5 Home Maintenance Projects Best Left to Professionals

Homeowners that strive to keep their home in excellent shape often have to sacrifice other areas of their lives.  Whether a home is large or small, they all require plenty of maintenance.  However, there are some areas of home maintenance that are better left to the professionals. In many cases, the time saved from hiring a professional is more valuable than the cost savings of trying to do it yourself.  If you are a homeowner, consider delegating the following five home maintenance tasks to a professional: pre-season HVAC, roof maintenance, tree trimming, gutter cleaning, and chimney cleaning. 

1. Pre-Season HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) Checkup

To avoid peak season failures, you should hire a licensed HVAC technician to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. Some HVAC companies will even give you a discount if you sign up with them for a yearly spring and fall maintenance program.

I always recommend remaining with the technician to oversee their work.  A good technician will perform the following tasks:

• Check the thermostats to ensure the cooling and heating are working. 

• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. 

• Lubricate all moving parts. A lack of lubrication can cause friction in the motors and increase the amount of electricity you use. 

• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace, and heat pump (when in cooling mode). 

• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation.

• Check the equipment’s starting cycle to ensure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly. 

• Cooling – Clean evaporator and condenser coils, check refrigerant levels, and clean and adjust blower components.

• Heating – Check the gas (or oil) connections, gas pressure, burner combustion, and heat exchanger. 

Random HVAC maintenance can  lead to having to replace the system, which is costly. However, hiring a licensed HVAC technician will be less stressful while saving you time and money in the long run. 

2. Roof Maintenance

We recommend hiring a reputable licensed roofing company to maintain the rooftop annually  before the rainy season. Hold them accountable by asking them to take pictures of their work, the whole roof, their equipment, and any windows. You should also have them  address the following:

• Replace any cracked or curled up shingles and fix any loose nails. 

• Check for mold or algae, and make sure all areas are waterproofed and sealed up. 

• Replace caulking or mortar around the chimney, electrical boxes, windows, and plumbing. 

• Observe if there is a  frayed or cracking conduit that needs replacing. 

• Remove twigs and branches off the roof.  

3. Tree Trimming

Depending on the tree(s), some need trimming twice-a-year and some annually. Tree trimming is dangerous and buying or renting the equipment can be costly. It also takes skill to trim a tree for aesthetics without damaging it.  In short, the job is challenging, dangerous, and requires experience. Consider hiring a licensed and insured professional to take care of it for you.   

4. Gutter Cleaning

Gutters and downspouts should be cleaned in the spring and fall, especially if you have many trees surrounding your home.  Removing dirt and debris is vital to ensure proper water drainage. Otherwise, you could discover severe damage to your house’s foundation. 

While cleaning the gutters, have them inspect them for standing water, rust, holes, and wear and tear and send you pictures of anything they find.. You should repair or replace the problem areas immediately.  

Like tree trimming, gutter cleaning is also dangerous, which is why we recommend hiring a professional and insured company.

5. Chimney Cleaning

You should have your fireplace and chimney inspected every year in the fall to ensure that it properly and safely operates.  Even if you don’t use your fireplace, you should have it inspected as birds and small animals can climb inside the chimney and create nests there. Inspecting your chimney for these things  is not just unpleasant, but it’s dangerous and time-consuming. Allow a licensed and insured professional chimney cleaner to get the job done.

Ready to Take Home Maintenance Seriously? 

If you are a homeowner, then it’s important to do what you can to keep issues from arising. Custom Home Maintenance (CHM) is your one-stop solution for complete home repair, maintenance, and management.

Contact us to set up a free consultation with one of our CHM home managers.

Phone: 310-237-3869

Email: essentialhomemaint@gmail.com