Maintain your home with confidence and without fear!
Home maintenance can feel like a lot. Repairs and even routine upkeep can seem daunting. If you aren’t handy, they can be overwhelming. But putting off repairs can lead to bigger issues down the road. Even it you don’t have much experience, or just need to understand how to request the right repair, have no fear. There are plenty of things you can do to get past your anxiety and approach fixing things around your home with confidence.
Where to find good home maintenance advice
One of the biggest obstacles for people who are new to doing maintenance and repairs is getting the right advice. One source for DIY maintenance is Mercury Stardust. The podcast, Maintenance is a Drag, is a question and answer show that takes a few projects from the audience and helps walk them through a solution.
For instruction from a maintenance pro focused on empowering women to wield tools and tackle maintenance, see Jane Drill. She offers a variety of instructions for various projects and helpful tips on how to operate tools. You can also check out her website, See Jane Drill Website for articles as well as a tool database lookup and more.
How to plan ahead for maintenance and repairs
Some maintenance is routine, like switching out HVAC filters and cleaning the dryer vent. These are part of a regular plan you set up to stay on top of home maintenance. Then add annual and semi-annual tasks like cleaning gutters or reversing your ceiling fans.
When it comes to emergencies like storms or wildfires, it’s harder to predict exactly what you will need. However, beginning a maintenance fund can help you to prepare for emergencies and surprise repair costs. Having a home warranty can also help to defray costs of repairs along with your homeowners insurance.
If you are concerned about finding reputable pros to help with things you can’t do yourself, it’s worth asking friends and neighbors about their experiences.