5 Reasons You Should Switch Your Homeowners Insurance
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Every homeowner knows that home repairs can result in hidden expenses. You have to expect the unexpected. But, when the really unexpected hits, a really expensive home repair can completely tank a home budget. We’re here to help you avoid these financial icebergs with this list of the costliest home repairs (and how to avoid them).
Roof
Roofs are expensive to install and expensive to repair, but they are also one of the most important facets of a home. A damaged shingle here or there is pretty easy and affordable to fix and some can even be DIY. But for more extensive repairs — especially those that affect the structure of your home — costs can be as high as $10,000.
Prevent It: Keep an eye out for leaks or loose shingles. Get a professional inspector to take a look at your roof periodically.
Siding
Sliding a couple feet down from the roof, we have another crucial piece of your homestead called siding. This isn’t the structural element of the wall, but the protective or decorative covering over it. This tough exterior can be made of a variety of materials from wood to metal, and therefore has a variety of maintenance possibilities. Major repairs of your siding can cost up to $17,000.
Prevent It: In addition to regular visual inspections you can make yourself, periodically hire a professional to inspect your siding for wear and tear to prevent major damages.
Foundation
Now, we are down to the literal cornerstones of your home. The foundation is the, well, foundation on which the entire rest of your home rests. And, therefore, these are repairs and maintenance that you do not want to take lightly. Small fixes can be handled quickly and affordably, but if things get out of control, the price tag skyrockets. When the foundation is rocky, other aspects of your home can be greatly affected. These repairs can reach up to $12,000.
Prevent It: Keep an eye for sloping floors, doors that don’t fit their frame, cracks in the foundation, or pooling water. It’s also a good idea to schedule regular inspections on all levels of your home.
Water Heater
You wake up, you’re late, you turn on the shower and jump in. That’s when you realize, your water heater is broken. there’s nothing worse than that cold water waking you up to the fact that you may be in for a costly home repair. Water heaters can be either electric or gas and depending on the model can cost upwards of $2,000 to replace. It’s super important to stay ahead of this and catch problems that are repairable before replacement is necessary.
Prevent It: Regularly check your water heater (and the area around it) for anything suspicious such as loose parts or leaks.
Termites
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Little termites can be a big problem for homeowners, especially if the problem goes unnoticed for a long time. Small in stature, these pests can create a huge budget problem if you don’t catch them before they cause structural damage. The range of costs for these little buggers varies wildly from a few hundred dollars… up to several thousand.
Prevent It: Keep any wood and moisture away from your foundation. Think furniture and stacks of firewood. You can also have your home preventatively treated with termiticide.
HVAC
Your heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system is the airway of your home. HVAC as professionals refer to it, can be a complicated and costly system to repair. And there’s nothing worse than waking up on a cold winter morning or a sweltering summer day to find that your climate control is well, out of control. Repairs to these systems can sometimes be affordable. A few hundred bucks. But if a lot goes wrong, costs can rise to the height of $10,000.
Prevent It: Just before heating season, hire an HVAC specialist to inspect your system for any required maintenance.
One of the best ways to stay ahead of repairs before they become larger, more expensive issues is by getting the right home warranty. Hello Covered can help you build your own custom plan so that you tackle small issues when they arise and take advantage of inspections to avoid larger issues.
