Whether
you're
a
new
homeowner
or
you've
been
in
your
house
for
years,
why
not
resolve
to
make
2007
"the
year"
you
whip
your
house
and
household
finances
in
top
shape?
It
could
prevent
you
from
encountering
costly
problems
down
the
road
-
and
assist
you
in
getting
top
dollar
when
it
comes
time
to
sell.
The
first
thing
you
should
do
is
implement
a
maintenance
plan.
"A
homeowner
who
makes
the
necessary
yearly
investment
will
end
up
saving
in
the
long
run
because
routine
maintenance
can
help
avoid
larger,
more
expensive
repairs
that
can
add
up
to
the
tens
of
thousands
of
dollars
or
more,"
said
Mike
Kuhn,
director
of
technical
services
for
Housemaster,
a
New
Jersey-based
home
inspection
company.
"It
is
just
like
giving
your
home
its
annual
physical."
The
Insurance
Information
Institute
and
the
American
Society
of
Home
Inspectors,
offer
a
host
of
maintenance
tips
that
you
should
resolve
to
adopt
in
the
year
ahead.
Water.
Check
visible
water
pipes
and
sewer
lines
for
cracks,
rusting
and
leaking;
turn
on
faucets
to
test
water
pressure
and
volume;
and
look
for
clogged
or
sluggish
drains
or
dripping
faucets.
Wrap
your
pipes
with
heating
tape
every
winter
and
insulate
unfinished
rooms
such
as
garages
if
they
contain
exposed
pipes.
Also
check
for
signs
of
leaking
or
rusting
on
your
water
heater.
Electricity.
Check
your
electrical
system's
load
center
and
see
if
there
are
fuses
or
circuit
breakers;
also
check
its
age
and
look
for
signs
of
wear
or
exposed
wires.
Heat.
Check
your
heating
system
for
gas
leaks
and
cracks
in
the
heat
exchanger.
Maintain
your
furnace,
fireplace,
boiler,
water
heater,
and
have
your
heating
system
serviced
every
year.
Clean
and
vacuum
dust
from
vents,
baseboard
heaters
and
cold-air
returns.
Gas.
Check
smoke
and
fire
alarms
and
carbon
monoxide
detectors
and
change
your
heating
and
air
conditioning
filters.
Have
your
appliances
inspected
for
gas
leaks
and
adequate
ventilation.
Insulation.
Your
attic
should
be
five
to
10
degrees
warmer
than
outside
air.
Check
weather
stripping
and
caulking
around
windows
and
doors
and
replace
or
repair
it
as
needed.
Also
repair
broken
glass
and
loose
or
missing
putty
on
windows.
Basement/Attic.
Well-insulated
basements
and
crawl
spacers
will
protect
your
pipes
from
freezing.
Check
the
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basement
for
signs
of
water
leaking,
dampness,
flooding,
dry
rot
and
termites.
Check
the
attic
for
signs
of
leaks
and
any
rodent
or
insect
infestation.
Exterior.
Remove
all
debris
from
gutters.
Inspect
your
roof
for
damaged
or
loose
shingles;
gaps
in
the
flashing
where
the
roofing
and
siding
meet
vents
and
flues;
and
damaged
mortar
around
the
chimney.
Inspect
your
home's
exterior
walls,
looking
for
possible
weather-related
damage
like
loose
or
crumbling
mortar.
You
should
also
resolve
to
get
your
finances
in
order.
Eric
Tyson
and
Ray
Brown
in
their
book
Home
Buying
for
Dummies
say
it's
especially
important
to
build
up
your
reserves
and
get
your
financial
house
in
order
after
you
buy
a
home.
You
should
begin
by
resisting
the
temptation
to
splurge.
You
should
have
at
least
three
months'
salary
in
your
emergency
fund.
Try
to
stay
away
from
unnecessary
spending
until
you
reach
this
goal.
Think
about
E-payments,
which
ensure
that
you
never
pay
late,
and
late
payments
can
tack
on
an
extra
five
percent
late
payment
fee.
If
home
prices
have
dropped
in
your
neighborhood
since
you've
moved
in,
you
may
want
to
consider
appealing
your
assessment
since
the
tax
is
based
on
your
home's
value
in
most
communities.
Also
keep
your
financial
documents
organized
so
you'll
be
more
prepared
at
tax
time.
If
interest
rates
go
down,
think
about
taking
out
a
new
loan
at
the
lower
rate
to
replace
your
original
loan.
Be
sure
to
consider
how
much
refinancing
the
loan
will
cost
you.
Refinancing
won't
benefit
you
unless
you
plan
on
staying
put
for
at
least
five
years.
If
you've
been
putting
off
landscaping
your
house,
make
plans
to
do
it
now.
The
right
landscape
can
increase
the
value
of
your
home
by
15
percent,
allowing
you
to
recoup
100
to
200
percent
of
your
investment,
according
to
the
Association
of
Landscape
Contractors
of
America.
And
if
you
do
any
home
improvement
projects,
keep
your
receipts.
You
may
be
eligible
to
minimize
the
capital
gain
that
may
come
your
way
when
you
eventually
sell.
The
improvement
must
be
one
that
permanently
increases
the
value
and
useful
life
of
the
house
(like
a
new
roof).
By
keeping
your
house
and
finances
in
order
in
2007,
you're
sure
to
thank
yourself
at
this
time
next
year.
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