Common Issues Homeowners Face And How To Overcome Them

Running a house is no easy task and requires a good deal of management from homeowners. However, some people are more successful than others in keeping their properties in good shape and problem free. Preparation is key, so if you know what to plan for, you can get ahead of many of the issues plaguing homeowners today. The good news is that most of the fixes for these problems are relatively simple.

After the jump, you’ll find 5 quick remedies to some of the most common issues facing homeowners today.

Manage Locks and Keys

Keys and locks cause many problems in a homeowner’s life. Security around your property is essential, and we aren’t just talking about front doors either. Garage doors and windows also have their fair share of locks and keys. Not only this, but keys frequently become misplaced, and it’s not uncommon for people to lock themselves out of their homes, or to be unable to secure their home for the evening.

It’s best to have a dedicated place to keep your keys. A discrete drawer upstairs or a tucked away key hook can give you a secluded spot where you can reliably find your keys in an instant. If you have keys cut to work in multiple doors, this can also save you a great deal of time and stress sifting through dozens of them every time you want to go out or lock up. Still, no matter how well you manage things here, sooner or later, mistakes are bound to happen due to human error. Help will understandably be required here.

In the event of a crisis, professional locksmiths like AA Lock and Key can be called out on a 24/7 basis, ready to assist with any lock or key problem you are facing. They can be with you in less than 30 minutes if you live in the Bristol area, providing services like emergency lock opening, key cutting, lock changes, and more. There’s no call out charge, which means you can comfortably rely on them for a customer-centric experience. In the end, they finish each job in a timely manner to a professional standard, which is just what you need when panic sets in.

Unclog Your Drains

Clogged drains typically occur after improper use of plugholes in sinks or showers. Food or accumulating hairs can all get caught in the plugholes, and overtime build up to such an extent that these utilities become unusable. If your home has multiple occupants, then the chances of your drains getting blocked increases substantially.

Fortunately, the remedy is cheap and easy. In the case of blockages in the kitchen, you should pour a jug of warm water down the sink. This will help to loosen up any debris down there. Follow that up with some acidic liquid, such as vinegar or baking soda, which should help to break apart the blockage. Tie things up nicely here with another jug of warm water to wash away anything that’s left.

For showers, you can put on some rubber gloves to feel around for all the hairs that have built up in the plughole. Because they should all be tangled together, you should be able to extract them in a pinch. To prevent further issues in future, installing a drain screen or hair catcher will be most effective.

Fight Mould and Condensation

Homeowners need to ventilate their home to make sure the air is always clean and breathable. The London Assembly Environment Committee said that ventilation and condensation were the primary causes of mould and damp in the area, in addition to other matters such as overcrowding. Still, there is a lot you can do to in this area to stave off these problems.

In addition to the standard remedies of opening doors and windows, you should take care to wipe them down too. You will often find a thin layer of moisture on the glass parts, as condensation builds overnight. Get a cloth and get wiping as soon as you see it, otherwise in can rot the wooden areas of doors and window frames overtime.

You can also install different technologies to help you manage the situation comfortably, without you running around the house exhaustedly. For example, you can make use of extractor fans to clear the air considerably in bathroom and kitchen areas. HVAC system fans and dehumidifiers are also worthwhile technologies to invest in if possible, because they too go the extra mile in purifying the air around you. Spread them out strategically, and you’ll have the house covered.

Lastly, arranging your furniture in a suitable fashion has proven results here. Keep the corners of rooms clear of anything such as sofas or beds. This is because mould and damp can accumulate in those corners, and it makes it far harder to clear away when bulky furniture needs to be dragged aside first and put back into place afterward.

Eradicate Vermin

Many homeowners have found themselves beset by vermin, often collapsing into states of panic thereafter. These times can be distressful, but it’s important to stay level-headed so that you can handle the situation effectively. It might seem like a big problem at first, but its not without its solutions.

Sometimes, combatting a vermin infestation can be a simple matter of changing your behaviour, such as by not leaving things like bird seed on the ground near your home, which can attract a range of creatures. Other times, you may need to strategically place poisons, sprays, and traps to cull things like rats, mice, or insects from your property. A quick investigation will tell you where the infestation is coming from and where it is concentrated, and you should be able to act soon after.

If the infestation is particularly intense, then calling out a professional service to eradicate the vermin is likely the best solution available to you. This essential if you’re dealing with any dangerous infestations, such as wasp nests. Peace of mind will follow, at least, from knowing that a thorough job has been carried out to expert standards. Following their work, it is unlikely you will encounter any vermin on your property for the foreseeable future, lest you do something else to lure them in.

Prevent Freezing Pipes

In the colder months, the occurrence of frozen pipes becomes rather common. Most of us don’t spend a great deal amount of time thinking about the finer details in a home, and pipes are included in that, placed strategically to be as obscure and tucked away as possible. However, left unattended, your plumbing can give you significant headaches in the winter.

When water freezes in the pipe, it expands, causing the pipes to break and burst. Leaks or even full floods can follow on from here, causing significant damage to other areas of your home. You can be left unable to wash, or even have access to clean running water. It all starts from the frozen pipe, so acting fast is imperative here.

To prevent this problem, insulate your pipes effectively by wrapping them in foam sleeves. If you are away from home for a while, you can also keep your heating on a timer, which may help in preventing the pipes from freezing. If your pipes are in more obscure areas, like the loft, then adding some wall insulation to those areas will also prove to be an effective preventive measure. It is important to consider these fixes, because then you seldom have to think about your pipes again.