Owning a home can be a great advantage to anyone no matter how old they are. Owning a home is a big responsibility, and is quite different than renting an apartment. For starters, when you rent an apartment, you are paying a landlord rent every month that allows you to live somewhere that will never be fully yours. Because of this, owning an apartment means not being able to paint your walls the color you want, hanging up photos with nails, installing a sound system or hanging up a new TV, and so on. In addition, when you pay rent, it’s wasted valuable income that is never going to go back into your pockets again. However, many people choose to rent because they believe owning a home is too difficult, or too much responsibility. People choose to rent because if any maintenance issues arise, a simple call to their landlord can fix the issue.

Why Own a Home?

Though it’s true that renting an apartment is more convenient in terms of having someone handle any issues that come up for repairs, overtime you lose money by renting and not owning. When you own a property, even a simple condo, you’re able to build up equity on it overtime, as the value of your home or condo grows. Because of this, the more time you spend renting and not owning, the more and more valuable equity you lose out on. A home can bring you and your family lots of joy, not to mention extra space, and be a valuable asset to your family. On top of being an asset, many times paying a mortgage to own a home is about the same as paying rent, depending on your lender, the amount of money you put down, and your credit score.

Caring for a Home

Owning a home is more than just paying the mortgage and getting the keys, parking your cars in the garage, and putting a sign with your name out front. Owning a home is a big responsibility, especially when it comes to issues such as home maintenance, home maintenance items, repairs, and repair items. If you don’t maintain a home, overtime it will deteriorate and cause issues that can cost thousands of dollars. In fact, On average, homeowners will spend between 1 to 4 percent of a home’s value annually on maintenance and repairs, which tend to increase as the house ages. For a $200,000 home, that’s at least $2,000 in repairs annually. However, you can save a lot of money on maintenance and repairs by initiating repairs and fix issues before they get out of hand.

Getting the Best Help

Before you go crazy trying to fix everything in your home, consider realistically how much time, effort (physically and emotionally), and money you can spend to maintenance your home on your own. It costs a fair amount of money to get home maintenance items in order, and also to replace and repair items on your own. This is especially true if you don’t have any formal training as a building contractor or repairman. Even if you do work as a repairman for, lets say, septic system repairs, this doesn’t mean you can automatically know how plumbing works, and vice versa! Every home is unique, so it’s important to understand what your limits are, and get help when you need it. Starting a maintenance project and not finishing it, or doing it improperly, can have disastrous and costly consequences. Below are 15 home maintenance items you should never do alone or without professional help.

1. Septic Tank

Septic tank systems are far different from regular home maintenance items. Septic tank pumping systems can lie hundreds of feet below the ground, and depending on the city or municipality you live in, can be connected to a shared septic system or be on its own. Whatever the case, it’s important to get professional help when dealing with septic systems, as they are far more complex than regular plumbing issues and require the help of engineers to fix issues.

2. Plumbing

Plumbing can be a simple tax, and regular home maintenance items like a plunger or Draino fluid can quickly help fix a clogged toilet. However, when issues start getting out of hand, such as a bad leak or low water pressure, it’s time to call in professionals to help fix plumbing issues. Regular putty can sometimes help temporarily fix issues, but this is only temporary and not a permanent fix. Leaks and other issues can cause other damage in your home, such as flooding and mold.

3. Roofing

Roofing can be a physically demanding repair job. Regular home maintenance items such as a staple gun and hammer can be used to replace residential roofing, but professionals are much more equipped to handle tough roofing services. In addition, sometimes roofing issues involve more than replacing architectural tiles. Installing flashing, reinforcing valleys to avoid leaks, and whole-roof replacement jobs need the help of professionals to keep your mind at ease.

4. Home Building

Buying a plot of land might be a cheap and easy option to acquire property. Even building a home seems like it won’t be too much of an issue. However, home builders have much more experience and better methods to move land and build a home than you would as an amateur builder. There’s also the issue of acquiring the proper permits and licenses to build your home. Home builders will also be able to plan out all the details by laying down foundation, planning out the details of plumbing, and also electrical work.

5. Electrical Systems

It’s never a good idea to work on electrical systems on your own. In fact, electrocution is the sixth most common cause of workplace deaths

in the United States! Electrical hazards cause more than 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries each year among workers in the U.S., and accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Though you might be able to use home maintenance items such as voltmeters to measure shorts and voltages, it won’t be able to help you repair electrical wires unless you’re an experienced electrician.

6. Landscaping

Landscaping projects are a beautiful way to upgrade the outside of your home and have it looking great. Though it’s easy to install and plant a vegetable garden, or even to install a rose or other flower bed, there’s a bit of work that goes into re-doing your landscaping completely. If you want to redo your yard to have water-efficient plants such as cacti and succulents, it will take a bit of heavy work to get this vision to become reality. Consider also changes to your sprinkler system, and seek the help of professionals if your project is going to involve more work than you once thought.

7. Flooring

Installing hardwood flooring can be one of the best investments you can make for your home. Many home buyers now prefer hardwood flooring to other types of flooring, and some might even consider polished concrete or ceramic. However, installing flooring involves more than simply ripping up old carpet with home maintenance items like boxcutters and knives. To get your flooring done right and not risk further damage to your home, get the help of professional flooring installers to add value to your home. It will save you time and labor as well.

8. Fire Safety Systems

All homes have to have some sort of fire safety, and this is especially true if you have a work-station or simply have a huge home. Going through with a fire sprinkler system installation can give you peace of mind and ensure you have protection in case a fire breaks out in your home or home office. Consider installing either a stand-alone or multi-use sprinkler system, and get professional help when installing your new systems.

9. Windows and Doors

Windows and doors can last for up to 20 years if properly maintained. This might happen sooner due to weather conditions such as heavy snow, rain, and even heat. Getting window and door installation is important in order to save on energy bills. The more that the seal of a window or door gets damaged, the more a draft will be let in, and the more likely you are to turn up your heat and use more energy. Damaged windows and doors can also prove to be dangerous if you live in a neighborhood prone to crime. Professional window and door installers can not only help you get a good-looking window and door that’s pleasing, but also one that’s fortified.

10. Kitchen Remodeling

Kitchen remodeling involves much more than painting cabinets. If you decide to get new appliances or install new sinks, this involves having to re-do your plumbing and even change into more energy and water-saving appliances. Whole home remodeling services are a great way to redo your kitchen and upgrade it in order to add more value.

11. Bath Remodeling

When you remodel your bathroom, it can be easy to get carried away and choose bathtubs and sinks because they look pretty. However, a professional needs to take account of accurate measurements, materials and material costs, and plumbing among other things. In addition, if you have someone who is disabled in your home, a professional bath remodeler can give you options and design a bathroom that is ADA friendly.

12. Paving

The asphalt in your driveway might last you years and years, and can be maintained on the outside with simple home maintenance items such as brooms and power washers. However, many times asphalt needs to have the help of seal coating in order to help it last longer and stay tough against the effects of your vehicle and the weather. Snow that thaws onto the asphalt, oil, friction, and gasoline can all deteriorate your pavement, so getting professional help to maintain your pavement can help extend the life of your driveway.

13. Pool Maintenance

Pool maintenance might involve things such as draining, algae treatment, and even installing a pool or patio cover to keep away dirt and debris. Chlorine treatment, fixing the pumps of your pool, and even problems with your pool temperature must also be fixed with the help of a professional. Get help from a trusted pool services company to help you maintain your beautiful pool, and prevent issues from permanently damaging it.

14. Homestead Living

Many people want to turn their home into an abode that can survive on its own. Living off the land and turning your home into a farm and homestead might seem like a simple task. After all, all it takes a couple of home maintenance items like shovels and rakes, a couple of chickens and horses, right? Not quite. Many times, you need the help of a professional ranch-hand to know what exactly you can do to get the most out of your land and property. Setting up fencing around your property and new homestead is another task that can require lots of work. Luckily, with the help of professional lidar services, you can get a detailed overhead image of your property, and a better idea of how to set up and protect your new property. Get the help of experienced farmers that are experiences in handling land and growing food and maintaining animals. It can be rewarding to call your home a homestead, and it’s worth it to seek professional help.

15. Garage Remodeling

It can be tempting to want to remodel your garage by yourself. However, even simple home maintenance items like a screwdriver and WD-40 aren’t enough to fix a heavily damaged garage door. Garage door spring repairs are essential if you have a noisy garage or springs that are close to cracking. Opening a garage door automatically with a broken spring puts you at risk of burning your motors and also crushing your hands with heavy garage panels. Get professional help to remodel your garage door and remodel your garage.