HomeTeam Inspection Service professionals share tips and best options for owners looking to take on maintenance and home improvement projects.

As the days get longer and the weather gets nicer, many homeowners find themselves inspired to take on a new home improvement or home maintenance project around the house. Whether you’re looking to complete an indoor or outdoor project, simple maintenance or a notable upgrade, there are steps to take to ensure the project goes smoothly and has a net positive impact on the value of the home.

“The idea of having a cleaning and maintenance checklist is helpful because sometimes the smaller to-do list items get forgotten year after year, and then they become big-ticket items that may need expensive fixes,” explained Adam Long, president of HomeTeam Inspection Service. “There are maintenance steps that can be taken on independently, but homeowners should also consider leveraging the expertise of a qualified home inspector to ensure certain aspects of the home are still safe and functional.”

If you aren’t ready to take on a full-fledged home improvement project, going through a set of standard maintenance checks can be a great way to keep up with important tasks around the house that can increase livability and protect the value of the home itself long-term.

Some of the basic home maintenance steps to look into include:

HVAC Maintenance: Schedule a routine inspection of and maintenance for the HVAC system. This often includes cleaning or replacing filters, checking for leaks and otherwise optimizing the performance of the system. When this work is complete, energy efficiency can increase, and indoor air quality is boosted.
Plumbing Inspections: A routine plumbing inspection can help homeowners to detect leaks, drips and clogs in faucets, toilets, drains and water heaters before they escalate. Because of the water damage often associated with plumbing-related failures, identifying these issues early on is especially important.
Roof and Gutter Inspections: The roof and gutters of a home are two places that an owner sees firsthand less frequently, if at all. A qualified home inspector can safely evaluate the roof and gutters for leaks, damage, missing shingles and other unnecessary debris.

If you have plans to take on a more involved project, there are a range of options that can increase your satisfaction with the home while also potentially increasing the value of the home for aesthetic, efficiency or safety reasons.

Updating insulation is a great way to increase efficiency and comfort, especially during the warmer and cooler months. By decreasing heat transfer, high-quality insulation keeps the home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Renovating a kitchen or bathroom can make the home even more beautiful and provides an opportunity to incorporate practical assets into a new design.
Revamping outdoor spaces with projects such as a deck build, patio creation or garden establishment creates an ideal environment for outdoor gatherings in the warmer months.
Smart home technology is another upgrade that can increase the safety and efficiency of a home while bringing it “up to date.” The level of involvement required for a smart home technology upgrade depends largely on the intensity and breadth of the project.

In the case of any work around the house, it is important that you consider when the help of a professional might be necessary. While some projects may seem straightforward, there are often steps that can be more challenging and, when done incorrectly, prove risky for the home and its owner.

After an honest self-assessment, consider whether you are qualified to evaluate and plan for personal protective equipment needs, power tool safety, hazardous chemicals, electrical safety and any labor-intensive project needs.

“Safety should always be the top priority in home maintenance and improvement projects,” said Long. “Being aware of the potential risks and demands of a given project will allow you to call in the appropriate help when necessary whether that is entirely outsourcing the project to a professional or simply speaking with an inspector to better understand what areas of the home are in need of improvements.”