Home Maintenance Misconceptions You Need to Stop believing
Keeping your home well-maintained is a constant struggle. You have to continuously clean, repair, and even renovate. If you’re the industrious type, you might want to try and do it on your own. So you Google it, and you try it out but end up failing. It’s not exactly your fault; there’s a lot of bad advice on the internet. Some myths and misconceptions come passed off as accurate, and those who read them without knowing better end up making the mistake of actually doing them. Below are seven of the most common home maintenance myths you’ll see.
Myth 1: Lemon Slices Keep Garbage Disposal Clean
The lemon slices will build up and clog your pipe or even cause a breakage. This is dangerous, as it potentially damages your garbage disposal unit. Instead of using whole lemons, squeeze them out and use the juice instead. This keeps the pipe clean and helps reduce the stench.
Myth 2: You Only Need to Clean the Gutter During Autumn
Many believe you only need to clean your gutter during or after the fall, as it’s only when the leaves fall. However, gutters often get clogged with debris, resulting in poor water flow and rainwater damaging your property. The collected debris and dirt can also attract insects and other animals. Always include it in your cleaning schedule regardless of the season.
Myth 3: Turning Off the Air Conditioner or Heater Saves You Electricity Bills
Your air conditioner or furnace will have to exert more effort to ensure that it gets to the temperature you desire, resulting in higher utility expenses. It’s better to reduce the temperature when you’re going out. Put the furnace or the air conditioner lower, around 8 to 10 degrees lower than you want. This is more cost-efficient than turning it off and putting it up high or down when you get home.
Myth 4: DIY Roof Repairs Are OK
It’s essential to make sure to check your roofs. You want to see whether there are cracked or missing tiles or other leaks and breakage. If you see any of these, you want to hire a professional to repair them. Don’t try to fix it on your own. It’s dangerous since you can fall and end up hurting yourself, and it requires professional skills and tools to accomplish. It’s easy to try and break something, making the problem even worse.
Myth 5: You Can Fix Your Plumbing
Take the time to clean your pipes, especially if you have hot water. By ensuring your heater is maintained well enough, you’re extending its lifespan and preventing severe damage that will require extensive repair. Minerals and sediments can form in the tank. That’s why it’s critical to drain it out now and again. However, you can’t just fix your pipes and plumbing. It’s a rather complex system that requires a plumber to do it for you, as trying to fix it on your own might end up with you accidentally flooding your house.
Myth 6: Not Every Bathroom Should Have Exhaust Fans
It’s a common misconception that not every bathroom should have an exhaust fan. Building standards say bathrooms without windows are the only ones that exhaust fans. But even if your bathroom has a window, having an exhaust fan will greatly help. It helps reduce and prevent mold and mildew from building up. Ensure that other rooms with a high risk of moisture also have an exhaust fan, such as your kitchen, dining, and bedroom.
Myth 7: Pushing the “Test” Button on a Smoke Alarm Tells You If It’s Working
Pushing the test button on your smoke detector is not enough to make sure that it’s working. It only proves that the sound is working, but it doesn’t tell you whether it can detect smoke or not. Make sure to test the actual smoke detector by lighting a match near it and see if it registers smoke. Don’t forget to replace the battery at least once a year. You should also return the actual unit after a couple of years.
Most of these myths aren’t all that wrong—they probably started in a good-natured way. You can’t believe everything you hear and should always verify whether it’s correct. Simply accepting it without questioning might result in damages or even health risks.
