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11 Ways to Avoid Costly Home Repairs

Maintain your house now, so you can avoid big problems later on

En español | Your house talks to you — and what is it saying? It's giving you early warning signs of potential trouble at its most vulnerable spots, and by paying attention you can prevent costly repairs down the road.

HVAC (Heating and Cooling)

Problems: Reduction in performance; fire; water damage; higher energy costs; mold throughout the house.

Trouble signs: System cycles on and off frequently to keep to a thermostat setting and/or trips circuit breakers. Natural gas flames are yellow or orange rather than blue. Corrosion/rust spots or leakage from water heater.

What you can do: Replace air filters every one to three months to improve performance. Experts recommend that a water heater that's 12 or more years old should be replaced, partly due to the danger of bursting. Replace it earlier if you see corrosion or leaking. Consider a new HVAC system if repairing it is at least one-third the cost of replacement.

What it may cost: Air filters cost $2 to $15. $100-$200 for a professional inspection and cleaning of HVAC system.

What you can save: Energy waste, premature replacement of costly units, repair of flooding damage. Water heaters start at $350; forced-air furnaces cost $2,000 to $4,000, and central air conditioning units start at around $2,000. Clean filters can lower energy consumption by 5 to 15 percent.

— Photo by Getty Images

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