Maintain Your House

Now you're a doctor.

You monitor your own health, treat minor injuries and illnesses, and consult a doctor when necessary. Pain is a sign that something needs attention. To minimize future problems, you take preventive measures: vaccinations, nutrition, exercise, and annual checkups.

You'll learn to do the same with your house. It also requires monitoring, diagnosing, and fixing: by yourself or a contractor. Your house hides its pain, so you'll need to keep a watchful eye on it, like caring for a really big pet. To minimize future problems, you can take preventive measures: inspections and annual maintenance.

How can I monitor my house?

Understanding the basic anatomy and functions of your house is a good place to start, even if you're not planning to fix anything yourself. (See Form, Substance, Health, and Services.) This will help you recognize what's healthy and what's not. Like human bodies, houses can show obvious signs of problems:

loss of stability
loss of function
weak joints
patchy surfaces
gaps where there shouldn't be
leaks where there shouldn't be
clogs where there shouldn't be
unexpected sounds and smells

Some problems are silent and hidden, so an inspector will be needed to probe and scan. When you purchased your house, a certified home inspector probably did a comprehensive inspection and prepared a report for you. That's a good place to start. An inspector can be invited back every few years to do a general checkup. The cost may save you more money later.

If you're planning to replace the heating system, make some other major change, or sell your house, checking with your home insurance company may be smart, too. You may find, for example, that a heat pump can't be the sole heat source for your house.

If you're concerned about comfort and finances, you can arrange for Efficiency Nova Scotia to do a home energy assessment for your house. It reports on where improvements can be made to save energy (and money). Repairs and upgrades to your house may be eligible for a rebate from the Nova Scotia government. You can also do your own basic home environmental audit without special equipment or training.

Certain parts of your house require periodic maintenance throughout the year or every few years. A homeowner's maintenance checklist can keep you on track.

We may think of a house and its materials as fixed and inert, but changes in heat and humidity throughout the year can cause some expansion and contraction. Occasional creaks and cracks are normal, but structural cracks need attention. Earthquakes are rare in Halifax.

How can I diagnose problems?

Some problems have an obvious source, so you can call in an appropriate specialist (plumber, carpenter, etc.) with confidence. Other problems will need detective work, especially if they are hidden inside a wall or a roof. Finding and fixing the underlying problem (e.g., a roof leak) will be more productive than removing the symptom (e.g., peeling paint). As with human bodies, the same symptom may be caused by different problems.

How should I fix problems?

Emergency room doctors and first aid responders prioritize three things: C, A, B: circulation, airway, and breathing - in that order. (CPR comes first.) They can kill you quickly. Other things - a broken leg, for example - are a lower priority.

Top priorities for a house include:

things that can kill you quickly (fire, smoke, carbon monoxide)
things that can make you ill or injured (mould, falls)
things that can threaten your house (structural instability, roof leaks, electrical risks, fire risks, flood risks)

After dealing with these top priorities, a second list can take a more measured approach. You can list potential repairs and indicate:

the level of risk if it's not done (low, medium, high)
how urgent it is (low, medium, high)
who would do it (you, a handyperson, a contractor)
the cost of doing it ($, $$, $$$)
how much of an improvement it will make to the house (low, medium, high)
whether another repair should be done first

You can then check your maintenance budget and plan a schedule. It's wise to budget 1–3% of the value of your house each year for maintenance and repairs. A reserve fund for unexpected emergencies may be wise. Your home insurance policy should include plenty of liability coverage (e.g., $2 million) for people who work on your house, even though their company is insured.

If your house needs upgrades for your safety or accessibility, or to enable you to continue living in your house, you may qualify for financial assistance. CMHC also provides tips on doing your own low-cost and no-cost modifications for accessibility.

Do I have to learn how to do house maintenance?

Anyone can learn to do basic maintenance and repairs, starting with cleaning, caulking, and painting. Beyond that, you'll have to balance your knowledge, your interest in learning new skills, and your finances for hiring someone else. To develop some do-it-yourself abilities, here are some tips:

acquire a basic toolkit [recommendations] [recommendations] [recommendations]
acquire a reference book, such as:
subscribe to Consumer Reports to help spend your household budget wisely
watch videos on YouTube to understand the steps for making a repair

An older house probably has gaps around the edge that let cold air in and warm air out. Finding and sealing these gaps is easy. You can find caulking tips online.

Some conditions (such as a leaky basement) can be caused by different problems that may be minor or major. Fixing the problem may require just a minor repair that you can do yourself. If that doesn't work, you may need to call in someone with more knowledge and equipment.

It's a good idea to make contacts with contractors before problems arise, so you won't have to race around when the time comes. To find good contractors (plumber, carpenter, electrician, handyperson, etc.), do some research first:

ask a real estate agent, architect, or builder for recommendations
ask neighbours for their recommendations
go online to look for companies in Halifax/Dartmouth that have been operating for many years
check online listings of home repair companies, but be cautious
be cautious of online reviews, as they may be fake or AI-generated
turn away anyone who arrives uninvited at your front door, as that's liable to be a scam