Updates Your Home Needs Every 10 Years

If you’ve been living in your new home in Ottawa for 10 or more years, it’s likely time for repairs or replacements. It’s important to monitor certain items if you want to keep your home in optimal condition. Not sure where you should begin? Read on for some of the most important updates to make to your home after the 10-year mark.

Don’t Go Dry

Hot water tanks are the great pretenders of all the appliances in your home because they will look fine even when something is going wrong. In other words, you won’t be able to see any evidence that something is amiss until your hot water tank either starts leaking or it fails completely.

The good news is that you can fix this problem before it gets to that point, simply by looking at its date of manufacture.

Check to see if this date is present with the serial number attached to the tank. If not, it may be stamped on the tank itself. If the date of manufacture was over a decade ago, it’s time to replace your tank.

Look Down

Have you really looked at the carpet in your new condo in Ottawa lately? If there are stains you can’t remove, tears and rips, or if your carpet just smells unpleasant, it has probably reached the end of its lifespan. How long should you expect your carpets to last? Just like your hot water tank, 10 years is usually the average.

Like anything else in your home, replacing your carpet before it’s in tatters will save you more money in the long run.

One thing that many homeowners do is replace the carpet without replacing the under-padding. However, this will only cause your carpet to experience unnecessary wear and tear. It’s a much better idea to replace both at the same time.

The Dirty Truth

Are your dishes still dirty after a cycle in the dishwasher? This, along with malfunctioning buttons or visible wear and tear like cracks or a poor seal can be considered to be the writing on the wall that your new townhome in Ottawa needs a new one. Again, the magic number here is 10 years for the majority of dishwashers.

True(er) Colours

If the outside of your home is looking duller than you remember it, it’s probably not your eyesight, but a sign that the exterior needs a fresh coat of paint.

Years of exposure to the elements can cause chips, cracks, and fading, which are not only unsightly but can cause moisture and other invaders to take up residence.

The lifespan of exterior paint will vary, depending on the typical weather in your area, but if you notice the aforementioned symptoms, it’s time to start paint shopping.

Need help with your home’s upgrades, or looking to move? Phoenix Homes has been serving Ottawa and the surrounding areas since 1988 with innovative solutions; call us at 613-723-9227 to get upgrade advice or new home assistance.