Being a homeowner in Chicago has a large amount of responsibility to maintain the house. Not only do you want to keep up the house, but you want to increase its value while living there. Therefore, if you plan to sell your house, the more you can upgrade it without blowing your budget, the better you will be. This guide provides you with some Chicago home improvement needs to consider when upgrading your home.
Start with the Roof
When you have Chicago home improvement needs, one of the first places to start is with your roof. The roof of your house provides the barrier between your house and the outdoor elements. This makes it essential that you provide proper maintenance, service, and roof inspections. When you hire a professional roof contractor to provide local roofing service, you may be able to avoid having to replace your roof. Roof replacements and repairs can be stressful for many homeowners, especially in Chicago. They are often expensive, and the weather does not always work in your favor.
When you choose to hire a professional company to determine the condition of your roof, you can reduce the burden. A roofing company will determine the best course of action for your roof based on a few key factors. First, they will look at any damaged areas to determine the size and severity of the damage. This is a good indicator as to whether or not the roof can be repaired or needs a replacement. When you have proper maintenance, you may be able to avoid a full roof replacement. The age of your roof is an important consideration. When your roof is old, it may not be worth spending the money on repairs. Instead, the roofer may recommend that you replace it. Your budget also matters when making determinations about roof repairs.
If you have a chimney and fireplace, you don’t want to overlook them. Your chimney requires regular inspections, cleaning, and repair. When the roofer is assessing your roof, they will also look at the chimney’s exterior. When it comes to the inside of the chimney, you should hire a reputable chimney cleaning company instead of doing it yourself. It’s a dirty and hazardous job. You are exposing yourself to dirt and harmful fumes. When you contact a company to clean the chimney, they will inspect it and make any necessary repairs.
Your Garage is Critical
When you are looking at your Chicago home improvement needs, don’t forget about your garage. Many homeowners don’t think about their garage until it no longer functions for them. Your garage is another barrier between your house and the outside world. Garages have doors that lead to the interior of your home. You want to ensure that the main garage door is in good working order. While you can probably perform some type of inspection on your garage door, you most likely are not qualified for any needed repairs. As a result, you should consider having a garage door service perform the necessary inspection and assess your garage doors. You should have this service done once a year. While there, the technician will test and adjust your garage doors as needed. They balance and lubricate the doors as needed. This ensures that your garage doors are always in good working condition.
When taking a critical look at your garage, the doors aren’t the only parts to consider. You want the garage floor to be in good shape, too. This means that it should be clean and free of chemicals and oils. Any time you park your car in your garage, it’s possible that it could leak onto the floor. This could be a slip-and-fall hazard. It also could be a toxic chemical that’s sitting on your floor. You should clean the garage floor regularly and consider painting it with epoxy paint. This helps it stay clean and look neat. You may also want to add garage cabinetry. This gives you storage space in your garage. When you have the proper amount of storage, you can keep your garage clean. This way, you won’t have tools lying around and potentially getting in the way of you safely parking your car.
Improve Your Insulation
When thinking about Chicago home improvement needs, you should always consider insulation. Chicago has cold and windy winters. This means that the wind can push cold air into your home if you don’t have proper insulation. You may find it surprising, but your insulation needs regular inspections and maintenance. Over time, insulation can stop working or flatten out. This means that it may no longer protect your home as well as it could. When you have regular inspections, you can be sure that it’s providing the right level of protection for your home. There are many different types of insulation. A reputable insulation company can help you determine which kind is best for your home.
You could do a quick inspection yourself to determine if there is any missing insulation. You can also look for areas where insulation has penetrated but is not sealed. It’s essential that you pay attention to moisture on the insulation. You should also feel for spots where it’s hot. If you see areas of discoloration or sagging, you should contact a professional. When a professional checks your insulation, you can also have them perform tests to determine if you have any asbestos in your home. There needs to be a special test performed to determine if there is asbestos in any area of your home. It is in your best interest to have a professional perform these tests. Anyone that breathes in asbestos may become sick. If you determine that you do have asbestos, a professional can help you understand what you should do next.
Upgrade Your HVAC Systems
When you are thinking about your Chicago home improvement needs, you don’t want to miss your HVAC systems. These systems are responsible for heating and cooling your home. Unfortunately, it always seems to happen that your heat stops working on the coldest and windiest day of the year. You may also find that you have problems with your air conditioning on the most humid day of the year. In an effort to prevent that, you can have regular maintenance and inspections of your HVAC systems. You can expect to have these services twice a year. You should service your AC in the spring and your heating in the fall.
When you have a professional inspection of your HVAC system, a technician will perform a comprehensive system check. They also give your unit a thorough cleaning. This may prevent you from needing a new air conditioning installation. During an inspection, all components are checked to ensure they’re working properly. If any repairs are needed, they can often be done at the same time. Your filters are also changed. These steps help you feel confident that your HVAC system will function properly and work efficiently throughout the entire season. You are able to catch minor concerns early and fix them before they become major issues.
Take a Look at the Kitchen
When you are thinking about your Chicago home improvement needs, your kitchen may come to mind first. It’s probably one of the rooms where you spend the most time. The kitchen always tends to be the center of your house. Kitchen remodeling can help in many ways. First, it allows you to make the best out of the space you have in your kitchen. You can make your kitchen more efficient and more enjoyable.
You want to make the area from the stove to the sink to the refrigerator as efficient as you can. This area creates a triangle when you are cooking, and they are the areas you move between the most. You should keep all of your pans, pots, tools, and gadgets around this area. This allows you to access them easily and quickly when you need them. You can also consider doing small remodels in your kitchen instead of doing an entire kitchen remodel. One of the spaces you can upgrade is your kitchen countertops. This is a great way to change the way your kitchen looks completely. You can upgrade them to granite or marble. Each one has its own advantages, and you should understand which one works best for you. The flooring in your kitchen is more important than you realize. If you have ugly floors, consider a wood floor installation. Upgrading the floor is a great way to make a drastic change to your kitchen.
Don’t Overlook the Windows and Doors
When you’re thinking about your Chicago home improvement needs, you may want to consider adding storm windows and doors. A storm window mounts to the inside or outside of an existing window pane. They’re made of glass, rigid plastic panels, or flexible plastic sheeting. You should know that once you install a storm window, you won’t be able to open your existing windows. However, they are easy to remove if you need to.
Storm windows prevent damage, help your home stay quieter, and help to keep your home insulated. These windows improve the look of your house and are durable. For these reasons, they can improve the value of your home. Storm windows provide additional insulation, which helps to reduce your energy costs. Windows in Chicago tend to let in cold air and drafts. When storm windows are installed, the temperature inside your home can stay at a constant temperature. This allows you to use less heat or air conditioning. Because Chicago is prone to extreme winds, these windows can help protect your home’s existing windows from extreme temperatures and high winds.
Once you have storm windows, you want to make sure you keep them clean to help them last longer. The inserts of interior storm windows can be taken out and wiped down. It would be best if you used a window cleaner and a soft cloth. If you have exterior storm windows, you can open the interior side of them and vacuum the debris from the inside. You should remove all the dust from the screens and the panes.
Finish the Basement
When you are considering what Chicago home improvement needs are this year, you might want to consider your basement. When thinking about Chicago home improvement needs for your basement, you may need to waterproof it. Hiring a professional basement waterproofer is critical to ensure the basement and foundation of your home remain dry. The basement of your house is the part that is at the greatest risk for water damage because it’s below grade and surrounded by soil.
The soil that surrounds the foundation of your home releases the water it absorbs from rain and melting snow. This water can end up in your basement, especially if there are leaks or cracks. Wet basements can become a significant problem that causes other problems like peeling paint, toxic mold, and rot. You may also find that your foundation collapses or you have termite damage. When your basement is properly waterproof, it reduces the risk of damage, water, or moisture getting into your basement. It is essential that you do everything you can to keep your basement safe and dry.
If you think that you have a wet basement problem, you should contact a professional right away. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there’s nothing you can do about your wet basement. It’s not too expensive to fix. However, doing nothing with a wet basement is more expensive than fixing it. The best way to stop water from getting into your basement is to move the water away from your foundation. A professional can help you determine the best way to do that.
When you are thinking about your Chicago home improvement needs, this guide gives you a great starting point. Of course, your home may have other needs, but this gives you some key areas in which you should focus your resources.