Performing any work on your home is often expensive. For this reason, it may be tempting to go the DIY route or hire cheap contractors, but you should leave certain tasks to the pros. Here are three things you should never cut corners on.
1. Fire Safety Preparedness
Home should be a place where you feel safe. However, more fire-related deaths and injuries occur in residential properties than elsewhere. Every three hours and eight minutes, a person dies from a house fire, according to the National Safety Council Injury Facts.
Cooking fires are the leading causes of these cases. Over a quarter of recorded fires in 2018 were residential fires, and 50% of those fires were from cooking, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Instilling smoke alarms is one of the most effective ways of preventing injuries and deaths from house fires.
Flames can engulf your home quickly, but smoke alarms serve as an early warning sign, allowing you to put your fire escape plan in motion quickly. Never let children access lighters, matches, candles, and naked flames unsupervised.
Not all children can fully comprehend the risk posed by a fire or how rapidly one can spread. Compared to the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you and your family will receive an alert in case of a fire before it gets out of control, smoke alarms are worth the investment. These components will give you enough time to escape.
You should also ensure you have working fire extinguishers in the home. They help prevent small fires from spreading to other parts of the home. Regularly check your fire extinguishers to confirm they’re working.
2. Roof Repairs
The roof does a lot for a home. It’s the first defense against natural elements such as wind, sun, and rain. When it has repair needs, you should address them promptly.
The roof is one of the components that potential homebuyers inspect when considering a home. Its condition can make or break a sale. A roof maintained by a professional roofer boosts your home’s curb appeal, automatically adding to its value.
Debris, such as leaves and branches on your roof, can attract heat indoors. They cause your HVAC system to overwork in an attempt to compensate, resulting in excessive energy costs. Having professional roofing contractors routinely inspect and clean your roof will help prevent this problem, ultimately saving you money.
Cutting shortcuts on roofing to save money may seem smart in the short run, but doing so often results in higher long-term costs. Low-quality or improperly fitted roofing materials require future replacement or repairs sooner than expected. Investing in professional installation and quality materials will significantly reduce roof maintenance costs and maximize its useful life.
There were 153,700 roofers in employment in the United States in 2020. With so many options, you’ll find a roofing contractor who understands your roofing needs. Be sure to check if the contractors you’re considering are licensed and insured.
3. Electrical Work
Attempting to save money with quick, easy fixes might work, but you or an unqualified electrical contractor risk endangering yourself and your electrical system. What makes it worse is you might not be aware of the dangers you have created. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association believes that 60-80% of surges come from internal sources in a business or home, according to Electrical Safety Foundation International.
Simply being in the home may put your family at risk. Cutting corners on anything electrical, from improperly rigging electricity to a backyard shed to overloading circuits, can result in a fire or shock hazard. Therefore, whether you’re undertaking a significant rewiring job or something as basic as moving an outlet, ensure you only employ qualified electricians with great reviews.
Some home repairs are expensive. While it may be tempting to skimp, it’ll only result in more problems. Use this read as a guide for tasks you shouldn’t cut corners on.
Elor McDori
