For most, a home is the biggest investment you’ll ever make. In the excitement of making the purchase, the less glamorous parts of home ownership can be overlooked. Just like a car, you home will require maintenance and upkeep if you want to protect its value.
Seemingly insignificant tasks can affect the overall reliability of your home’s systems. Just like a car needs oil changes, filter changes, and tune ups; so does your home. If you neglect changing the air filters in your HV/AC systems can cause the systems to break down. You need everything working at peak capacity to keep your energy bills low and keep repairs to a minimum.
Having reliable professionals to help when things go wrong is just as importance as maintenance. The repair professionals you’ll see more than others are plumbers and electricians.
Plumber
Whether you purchase a newly built home or preowned, you’ll likely need a plumber sooner than later. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are several small plumbing repairs you can do yourself. But be careful. Changing out a faucet o-ring is not the same as changing the entire faucet.
You may want to add an under sink water filtration system. A homeowner can do this, but it’s likely you won’t have all of the literal tools it will take to make it happen. There’s nothing worse than taking a stab at something you’re not really qualified to tackle and causing a larger issue.
A plumber can handle a world of issues. If you’re not familiar with all of the services they can provide this guide for plumbers will help let you know when a plumber can help with your issue.
Electricians
The other licensed professional you’re likely to need is an electrician. Even if your home is brand new, you may want to add dimmer switches in your kitchen or dining room. What about under cabinet lighting? Having outlets added inside your cabinets will be necessary to make that happen. This is likely something you do not want to attempt as a home owner.
Adding outlets to your outside entertaining area is a great idea. An expert electrician can draw up a plan to your specifications and then make it a reality. Running lines for additional lighting or ceiling fans is also common jobs for professional electricians.
Unlike plumbing, a homeowner trying to make changes to your home’s wiring is dangerous. A plumbing mistake may make a mess, but an electrical mistake can cost you your life. Don’t take chances.
Choosing the trade professionals you can trust
Like choosing a mechanic you can trust to work on your car; choosing the best trade professional can be scary. The best way to find plumber or electricians you can trust is to ask your family or friends. Talk to your neighbors. See who they have used when they’ve had issues. A personal recommendation is best.
If you don’t have anyone local you trust to ask, go to the Internet. Check reviews on different sites. There are several places that will guarantee the work of the professionals listed. Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints and resolutions filed for different companies.