It’s incredible how some homeowners keep the exterior of their home. There is just plain junk all over the front yard, the lawn is overgrown, and more often than not a junk car sits in the driveway. And you wonder what the inside must look like after seeing the outside. A dump, maybe?

If you have a home you have the responsibility to keep it maintained. The general appearance shouldn’t look like a town dump. The house should be maintained to some minimum stand not only to protect your investment but in considerations to your neighbors. Routine maintenance must be an ongoing process to keep your home looking great to avoid expensive major repairs.

Tips to keep your home looking its best:

Most home routine maintenance can be performed by yourself as a DIY tasks. A handy man or contractor is really not necessary. The curb appearance should always be at its best. If you are a junk collector, store it in the backyard not the front yard.

The exterior should be kept clean as well as the inside. Yes, this does count as routine maintenance! Dirt and dust can damage the exterior finish as well as the interior. Dirt, sand and debris tracked into the house can ruin floors or carpeting if it's not taken care of properly.

Maintain the security system by testing backup batteries. All homes should have a fire alarm and a carbon monoxide detector. Keep these devices free of dust and check their batteries every month to make sure they're still working.

Clean the gutters one or twice a year. Keeping leaves, sticks, and other debris out of the gutters helps prevent water from backing up and damaging the roof or siding.

Twice a year conduct a visual inspection of the outside of your home. Look for chips in the paint, cracks in the siding, or gaps between windows and doors and repair those before they let in pests or the elements. Check the roof for missing tiles or shingles, or areas where water could get in. Check the flashing around the roof and chimney and make sure it's in good condition. And make sure water is draining away from the house, not towards it.

Check heating and cooling air filters. Replace air filters annually to keep air flowing freely in your home. Clogged filters can force the air conditioning or heater to work harder to keep airflow going, which can strain the system over time.

Repair or replace leaky faucets to save on water. Check your pipes regularly for leaks. If you can't make the repair yourself, call a plumber.

Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back so the branches don't scrape against the siding or fall on the house during a storm.

Check the caulk around sinks, showers, and tubs. Make sure there are no gaps in the caulking. Even tiny gaps can let water in which can travel into walls and subfloors, leading to rot, mold, or mildew.

While you can handle most minor things yourself, some things should be left to a professional. Anything you don't feel safe doing yourself should be left to the professionals. This includes roof inspections, gutter cleaning, or tree trimming.

Although these tips looks intimidating, performing the inspections doesn't take a lot of time, and chances are you won't have to repair everything all at once. The inspections and minor repairs are intended to help prevent small problems from becoming bigger ones, so if you start when everything is working well, you won't be overwhelmed by a major repair job.

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