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Anchor Stand-up: Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. Regular maintenance is the best way to ensure you protect that asset and to avoid costly repairs down the road.
Preventative maintenance: To keep maintenance cheap and easy, start by cleaning vegetation from around your air conditioner to prolong the life of the unit. Check ducts in the attic for cracks and rips; patch them with foil tape to improve the efficiency of your heating and air systems. Drain your water heater once a year to prevent buildup of sediment on the heating coil. And while you’re at it, check the roof for loose shingles and secure them with roof cement or tar.
Rental tools: You don’t have to buy brand new tools to maintain your home. Buy used. You can find used tools at yard sales, classified ads or pawn shops can save you hundreds of dollars on hammers, power drills, screwdrivers and wrenches. If you need bigger ticket items that you don’t plan to use much, check out the cost of renting. Tools like power washers and paint sprayers, hammer drills, scaffolding and platforms can be rented for a nominal fee compared to purchasing the items.
Materials & Paint: Chances are if you own a home you have lots of leftover materials lying around from other projects such as screws, bolts, paint and other small bits of hardware. These materials can come in handy and save you lots of money and time. You don’t want to buy a whole bag of screws and bolts when you only need one. Same goes for paint…keep the leftover can(s) so you can fix nicks or chips without having to buy a new gallon.
Organized tools & work space: Dedicate a clean work space in your home to keep all of your vital DIY gear handy when you need it. Just putting up some cheap Pegboard in your garage or shed can help you find everything you need. Overall, just having some basic tools can get you by on any home maintenance project.
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