Home Improvement Projects That Can’t Wait

Kara Masterson http://bradcocompany.com 3m 742 #homeimprovement

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

There are some home remodeling projects that you can afford to put off until you have the funds or feel it’s a more opportune time to pursue them. Some you may not want to deal with simply because they’re very time-consuming and labor-intensive. Depending on the project, you can afford to kick it down the road until you’re ready or willing to deal with it. However, there are some things that have to be taken care of the moment you become aware of them.

Update Your Laundry Room

Having clean laundry is important because you’re probably not about to wear dirty clothes if you can help it, and you’re certainly not about to wear nothing once your clean clothes are all gone. You need a working washer and dryer, and enough space to maneuver around in to load your clothes into them. If your laundry room suffers from insufficient features or a lack of space, then it’s a project you can take care of easily and quickly. You can do simple things to make your laundry space more functional, such as putting up shelves for laundry baskets, dryer sheets, starches, and detergents. You can create a storage space to keep folded clothing or collapsable laundry baskets and replace old or ripped wallpaper with new paint for a fresher, modern look. From September through January, laundry appliances typically go on sale, meaning you can get some good deals if you find what you have either outdated or in need of replacement.

Repair a Leaky Roof

If you have water stains that go across the ceiling and down the walls, they are likely caused by a leaky roof. Finding the leak source is the hard part, but once you do, repairing the leak is usually pretty straightforward.

Before determining if the work requires a complete roof replacement or just a simple roof repair, you’ll want to talk to a residential roofing contractor. They are going to be interested in learning how old your roof is, how long you plan on staying in your home, and other factors about the roof. If your roof is reaching the end of its life, the contractor may recommend a replacement. For example, if you have three-tab shingles, they’re only going to last for around 20 years. However, if you have heavier architectural shingles, these can last up to four decades and withstand winds up to 130 miles per hour. Depending on what type of shingles you have installed, you might just need a minor repair.

Then again, you could decide to replace the roof anyway if you think you’d prefer something stronger and more durable. This is something that a roofing contractor can also help you with, from determining if such a renovation would be worth it to how much it’ll cost and what materials to use.

Replace Your Water Heater

A typical water heater lasts about a decade, give or take a few years. It’s usually easy to identify when someone has water heater issues. You know you have a problem when you try to take a warm shower, you will only get cold water. You may find puddles of discolored water on the floor, or hear noise coming from the water heater itself. In some instances, you can troubleshoot the issues yourself, but most water heater issues require some professional help because of the complexity of the job and the potential for danger. It requires sufficient knowledge in not only plumbing but also electricity and heating For this reason, unless the problem is a simple and obvious fix, call an experienced plumber and let them know you have water heater troubles.

Some home improvement projects cannot wait, either because they can be taken care of so quickly or they pose an active danger to your home. Whether it is updating your laundry room, repairing your roof, replacing your water heater, or perhaps some other pressing matter in your house, you shouldn’t sit back and wait. The sooner you get on them, the more comfortable you will feel in your home and the less you’ll have to worry. Not to mention the money you’ll end up saving as your bills go down and you avoid expensive repairs.

About the Author

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.

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