The Most Common Problems Homeowners Face and How to Prevent Them

Owning a home comes with its share of problems. Some are minor inconveniences while others can disrupt your entire household. Power outages are one of the most common (and disruptive) issues that homeowners face. The good news? Most common household problems have practical, preventable solutions. As a homeowner, you can prepare for these problems and turn around their outcomes by taking actionable steps. Knowing how to avoid costly household maintenance issues and disasters can make life as a homeowner less stressful and easier overall. 

Homeownership Comes With Its Fair Share of Surprises

Homeownership comes with unpredictability and risk. Clogged drains. Overflowing gutters. Peeling paint. Home maintenance problems range from cosmetic annoyances (like dated fixtures and faded exterior paint) to urgent and costly problems (like roof leaks).

It’s recommended that most homeowners set aside at least 1% of their home’s value every year for maintenance, but if you’re not actually spending the money to maintain your house, you could find yourself spending a lot more on home repairs. 

The Most Common Homeowner Problems (and Why They Happen)

Here are some of the most common homeowner frustrations and what you can do to prevent them:

Roof and gutter issues from weather wear

A typical shingle roof can last twenty years or more. You can extend the service life of your asphalt shingles by clearing debris from the roof periodically and having your shingles inspected regularly by a roofing contractor, but once the shingles start to curl and granules start to leak into the gutters, their service life is over.

Plumbing problems (leaks, water pressure, aging pipes)

Plumbing leaks are inevitable as pipes get older, but there are things that you can do to make your pipes last as long as possible. Check for leaks periodically and address small problems quickly. Avoid flushing anything down your toilet that isn’t supposed to be there (including diapers, wipes, and feminine products). Flush your water heater regularly to prevent sediment from building up inside. When a plumbing leak does happen, address it right away. 

HVAC breakdowns

HVAC breakdowns always seem to happen at the worst possible time. Whether it’s 100 degrees in the summer or 10 degrees in the winter, an HVAC breakdown can be a dangerous problem to have. Have your system serviced regularly by an HVAC professional. During the maintenance/checkup, the HVAC professional will check for small problems that could become bigger problems later in the season. 

Pest intrusions

Pest intrusions can happen to anyone, but they’re more likely when your home is already compromised. A water leak that’s causing wood to rot or a vent grate that’s recently become loose or torn is all a pest needs to gain access to your house. Inspect your property periodically and look for these problems. When you find them, address them quickly. If you live in an area where pests are common, consider getting regular treatments from a pest control company. 

The Problem Homeowners Often Overlook: Power Outages

Power outages are one of the most common and underestimated homeownership challenges. Consider this scenario: a winter storm knocks out your power for three days. During that time, your home becomes too cold to live in, but not cold enough for the food in the refrigerator. While you’re living in a hotel, a pipe in your outer wall freezes and bursts. You come home to a wet, costly mess, and hundreds of dollars in spoiled food in your refrigerator. 

In Connecticut, scenarios like this one are becoming altogether too common. Our aging grid is not up to the challenge of the frequent storms that we experience today. Power outages are unpredictable in their timing and also length. Some power outages last only minutes; others last hours or days. How can you be prepared?

Why Power Outages Cause a Ripple Effect of Other Homeowner Frustrations

Power outages cause a ripple effect, with one problem leading to many others.

• Spoiled food: Experts say that food can last in the fridge for up to four hours without power. That’s not very long at all, especially considering that typical storms in Connecticut can last from 6 to 36 hours.
• Sump pump failure: Sump pumps remove the water from your house during storms, but when sump pumps fail, there’s not much you can do to prevent the flood in the basement. Basement floods are hard to clean up and make using the basement difficult or impossible. 
• Frozen pipes: Frozen pipes happen when the pipes on the outer walls of the house get so cold that the water inside freezes. This can easily happen during a winter power outage lasting a day or more. 

When the power goes out, the damage piles up fast. The results can cost homeowners hundreds or thousands of dollars. 

How Homeowners Can Get Ahead of These Common Issues

There are many things that you can do to get ahead of the common problems homeowners face.

• Perform regular inspections of your home’s systems. Hire professionals to inspect systems like the roof and HVAC equipment. On your own, walk around your property to look for problems.
• Engage in seasonal preparations. Weatherstrip your house. Insulate your pipes. Flush the water from your sprinkler system.  
• Get a standby generator. A whole-home standby generator is a reliable way to prevent the cascade of outage-related problems like loss of food in the refrigerator and frozen pipes in the walls. 

Prevention Starts With the Right Partner

PE Home Generators services homes in North Haven, CT, and the surrounding area. We can help you avoid one of the great pitfalls of owning a home: dealing with power outages. Are you ready for the coming storm season? Contact us for a generator consultation today.