Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Summer Time Home Maintenance Issues

Summer is finally here. That is good news for all of the kids who have worked so hard in Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield, King William and surrounding local schools over the last nine months and a great break for all of us who like to have the daylight for as long as we can. Your home and yard however, can experience some high risk issues during this time. The rising cost of fuel is making it harder and harder to pay bills for the average family. The last thing you need is the expense of replacing a mechanical device in your home, or having to redo a yard that has taken time and money to get lush and green, or have structure damage due to wood destroying insects. Many of my clients have a service contract with local companies to help avoid some of these possible catastrophes. For example, most heating and air companies will do a yearly service contract which will state that they will come out twice yearly and inspect and service your unit. How many of us do not take time to change the filters? Most HVAC contractors will say that is the one thing that will extend the life of your unit and many homeowners do not take time to do this. This maintenance contract will also ensure that this is done. Obviously, you can get a unit fixed if it breaks – but having a service contract may prevent a problem before it becomes one. Also, in the hot days of the summer, you may have to wait two to three days to get your unit repaired. That will seem like weeks if the temperature is 100 degrees! You can also have a monthly yard maintenance contract for a minimal fee. This takes the guess work out of what to do when to keep your lawn vibrant. If you are a “do it yourself” kind of person, Scotts has a great program on their website or on the back of any seeding, fertilizing, or stabilizer bags. If you follow that and keep your yard watered you should have success! If you are spending time and money on your yard, you may want to consider a sprinkler system. It doesn’t seem to matter how much money or energy you put into your yard – if you do not have the ability to keep it wet, you will not enjoy success. You can also obtain a yearly maintenance contract from a local pest control company. In our hot and wet climate here in the Richmond, Hanover, Mechanicsville, Henrico, Glen Allen and King William, Virginia areas, termites and mold have become an ever increasing problem. A termite contract may help prevent structure damage from infestation over time that unfortunately the average home owner doesn’t find out about until damage has been done. This contract is minimal and inspections are done once yearly. The good news is that it comes with a warranty in the event that you do get termites during this contract – the company will cover the treating and damage costs associated with the infestation. If you are interested in obtaining information on how to contact any company about maintenance contracts, please give me a call.

Compliments of: Kathy Holland, Broker/Owner

Resource Realty Services