Because you have year-round relationships with your clients, you can help them cut costs and maintain their home values by suggesting these repairs:
Thanks to MSN for this compilation.
- Change HVAC filters every few months to cut utility bills.
- Fix leaking faucets as soon as possible. One drip/minute waster 34 galloons of water every year.
- Caulk the shower and tub. Keep seams around faucets tightly sealed. Careful caulking can prevent mold-infested tile and drywall…and save your clients thousands of dollars.
- Inspect sump pumps regularly to keep water out of basements and crawl spaces.
- Update all light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs concentrating first on lights used the most.
- Install programmable thermostats to automatically set temperatures consistent with your “at home and away” and sleeping patterns.
- Inspect all electrical outlets and cords to prevent fire hazards. Look for exposed wire, spliced wire connected with electrical tape, and overloaded power strips. Warning signs include flickering lights, warm-to-the-touch fixtures/switches and non-working outlets.
- Replace smoke detector batteries every six months.
- Fix running toilets as soon as possible to prevent water waste and unduly high water bills.
- Wrap water heaters with insulating blankets. Energy.gov estimates savings of 7-16%. Pre-cut blankets are available at Home Depot and Amazon.
- Caulk leaky doors and windows. Insulating foam sealer spray cans are useful to fill larger leaks. Also check around appliance vents, hoses, plumbing fixtures and furnace ducts.
- Flush water heaters yearly to remove any accumulated sediment.
- Lower fuel costs by installing extra attic insulation after sealing air leaks.
- Install weather-stripping to seal air leaks. Check out Energy.gov for tips.
- Clotheslines (outside/basement are coming back into fashion to cut fuel consumption.
- Check downspouts and pull back soil/mulch from siding.
- Clean siding yearly with soapy water and .5 cup of tri-sodium phosphate per gallon to remove dirt, moss, mildew, crumbling mortar.
