Home, sweet home. If you’re one of the more than 75 million homeowners in the United States, you probably already understand the satisfaction that owning a home can provide. Your dwelling is more than a place to live. It’s where you share time with the people you love; where you make memories; a respite from the rest of the world. Your residence is where you likely spend most of your time. When you feel good about where you live, you’re likely to be happier overall.
What can dampen that satisfaction? The upkeep that a property can require. Maybe it’s a leaky faucet, a cabinet door that won’t close all the way, or a malfunctioning light switch. You may notice a repair and delay it. In other occasions, something breaks or stops working — such as a clogged toilet or a doorknob that comes off in your hand.
Among work, family and other responsibilities, it’s not surprising that it’s sometimes hard to find the time to tackle those home repairs. After all, who wants to do repairs at the end of a long workday, or burn a weekend morning running to the hardware store? Fortunately, some types of issues — such as a squeaky door or misaligned kitchen cabinet drawer — may be more of a nuisance than a matter that needs to be addressed immediately. That’s not the case for all house repairs, though. Some should be redressed as soon as possible.
These types of repairs may appear minor (at least at first), but can cause major damage to your residence or even present a danger to you and your family. Those repairs include roof and foundation issues, plumbing problems, and electrical malfunctions — among others. The accompanying infographic lists 10 repairs that should never be averted — as well as how they can affect not only the structure and safety of your home, but possibly your health and well-being.
While house repairs can take time to address, the good news is, often a small investment of time and money can prevent a seemingly insignificant problem from becoming a bigger one. In many cases, you can perform the repairs. In others — such as in the case of roofing and electrical problems — it’s smart to hire an expert to be sure that the problem is fixed properly and safely.
