Minor home maintenance tasks to tackle this weekend

It's easy to put off home maintenance. The pool pump not working? "It's winter now, I'll get to it before the summer." Front gate a bit rusty? "We mostly enter and exit through the garage." 

Sound familiar? "Home maintenance is one of those things that you can keep putting off - not unlike a visit to the dentist - but eventually it simply has to be done. And ideally before it turns into an Issue, with a capital I," says Steven van Rooyen, Principal at Leapfrog Milnerton. 

Tackling those home maintenance tasks sooner rather than later is likely to save you time and money in the long run. "Home maintenance should be done as a matter of course, or at the first sign of a problem," Van Rooyen recommends. 

He adds that property is both an asset and an investment, and certainly something worth looking after by keeping a firm hand on things and ensuring the maintenance is up to date.

"There are the 'typical' maintenance concerns that are often ignored or overlooked, and it's a good idea to do a sort of 'mid-year stocktake' and deal with these as soon as possible." Van Rooyen says. 

Working from the top down is a good place to start - the roof. Make sure to regularly inspect the roof for signs of leaks and damages. "Fixing a roof can be a costly exercise so it's a case of prevention is better than cure. Check for missing tiles on tiled roofs or blistering and bubbling on flat roofs and get expert help to sort it out immediately," Van Rooyen recommends. Also clear any debris from the roof and make things like overhead cables or tree branches aren't making contact with the roof. 

A good flush can go a long way in keeping certain things functioning! "Make sure to keep the sanitary ware in good working order by occasionally running water in baths and showers that aren't used regularly. Also flush toilets regularly as this prevents grime, which can cause blockages, from building up,"Van Rooyen says. Showerheads should also be cleaned from time to time to remove residue build-up. The state of the showerhead can impact water pressure so keeping it clean helps with reducing water consumption.

Spring cleaning may be something that you have scheduled for in a few months' time but have you got "clean the garage" on that list? "A garage is often everything but the place where the car sleeps - it tends to be both dumping ground and storage facility, and generally not a space that's regularly maintained or cleaned," Van Rooyen shares. The walls, windows, floor and roof of the garage needs to be inspected, maintained and repaired like any other part of the house. "It's recommended to deep clean the garage and create order by finding a suitable spot for everything - think shelves, hooks, cupboards - and arrange in categories like "garden", "kids toys", "paperwork" and "camping". Make sure you store things in a dry space where pests like rats can't get to it. 

Lastly, make sure to not overlook the really small things like replacing light bulbs or fixing curtain hooks that have come loose. "Replacing a missing screw on a door handle or resealing the bath are examples of small but significant maintenance tasks that simply help you to stay in the habit of dealing with property maintenance as and when incidents arise," Van Rooyen believes. 

The "secret" to a well-maintained property is getting into the habit of doing regular maintenance, including addressing issues as they arise, rather than waiting until it's at the point of no return. "Maintenance is part and parcel of owning a property but keeping your hand on it is sure to save you time, money and effort in the long run. And it helps the property grow in value," Van Rooyen says.