You know what they say about that ounce of prevention. If you ignore the advice and overlook home maintenance, the pound of cure can set you back hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
Sooner or later, a neglected roof will leak. A furnace overworked from clogged air filters will need an expensive overhaul.
And that leaky window will lead to dry rot in your home's framework and walls, necessitating a lot of expensive structural and esthetic repairs.
Prevention, in the form of maintenance tackled throughout the year, is the best way to keep these common household ills at bay.
When little things go wrong - as they inevitably will - being able to take care of them quickly with the right tools at hand means you'll spend less of your valuable time waiting for those repair people to make an expensive appearance.
The first step in creating a low-maintenance home - one you don't need to worry about when rains fall and winds blow - is to solve small problems before they need big, expensive fixes.
Small problems you can handle yourself, depending on how handy you are; others definitely call for a professional.
In either case, being aware of what requires
regular maintenance
be it annually or on an as-needed basis, is the key to keeping your home running smoothly.
Stocking your home maintenance kit with the following items will help ensure that whatever the minor emergency - you're equipped to handle it right. And fast.
1 Adjustable wrench.
2 Battery-operated stud finder.
3 Claw hammer.
4 Combination square.
5 Cordless drill.
6 Crosscut saw.
7 Drill bits.
8 Flashlight.
9 Hacksaw.
10 Extension cords.
11 Pliers: locking, needle-nose, standard slip-joint, tongue-and-groove (medium size) and wire-cutting.
