Easy DIY Maintenance for Your Home

This post is sponsored by Lennar, the leading builder of quality new homes across the nation. At Lennar- Everything's Included, offering the best value at an incredible price. Their homes demonstrate customer commitment by showcasing outstanding new construction and homebuilding excellence. Lennar asked me to share with you about Easy DIY Maintenance.

When I bought my first home (many years ago) I was a little clueless about home maintenance. I mean my dad took care of that stuff my entire life so I never really paid attention or worried about it. I honestly don't recall a handyman ever being around our house because my dad was able to do everything.

Fast forward many years later to when I purchased a home and all of a sudden, home maintenance was my job. I didn't have a clue what to do but luckily my dad showed me and I was able to save a lot of money by doing many of the things myself.

EASY DIY MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR HOME

Here are some maintenance things that if I learned to do, anyone really can do them as well:

1. Filters

I became an expert on all things to do with filters. Air filter, dryer filter and freezer filter. I change them all on a regular basis to keep things running smoothly.

2. Plumbing

Toilets, Faucets and Sinks are integral part of your entire home.

We a keep a snake to keep all of our drains clear and we also have drain covers to catch hair. In addition, we are careful about what we put down our drains. We never put fats or oils down any drain at any time as they are the main reason for clogs.

Faucets are surprising easy to fix. I have changed out washers and fixed leaks in just minutes. All I did was turn off the water supply and go to work.

If your toilet is running, before calling a repairman, head to your local home improvement store and grab a $10-20 toilet parts replacement kit. This has worked for me every time.

3. Seals

This is kind of a fun one because I love caulk and fixing seals. Refrigerator seals are easy to replace and take just minutes to work properly.

Drafty windows can be fixed with a little caulk as can showers or bathtubs. Simply look for dried out or cracked caulk, remove and replace.

4. Washer and Dryer

Besides the lint filter, you should check the coils for leaks and the seals to make certain that they are working properly.

5. A/C & Water Heater

Make certain that your A/C screen is clean and that the condensation line is free flowing. Check for standing water and/or mold. If you find either, check the unit out carefully.

Water hoses on your water heater need to also be checked for leaks. Although I haven't tackled this project yet, you may want to consider draining and cleaning your water heater.

6. Paint

We keep all colors of pain on hand for touch ups when they are needed. Painting is also a great way to freshen up a room

7. Exterior

Gutters and roofs must be checked on a regular basis. Grab a ladder and make certain that your gutters are not clogged and if they are, remove any debris.

Check your roof a few times each year for missing or damaged shingles especially around chimneys and vents as these could cause a leak.

Replace anything as soon as possible to avoid leaks in your home.

Your new home will definitely require maintenance and doing these things sooner rather than later will insure that your home is protected. Owning a home is exciting and can be a fabulous investment provided that you treat it right. These tips will certainly help.

ABOUT LENNAR HOMES

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is headquartered in Miami, Florida and is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and retirement homes in Communities that cater to almost any lifestyle – such as urban, golf course, Active Adult or suburban Communities

So I want to hear from you, what tips do you have for first time home buyers?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lennar Homes. The opinions and text are all mine.