Keep Up Your Home

Roofs

Most roofs today last around 30 years, give or take. I put a 50-year shingle on my home that is resistant to wind, hail, and water buildup. I put some 50-year shingles on my garage years ago and had only one shingle tar down after 20 years had passed. I put 25-year shingles on a building, which were worn out in twenty years. Buy top-quality brand shingles if you want them to stand the test of time. Hire someone that has been in the roofing business for years and is not a fly-by-night person. Make sure your shingles come with a written warranty, and realize if they go out of business, so does your warranty on the shingles. If your home has a lot of valleys or cupolas, make sure your roofer knows how to shingle and caulk around those. I had one roofer that did not know how to do any roof except for a ranch house. A thick grade of steel roofing is good on farm buildings and homes.

Wiring

Keep the wiring up to date in your home, as bad wires could lead to fires. Hire a qualified electrician with years of experience. I have had the same electrician for years. He put new wiring in my home along with circuit breakers. He has installed ceiling fans, GFI plugs, and several main poles in the rental houses I once owned. I had a bad thermostat wire that he could not find once; otherwise, his work has been perfect over the years.

Porches And Decks

I make sure I stain my deck floor every year with an oil stain, as oil stands up much better than latex stain. Porches need the ceiling repainted every so often, along with new deck boards. Make sure your carpenter uses thick enough boards for the floor. If your boards are thin and not water treated, your floor must be replaced within five years because it will be rotten.

Siding

Wood siding will get so no paint will adhere to it eventually, or it will rot out over time. I had vinyl siding put on my home and some of the rentals I used to own. I have had good luck with vinyl siding over the years. Hire a qualified siding installer and get a written warranty from them for the siding.

Windows

I put all new vinyl windows in my home and some of the rentals I used to own. Old wood windows start to rot out or get water logged on the bottom part o the window. The wood windows also get bowed down where they hinge together. I like to use brand-name windows and windows at a medium price. Never buy cheap windows, as you get what you pay for. Hire a professional company that has professional installers. If you hire a run-of-the-mile person, you may not have enough insolation installed around your windows, and you may have quite a draft coming through your brand-new windows.

Bathrooms And Kitchens

At some point, you will want to upgrade your bathroom or kitchen. I have had new countertops put in over the years and had cupboards repaired or replaced. I went to a lumber store and picked out what I wanted, and my carpenter installed them. My bathroom only had a tub, and I had a tub surround installed and a shower. You will need new faucets and the plumbing maintained throughout your home. The older one gets, the more upgrades your bathroom may require. You may want to have a walk-in tub put in someday or a walk-in shower.

Heating And Water Heaters

I had a new tankless water heater installed recently that I purchased from a lumber store. I also had several new furnaces installed by professionals. New furnaces and water heaters only last about twelve years anymore. Keep up your home regularly so you do not have to spend all of your money at once on costly repairs. Be savvy and smart about who you hire for your home repairs.