Why Is It Important To Maintain Your Home?
Direct Answer:
Home maintenance matters because small, regular jobs protect your home from bigger problems down the track. Like servicing a car, things like repainting exposed surfaces, resealing decks, checking shower silicone, clearing gutters, monitoring tree growth and servicing garage doors keeps materials performing and helps your home last for generations.
Why should I maintain my home the same way I service my car?
Most of us wouldn't think twice about booking the car in for a service every six or 12 months. We change the oil and brake fluid, replace tyres and get the wheel alignment checked, because we know that skipping those jobs catches up with us eventually.
Your home is no different. Because a house stays put and lasts a long time, often for generations, it's easy to assume it looks after itself. It doesn't. Regular maintenance is how you get the longest possible life out of your home, and neglecting it means parts of your home will gradually become compromised.
The good news is that most of it is minor. A little attention each year goes a long way.
How often does the paint on my house need redoing?
Paint isn't just about looks. On many surfaces, it's a protective coating that keeps helps preserve the material underneath. How long it lasts depends heavily on what it's applied to, the colour of the coating and how exposed it is.
- Timber Weatherboards: On the most exposed parts of the house, even with the best paints, they may need repainting as often as every year or two. This especially applies to the walls with no eaves exposed to the hot westerly sun.
- Timber windows: Like weatherboards, these need to be checked regularly. Exposed timber windows, particularly those facing west that cop the hot westerly sun and in turn rain, will need regular repainting.
- Fibre cement sheeting: More modern materials like compressed fibre cement weatherboards and cladding can go a decade or more before needing repainting. We have some projects that have original paint going strong from over 15 years ago.
- Cedar Cladding: Depending on whether it’s a natural grey weathered look or a coloured coating determines the frequency of maintenance. It’s important to recoat before any degradation to the existing coating starts.
- Colorbond, Brick & Aluminium: These just need a clean down as needed. They are the lowest maintenance items of all!
So, in summary, It's worth walking around your home and looking for paint that's flaking, chalky or cracking, especially on the sides that cop the most sun and rain. Then get the maintenance done early!
How do I look after my deck?
It depends on what your deck is made from.
- Timber decking needs to be cleaned and resealed each year to protect the boards.
- Composite decking doesn't need sealing, but it still needs a good clean to keep the material in the best possible condition.
Why should I check the silicone in my shower?
Silicone contains mould resistant additives and is normally very durable. But it still breaks down over time. Cleaners, soaps, abrasion, scrubbing and also how well it dries out between uses can affect how long it lasts. Once it starts to degrade, water can get into places it shouldn't, which is where hidden damage begins.
When doing your regular cleaning, keep an eye out for silicone that's discoloured, peeling, cracked or lifting away from the surface. If you spot any of these, get it repaired sooner rather than later.
How can my garden affect my house?
Gardens change a lot over the years. A tree that was small when your home was built may now be big enough to drop leaves into your gutters, or its roots may be affecting your home's foundations. Remember, your home may or may not have been engineered with tree roots in mind depending on what trees were there when your home was built.
Take a look at how your garden is interacting with your house, or have someone check it for you. Clearing gutters and keeping an eye on large trees near the house are simple ways to avoid bigger issues later. Remember to look at street and neighbours trees too.
Make sure your landscaping and pathways are diverting water away from your home. You are aiming for 50mm of fall away from the external walls in the 1st metre.
Does my garage door need servicing?
Yes. A garage door is a heavy item that works using springs and a motor, and getting it serviced by a specialist every two years helps keep it running well for many years.
This isn't a DIY job. The springs are under a lot of tension and can be dangerous, so always use a qualified garage door technician.
What home maintenance should I be doing, and how often?
Where can I get more guidance on maintaining my home?
If you've built with Transform Homes, your Handover Guide covers how to look after your home. It's provided as part of our handover process, so it's a good first place to look.
We're also more than happy to give you guidance along the way. Whether your home is in Melbourne's inner, northern or north-eastern suburbs or a semi-rural location on the suburban fringe, reach out to our team and we'll point you in the right direction. You can see the areas we cover in our Where We Build blog.
