Protect the investment in your home by making these home maintenance tasks a priority—and avoiding costly problems later. 

When you juggle responsibilities for work, family and your home, it can be tempting to let home maintenance tasks slide. While there’s no harm in putting off some jobs, others should be taken care of right away to avoid damage and unnecessary expenses. Here  are seven things you should never ignore around your home.

Water leaks

A leaky roof, pipe or home foundation can all lead to major damage if not addressed quickly. Fix small leaks before they lead to costly damage like rot, mold or mildew.

Broken windows or doors

The problems with broken windows or doors are threefold: your home is not secure, energy is wasted as heated or cooled air escapes and pests have a way in. It’s in your best interest to fix broken windows and doors as soon as possible.

Clogged or loose gutters

Gutters play a key role in keeping your home’s roof, foundation and landscaping free of excess water. Clogged gutters can push excess water under your roofing shingles. In freezing temperatures, this can lead to roof damage. If gutters don’t properly guide water away from your home, excess water can also seep into your basement or crawl space, while plants and landscaping materials can get washed away. Keep gutters clean and in good working order.

Dryer vent cleaning

You’re probably already in the habit of cleaning out the dryer lint trap before every load. But do you pay attention to the vent? Clogged dryer vent tubes can lead to a fire. At least once a year clean the duct that vents warm, moist air outside.

HVAC filter changes

Our tendency toward “out of sight, out of mind” makes it easy to overlook filter changes for the furnace and air conditioning system. However, monthly filter changes will help your system work more efficiently, keep your electric bill lower and keep the air you breathe cleaner.

Pest control

The time to address carpenter ants, termites and rodents is when you first become aware of them. Delays in pest control simply give the pesky bugs and critters more time to infest your home. The more extensive the infestation, the more difficult it is to control. Eradicate pests as quickly as possible.

Exterior paint

Paint does more than make your home look nice; it also protects your home from water, sun and rot. Peeling or chipped paint should be touched-up as needed.

Staying on top of these seven home maintenance areas will help protect the investment in your home. If you don’t have the time or skills to do these tasks, consider hiring them out. If you don’t have funds set aside for home maintenance, you could tap into a Consumers home equity line of credit (HELOC) to cover the cost.

Consumers helps more than 2,000 members finance land, first and second homes, and home improvement projects each year. We’d love to help you with a mortgage or home equity line of credit; contact us online or call us at 800-991-2221.