homeowners – Daniel Bortz

10 important maintenance tasks that experts say many homeowners miss

January 7, 2020Posted in The Washington PostTagged home improvement, home maintenance, homeowners

If you pride yourself on keeping your home in tiptop shape, you’re the kind of homeowner who takes the necessary steps to keep your house running like a well-oiled machine — or at least you think you’re taking all of the right steps. The hard truth, though, is that many people overlook a number of important home maintenance tasks.

“There is so much many homeowners just don’t know to do,” says Melissa Mitchell, director of operations at GrayWolf Residential Services, a preventive home maintenance company based in Beachwood, Ohio.

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10 bad habits that can cost homeowners in the long run

April 16, 2018Posted in The Washington PostTagged home improvement, home maintenance, homeowners

Every homeowner makes mistakes. The real trouble, however, starts when these blunders become habits that cost a lot of money over time. Some behaviors also create safety issues.

If you’re guilty of these bad habits, break them — pronto.

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10 tools every new homeowner should own — and 3 they shouldn’t

April 10, 2018Posted in The Washington PostTagged home improvement, home renovation, homeowners, remodeling, tools

Ah, the joys — and burdens — of becoming a homeowner.

Buying a home is an exciting milestone, but after you’ve completed the purchase and moved in, you’re responsible for maintenance. In other words, you no longer have a landlord to fix that running toilet or leaky faucet.

The upside? Having a few essentials in your toolbox can help you make some common repairs yourself. Being your own jack-of-all-trades can also help you save money, as repair people typically charge about $60 to $65 an hour, according to HomeAdvisor. But you don’t want to cheap out on tools, home improvement expert Bob Vila says.

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