25 Great Ways to Save on Home Fix-Its

9. Don’t neglect patios and decks

Check your deck every spring if it’s more than 15 years old, especially the posts and ledger board (the horizontal piece of wood that anchors the deck to your house), where water tends to collect, Niemela says. You can find soft spots or rot by probing them with a screwdriver. “Also, check for rusty fasteners or joist hangers under the deck. One loose bolt on a 3-inch post has the potential to fail and cause a serious fall risk,” warns Niemela. “You can stop the whole deck from falling down later by replacing a few rusty connectors now. Parts cost $20 to $40.”

Wooden decks also need periodic sealing to prevent moisture from entering and rotting the wood. Niemela recommends applying a clear sealing stain every two years. A $35 five-gallon bucket covers about 250 square feet.

And fill any cracks in concrete patios with a crack fill sealant (around $12 a tube to fill 30 feet of cracks, according to Niemala) as a preventive measure against concrete lifting unevenly due to moisture changes underneath, or a more serious foundation problem that can lead to trip risks. “A $100 investment in sealants and small repairs each year can typically keep patios and decks from needing full replacements or concrete foundation repairs that cost $10,000 or more,” he says. 

10. Slope downspouts and grading away from your home

Water management outside your home can prevent moisture from getting into the soil close to your foundation, which causes structural issues and water problems in basements and crawl spaces, Thrasher explains. So make sure your downspouts are either buried far enough away from the house, or, if they’re on top of the ground, that they’re going out at least seven to 10 feet away from the foundation. “You want the water to run away from the house, not back toward it,” he says. 

Grading and downspouts are easy to maintain and cost very little, but once a flood occurs in the basement or crawl space, it gets much more expensive and can’t be addressed without hiring a professional. “A basement or crawl space repair averages around $15,000,” Thrasher says. “And even damp basements and crawl spaces can increase risk of mold, leading to potential health issues.”

You’ll also want to check that the grading of the soil slopes away from your house so the water from the rain and sprinklers doesn’t sit next to the foundation. Adding soil and sloping it away can become part of your yard work. Depending on how much area you need to cover, buy bags of soil or get a truckload delivery and move it around in a wheelbarrow, filling in all the areas that slope toward the foundation. 

WINDOWS AND DOORS

While homeowners can expect their windows and exterior doors to last at least 25 years, that doesn’t mean you should neglect them, says Thomas Borcherding, owner of Homestar Design Remodel in St. Louis. Though you may never give your windows a second thought until you strain your back trying to open or close one or you feel the cold coming under your front door, inexpensive maintenance can extend their lives. Borcherding says that with installation, a replacement window averages $800 to $1,200, and doors are between $1,000 and $3,000. “They’re one of the most expensive components of your home, so you have every right to ensure they’re operating efficiently,” he says.

11. Inspect windows and doors

Borcherding recommends inspecting the tracks around your movable windows once or twice a year to make sure they’re gliding smoothly. “If you notice that they’re getting sticky or harder to operate, lubricating them with a silicone-based lubricant can reduce friction and make them last longer.” Don’t use petroleum-based lubricants, which will degrade rubber seals and lead to air leaks. Instead, use a silicone-based lubricant spray like WD-40 Silicone for about $9 per 11 ounces. Door hinges need attention, too, and an 8-ounce, $6 tube of white lithium grease can keep doors swinging open and shutting with ease.

Pay attention to glass that has condensation or a foggy appearance on the inside, or feeling a draft due to a broken seal. Borcherding says this is a common issue that can result from the frame shifting as the home foundation settles over timeor from the rubber seal degrading, which eventually leads to the need to replace the window. If you want to put off the replacement window until your budget permits, Borcherding recommends using window insulation kits like Frost King, which is like putting a plastic film on your windowpanes that offers up a vacuum seal, for about $15 a pack.

Borcherding also advises cleaning the areas where rubber seals meet the window, or where any movable part of your exterior doors meets the stationary sill. “Debris leads to air infiltration, which reduces energy efficiency,” he says. Fortunately, it’s an easy fix with either a wet paper towel or a small vacuum attachment. Make it part of your regular cleaning schedule, such as every time you clean your window glass. Since doors tend to see much more usage than windows, Borcherding recommends a more frequent cleaning schedule, like every one to three months.

12. TLC for garage doors

Garage doors are the heaviest moving part in a home, and the constant up-and-down naturally leads to wear and tear, says Randy Oliver, owner of Hollywood-Crawford Garage Doors & Openers in San Antonio. A basic but overlooked home maintenance task is lubricating the door’s moving parts to prevent repairs. If you’re comfortable being on a ladder, then spray them with garage door lubricant twice a year, or have someone else do it.

“But don’t use WD-40. Stick to the kind specifically formulated for garage doors, like 3-in-1 Professional Garage Door Lubricant for $10,” Oliver says. “Spray the rollers [if they’re steel], the hinges, the springs and the bearings on the bar above the door. Don’t grease the tracks. Just wipe them clean so the rollers can roll freely.”

Also check the bolts once a year, and tighten up anything that’s loose. Oliver warns that if the bolts or screws are painted red, it means the component that is attached by this screw or bolt is under extreme tension. He recommends calling a professional to tighten them “to help prevent serious injury or even death.”

Performing regular maintenance could save you a $150 service call and help extend the life of these parts.

HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC)

You want to keep your home temperature well regulated and energy-efficient. You also want to avoid having to replace your heating or cooling unit, which can be costly. Getting a service contract for each can help, since you’ll likely get a professional to provide ongoing maintenance to prevent wear and tear on your units. But there are steps you can take as well.

13. Change your furnace filters

Jason Kerr, president of Intelligent Service, a plumbing, heating, cooling and drain services company in Mount Prospect, Illinois, says many of the no-heat calls his company gets are from people who don’t have a regular schedule of replacing their furnace filter. “The furnace will shut off when it doesn’t get the proper air flow because it’s clogged with cat, dog [and] human hair, dust and debris,” he explains. “Understanding what the recommended filter and change interval is, and making sure that you stick to it religiously, is important.”

That’s because if your furnace filter gets too dirty it can’t breathe, which is like being a heavy smoker and having difficulty breathing, says Jonathan Gilbertsen, an air quality expert and vice president of Chris Heating and Cooling in West Chicago, Illinois. “It can’t run as long, it overheats, and then the unit short-cycles, meaning it overheats, cools off, starts, then overheats again. That causes early failure, higher energy bills and uneven heating in the home.” A full furnace replacement typically costs between $4,000 and $10,000.

Gilbertsen says a simple rule is if the filter looks dirty when you check it, replace it. Most are located on a slot on the side or bottom of the furnace, inside the return air duct, or behind a grille in a hallway, ceiling or wall. Filters cost between $2 to $50 or more, depending on the type and how fine the filtration is. “Changing the filter regularly is one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect your heating system and your indoor air quality,” he says.

14. Open all the vents

Many empty nesters close all the vents to the rooms they don’t use, believing they’re saving money on heating. “But what you’re really doing is hurting that furnace, because it’s trying to heat your whole house and you’re restricting airflow, and that can shorten the lifespan,” says Gilbertsen. “Every furnace is designed to heat that whole house. So if it’s 2,000 square feet, and you close off 1,000 square feet, that furnace is now way too big for that portion of your home, and it’s now producing too much heat.”

You might save money in the short term, but long-term, the furnace will have more issues more frequently. An easy fix is making sure that at least 90 percent of the vents are open. “This may make your gas bill $10 higher, but will end up saving you thousands in the long run by reducing repairs and replacement frequency,” Gilbertsen adds.

15. Maintain your water heater

One home repair you should bet on — and be proactive about — is your water heater, since most last about 8 to 10 years, according to Aaron Adams, a master plumber and CEO of Aaron Services: Plumbing, Heating, Cooling in Atlanta. The first sign of failure will likely be a leak. “Sometimes that leak is significant and can flood whatever room or floor of the home they’re in. So if yours is approaching this age, you should start budgeting for a replacement,” he advises. A new conventional water heater with a tank costs around $2,000 to $2,500 with labor.

You can also improve water heater efficiency by flushing it once a year to reduce the sediment that tends to build at the bottom, reducing the capacity, says Gilbertsen. If you feel comfortable with this type of project (it is not something Gilberson suggests for a novice), attach a 6-foot garden hose to the spigot and let it drain into the floor drain or utility sink for 10 minutes. Then close the spigot and let it refill. The whole process should take about an hour — and should add three to five years to your water heater’s life expectancy.

16. Care for the thermostat

Check on your thermostat seasonally to make sure the digital buttons are in working order. If you have a battery-operated version, change the batteries every six months to a year. “The thermostat is mission control for your HVAC system,” Kerr explains. “If it isn’t programmed or functioning properly, your system may not be heating or cooling your home effectively.” If it shuts down completely, you need to service it. Replacements cost between $250 for a basic programmable thermostat and $1,100 for a Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostat, which alerts you to outages and allows you to monitor temperature and humidity remotely from your phone.

17. Clear the air-conditioning condenser

Filters in your cooling system need to be changed at least once a season, says Gilbertsen. It’s also important to make sure the outdoor condenser gets attention. “People like to plant gardens or trees around them to make it aesthetically pleasing, but that can inhibit performance, making it harder for the condenser to breathe.”

Trim all plants back at least 6 inches to give it room. Also, make sure nothing is hitting the unit. Gilbertsen says debris from cottonwoods in the Chicago area typically builds up on condenser coils, “and then it becomes like breathing through a wool blanket, so it’s working twice as hard to pull air through.” Just hose it all down at a 45-degree angle to avoid pushing debris into the unit, and keep an eye on it throughout the season, he recommends. It’s worth the extra time, since a new condenser with labor will cost a few thousand dollars. 

18. Check the attic insulation

If it feels like your second floor is warmer or cooler than the first, checking the insulation is a good idea, Gilbertsen says. Newer homes now have about 18 inches of insulation in the attic, but some older homes only have about 6 inches, resulting in a draft coming from the ceiling. Insulation gets matted down over time because people walk on it, which ruins the integrity. You can check by noting if it is over the floor joists in your attic. Anywhere the floor joists are showing would indicate it’s settled below 18 inches and needs to be refilled. Otherwise, rooms near the attic will have a warm/cold draft depending on the season, “causing the homeowner complaint of ‘my upstairs is always 10 degrees hotter,’” says Gilbertsen. He recommends calling an insulation company for a quote on adding more, because this isn’t a job you’ll want to do yourself. The cost for 1,000 to 1,500 square feet is about $2,800 to $3,500. 

PLUMBING

Plumbing tends to be an out-of-sight, out-of-mind part of our homes, and that’s what can lead to something going wrong very quickly. Proper care and maintenance of the plumbing and drainage systems can prevent expensive disasters like drain replacements, which are often upward of $5,000, says Kerr. Even a standard plumbing repair can run you $500 or more. Fortunately there are inexpensive steps you can take to at least postpone some big-ticket expenses.

19. Flush your sink pipes

The plumbing in homes built before water-conservation standards were put in place was designed to handle the deluge of water that came from filling a sink to wash dishes and then draining it, says Kerr. “Now we just flip the faucet on for a couple seconds, rinse something off and stick it in the dishwasher. The drain lines for a kitchen very rarely see large volumes of water anymore.”

His solution is to put the stopper in the kitchen sink, fill it to the top with water, and then release it. “That allows for a large deluge of water to make its way down the drain, and it will work well to flush out those lines, pushing any food particles or grease down the drain, preventing backups.” Getting into the habit of doing this once or twice a week can save you $300 to $600 for a service call.

20. Clear the drains

Is there a sewer smell when you turn on any faucet? Is your bathtub or sink draining slowly? Homeowners can easily tackle these troubleshooting tasks. For the former, Kerr advises turning on all your faucets, especially the lesser-used ones, for about a minute. If that doesn’t clear up the smell, you may need to call a plumber, since that could mean the sewer is backing up.

For the drains, which can get clogged with soap residue and hair, Kerr recommends a Drain Weasel. Just shove the bendable plastic “snake” past the clog and pull back up all the junk you want out of there. It’s available at most box stores for under $10. You can also use a bio-friendly enzyme treatment to clear those pesky clogs. Kerr says it’s about $50 for a 64-ounce container that should last the average home about a year and should be used as directed.

21. Caulk sinks and tubs

If you notice a stain on your ceiling in the room below the bathroom but don’t see any obvious signs of a leak, check the caulking around your tub and the tiles, says Adams. It could be cracked. Even a small hole can lead to big problems. He recommends clearing away the old caulking, then cleaning the area and letting it dry completely. A 10-ounce tube of 100 percent silicone caulk costs around $10. Apply it at a 45-degree angle, then let it cure (dry) for at least 24 hours. If caulking doesn’t solve the leak, you’ll probably have to call your plumber to determine if the issue is more extensive. Keep in mind that a plumber can often also caulk if you ask — at an additional cost of about $150 to $200. 

22. Become aware of your shutoff valves

Learn how to shut off the water to your home in the event of a plumbing emergency to prevent extensive and costly damage, Adams recommends. If the leak appears to be coming from under the sink or the toilet, it’s easy to turn off the stop valve right there. If that doesn’t work, and the leak is from the pipe coming to the area, you’ll need to locate your main shutoff valve. Adams says that in many homes it’s on the wall where the pipe comes into the basement from the street.

Check to see if the valve is a ball valve style rather than a gate valve. Adams explains that gate valves, which have round handles, are an older style that’s prone to breaking. “This means that if you have a plumbing emergency, you may not be able to turn off the water; or if you do, you won’t be able to turn it back on again because most break in the off position,” he says. These shutoff valves involve highly pressurized water and require special tools to make the change, so you’ll need to hire a plumber, says Adams, adding that “there’s no room for error.” That repair could cost $250 or more.

ROOFING

Because the warning signs of most roof failures are nearly invisible to the untrained eye, Nathan Borntreger, a licensed roofing contractor and owner of SonShine Roofing in Sarasota, Florida, recommends having your roof inspected annually by a trustworthy, experienced roofer. Besides, there are solid safety reasons for having a professional be the one to get up on your roof. Borntreger says the typical $200 cost “dramatically reduces the odds of a surprise five-figure failure down the line and helps to spot problems early and keep up with recommended maintenance.” There are also things you can watch for on your own without climbing onto your roof, and they cost nothing to do.

23. Clear the gutters and roof valleys

One task homeowners can do to extend the lifespan of their roof is to clear the waterways of debris. Unkept gutters and valleys can accumulate dead foliage, dust, dirt, soot and other particulates that can build up over time and prevent water from draining properly. Borntreger recommends doing this two to four times a year, depending on the level of environmental debris your home is exposed to. This may involve climbing a ladder, so if you don’t feel safe doing it on your own, hire a professional for $100 to $300.

24. Look for internal leaks

Since the interior of a home is usually where urgent issues show up first, Borntreger recommends doing a quick visual scan every month or so. Look for discoloration, chipping paint and warped trim on the ceilings and walls. Pay special attention to corners, edges, around windows and ceiling fans, where subtle stains are easy to miss. “If you spot any of these indicators, don’t just cover them with a coat of paint,” he says. “These are signs of water intrusion, which means you need to go deeper. Catching a leak early is your best defense against a large repair bill.”

25. Check the attic

Early signs of roofing issues can show up in your attic, so take a peek there a couple of times a year. Before you start looking around, take a sniff. A faint mustiness is common in humid climates, but a strong, sour or “wet” odor shouldn’t be written off. This is likely a sign of prolonged water intrusion or humidity buildup, Borntreger says. Check during daylight hours so that tiny holes are easier to spot if sunlight is poking through. For a more thorough review, bring a good flashlight, looking for darkened or stained sheathing, moldy or clumped insulation and softened or warped wood. Check for oxidation (rust) on nails, screws and metal plates, as well as signs of insect activity or fungus.

“Any combination of these signs is a strong indicator that your attic is harboring too much moisture, which can dramatically shorten your roof’s lifespan and drive up energy costs,” Borntreger says. This level of inspection can be hazardous if your attic requires that you crawl around, so use common sense.