safeguard their health.

Budgeting for Home Maintenance and Repairs

When looking at your budget, it is important to factor in a cushion for annual maintenance and unexpected repair costs. We recommend using the 1% Rule. With this budgeting strategy, you’ll want to set aside one percent of your home’s purchase price to cover expenses including tuning the HVAC unit, sweeping the fireplace, doing minor repairs around the house, and getting your annual Healthy Home Check.

• Using the 1% Rule
• Purchase Price: $350,000
• Annual Budget (1%): $3,500

Safeguard Your Family and Increase Your Home Value with our Healthy Home Check

Home inspections are often not top of mind for homeowners after the home is purchased, but they are increasingly essential, especially as more Americans are living in their homes longer. Homes undergo an abundance of changes with years of weather, wear and tear, and continuous use. Over time, these seemingly small issues can prevent your home from getting the value it deserves. For instance, water damage can creep into your basement and attic, leaving behind mold spores that agitate allergies and asthma symptoms. When it comes time to sell your house, these issues will be found with the buyer’s home inspection and could cause renegotiation of the selling price or complications with the home sale. With regular home check-ins, this issue among others can be identified, allowing you ample time to address the issue so you can live more safely and comfortably in your home, and you can earn equity in your investment.

Constant monitoring of your home for safety hazards also grants you peace of mind as you live and breathe in this space every day. Our Infrared (IR) Scan identifies electrical hot spots that could lead to home fires. It can also detect missing or damaged insulation, energy inefficiencies, and hidden moisture. WIN’s Healthy Home Check includes a Home Maintenance Assessment to check the current condition of your home as well as an IR Scan, Sewer Scope Inspection, and Air Quality Test. It’s important that you as a homeowner express where you have concerns with your home and health so that we can best address them with our wide variety of Healthy Home Check services.

Home Maintenance Tips for Keeping Your Home Healthy and Safe

Protect Your Home and Health from House Fires and Deadly Gases

• Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors: Regularly test your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke detectors to ensure they are functioning correctly. Replace batteries as needed and consider upgrading to advanced detectors with features like voice alerts and wireless interconnectivity for enhanced safety. To test your detectors, press the “test” button on each, and wait for a beeping noise. If no noise follows, it is time to exchange your batteries. Random and unprompted beeping is also an indication of a low battery. We recommend you test your smoke detectors every month and replace your batteries at least once a year.

• Keep fire extinguishers in the home: Place fire extinguishers in easily accessible and fire-prone locations of your home, such as the kitchen and garage. Ensure everyone in the household knows how to use them effectively. We advise placing an extinguisher on every floor of your home or in every fire-prone area, such as a living room with a fireplace.

• Get a Fireplace and Chimney Inspection: Creosote soot is a tar byproduct of burned wood that is hardened by the solidification of oily smoke. The build-up of the chemical can constrain airflow for future fires, increasing flammability and posing serious risk of a home fire. Plus, creosote causes respiratory ailments and is carcinogenic, causing cancer over time with continued exposure to the chemical. Using specialized equipment, our licensed inspectors can thoroughly assess your chimney for any signs of soot build-up along with structural cracks that allow unwanted outside matter in.

• Avoid leaving candles burning unsupervised: Candles create a warm and cozy atmosphere but leaving them unattended is a serious fire risk. Always put out candles before leaving a room or going to bed, and do not leave children alone with candles.

• Get an IR Scan to detect thermal abnormalities: An IR Scan can detect electrical miswiring and other thermal abnormalities. Additionally, an IR Scan can identify potential fire hazards caused by overheating wires or electrical equipment as well as moisture build-up and insulation leaks.
  IR Scans operate using thermal imaging to detect hot spots. Unbeknownst to the human senses, all objects emit infrared energy at varying levels, detectable by specialized equipment. WIN offers IR Scans to ensure your home's electrical systems are safe and functioning optimally, and our inspectors are trained to read and interpret IR Scan data, giving you comprehensive recommendations on next steps.

• Get a Radon Test to prevent exposure to this carcinogenic gas: Radon is a radioactive gas that can seep into your home through cracks in the walls, floors and foundation, and with continuous exposure over one’s lifetime, can lead to lung cancer. Radon is naturally found in nearly all soils from uranium radioactive decay, but when locked indoors, sits at a higher and more dangerous concentration. Radon is impossible to detect without a specialized test as it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Children, older individuals, and the immunocompromised are more susceptible to radon-causing ailments. Get a Radon Test with WIN, and rest with ease knowing your home is free of the life-threatening substance.

Prevent Moisture Build-Up and Mold Growth

• Install a dehumidifier: Install a dehumidifier to control moisture levels and prevent damage caused by mold and mildew. The average cost of a dehumidifier in the United States ranges from $200 to $300, depending on the size and features. Naturally humid areas are more vulnerable to indoor mold damage, so consider purchasing a dehumidifier if you live in a tropical, humid, or wet climate. Dehumidifiers eliminate dust mites, which otherwise thrive in humidity and create breathing issues for humans. They impede mold growth, eliminate smells, and prevent warping along wood and ceiling infrastructure. Even belongings like books can incur damage from excess humidity, so consider potential damages in your buying assessment.

• Dry clothes outdoors: To prevent moisture build-up in laundry rooms, consider drying your clothes outside whenever possible. It is important to maintain proper circulation in rooms prone to moisture, and wet laundry dampens the air. If you need to dry your clothes inside, keep the laundry room door open to help increase air flow and ventilation from the moisture.

• Schedule a Mold Test: If you suspect mold growth or want to ensure your home is mold-free, WIN offers professional mold testing services. Our experts will identify the presence of mold using surface and air testing methods before assessing its type and severity. We then provide unbiased recommendations for remediation, if necessary.
  Air sampling is the most common mold test conducted, and it is done via vacuum suction and detection thereafter. Surface testing takes place via swab, tape and bulk samples. Swabs are used to transfer mold from infected areas to petri dishes for testing. Tape reduces the chance of cross contamination due to its direct method of transport. Bulk samples take chunks of heavily affected areas and are then tested in the lab.

• Look for physical signs of water damage: Regularly inspect your home for signs of water damage, such as discolored patches, peeling paint, or warped ceilings. Addressing water-related issues promptly can prevent further damage and the growth of mold and mildew, which causes respiratory problems. Water damage can also threaten the structural integrity of a home, allowing environmentally hazardous agents in and increasing the risk of partial or total dwelling collapse. The average cost of water damage repair ranges from $1,300 to $5,600.

Protect Your Indoor Air Quality to Reduce Allergies, Asthma, and Respiratory Issues

Over time, industrialization and pollution has led to a decline in outdoor air quality. As a result, it is becoming increasingly important to maintain healthy indoor air quality and protect our well-being. Many Americans underestimate the threat of indoor air pollutants, whose levels are often two to five times higher than those outside. Indoor air pollution can lead to various health issues, including allergies, respiratory problems, and poor mood, sleep, and overall well-being.

If you experience chronic allergies or respiratory issues, consider getting a WIN Air Quality Test. With more Americans working from home, indoor air quality has become a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy living environment. WIN can provide comprehensive indoor air quality testing to identify and address potential pollutants. Know that children are particularly susceptible to air pollutants and allergens due to their development. If you want to know your family is completely safe and rest easy knowing you can control what is in the air your kids breathe, get a WIN Air Quality Test today.

Annual Home Maintenance Tasks

Monthly Maintenance Tasks

• Clean your furnace filter to decrease energy bills

• Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

• Ensure fire extinguishers are not expired

• Check under your sinks for leaks

• Clean grime from Kitchen Range Hood

• Spray home for hidden pests

• Clean debris from faucets and shower heads

• Clean out the dryer vent

• Dust blinds, windowsills, baseboards, and tops of furniture

• Check your laundry room, bathrooms, and kitchen for signs of moisture and mold

Seasonal Maintenance Tasks

Spring

• Clean pool filters and evaluate pump efficiency before using the pool for the season

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts

• Change indoor air filters

• Test your air quality as indoor air pollution is worse in the Winter and Spring seasons

• Do pest control

Summer

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts

• Change indoor air filters

• Maintain pest control

• Adjust thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit

Fall

• Clean pool filters and evaluate pump efficiency before closing the pool for the season

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts

• Change indoor air filters

• Trim trees and shrubs away from the home

• Inspect roof for damaged or missing shingles

Winter

• Clean rain gutters and downspouts

• Change indoor air filters

• Weatherstrip or caulk window and door frames

• Clear outdoor driveways and walkways

• Ensure no insulation is missing or damaged

• Adjust thermostats to 68 degrees Fahrenheit

By conducting regular inspections, tests, and maintenance on our homes, you can catch problems early, saving you money and increasing your health and safety in your home. WIN offers a comprehensive Healthy Home Check, which includes services such as IR Scans, Sewer Scope Inspections, and Air Quality Tests, to detect and address issues promptly. Remember, by prioritizing home maintenance and wellness, we not only ensure our homes are safe and comfortable, but we also increase their long-term value. Schedule with WIN Home Inspection to protect your home, your health, and your future.