A comfortable and healthy home requires a reliable and efficient heating system. Nevertheless, there are times when repairing your furnace becomes necessary to ensure reliable and efficient heating. That’s because even a properly installed and well-maintained furnace breaks down some time. But, when does furnace repair becomes necessary?

Here are signs that you need furnace repair:

Increase in Heating Bills

When you get high energy bills every month, it implies that your heating system might not be operating efficiently. Furnaces lose effectiveness with age. And without proper maintenance, your furnace will age faster. Thus, it might reach a point where it won’t provide the right amount of heat and increase your electric bills. That’s when repair may be necessary. Essentially, you should have knowledgeable and experienced technicians check and repair your furnace.

Faulty Thermostat

If even after turning up heat your furnace doesn’t seem to make a difference, it may need repair. Whether the malfunction is caused by loose wiring or an electrical issue, you should have it checked by an experienced technician. A faulty thermostat should be fixed as quickly as possible.

Yellow Flame

A properly working furnace should produce a blue flame. If it produces a yellow flame, it means that carbon monoxide could be leaking. This is dangerous for the occupants of the building. Therefore, get your furnace checked and repaired by an expert to avoid further damage and danger.

Gas Smells

An old furnace can have a crack in its heat exchanger. If you smell a leaking gas, it’s important that you shut down the system and schedule a furnace repair appointment.

Strange Noises

This is a major red flag that should compel you to schedule your furnace repair. Humming, screeching, popping, and banging noises are warning signs that the unit needs repair or even replacement. Call a furnace repair expert to tell you the exact cause of the strange noises and what they imply.

Dry or Dusty House

If there is an increase in dry air and dust in your home, your furnace needs repair. If you don’t have the furnace repaired, you expose your family to health problems like allergies and asthma. Therefore, call an expert immediately to have your furnace checked and repaired.

Generally, repairing your furnace is a job that should be left to experienced technicians. That’s because these are professionals with knowledge of different furnace problems, their signs, causes, and solutions.

A decent home is one of the basics of the existence of a modern family. Nevertheless, every home needs repair every now and then. But, some home repairs are more urgent than others. And when you know the top 3 urgent home repairs, you will know how to prioritize especially if you have financial difficulties.

Here are the top 3 home repairs that require your immediate attention.

1. A Leaky Roof

If you don’t respond to a leaky roof immediately, it will cause serious water damage to your property. You might think that an unsightly mildew circle on the ceiling of your bedroom is harmless. However, this is a sign that water is getting into your house and you should have your roof repaired as soon as possible.

Sagging ceilings, moldy smell, water droplets, and a wet spot on the floor or wall is a sign of a leaky roof. If you notice any of these, schedule your roof repair immediately. If you don’t do that, water will wreck plaster, drywall, or wood that it touches in your home. Thus, you will end up with expensive repairs if you don’t schedule your roof repair immediately. If the damage is extensive, you may be compelled to replace the roof. However, roof replacement is costly and should be the last thing to consider.

2. Leaky Water Heater

If your water heater starts leaking, you might be in for serious problems. Just like leaky roof, water heater replacement is costly and not the best option in some cases. Essentially, you can have a leaky water heater repaired by an experienced technician. So, if your water heater starts leaking, call an experienced water heater repair technician immediately.

3. Faulty Sump Pump

This is one of the home repairs that require help of an emergency plumber. If you have a damaged sump pump, your basement might soon be full of water if you don’t have it repaired. This will open up your home to more water damage problems. To avoid this, call experienced technicians to schedule emergency sump pump repair.

Basically, these are the major home repairs that should prompt you to take action immediately. Call an experienced technician immediately you notice signs of these problems in your home. Roofing contractors like http://www.medicinehatroofing.com/ will easily be able to troubleshoot any considerable problems with your roof and can advice which direction to take regarding repair or full replacement.

As part of the preparation for selling your home, you might want to consider renovating certain portions of your home.

Incomplete tasks – Partial repairs or renovation work that has been started but hasn’t been finished yet certainly has to be attended to. The typical buyer is commonly not a visionary or an innovator. They won’t appreciate the worth of a three-fourths finished project. They will simply witness a big mess. It is always a smart decision to complete repair jobs and renovation works before putting your house up for sale.

Dim, passé or discolored painted interiors – Paint is possibly the best way you can spend your money on to improve your home’s appeal. Bear in mind though that the end result should look bright and professionally done. Light or neutral paint colors are generally a safer choice. Several researches indicate that darkly painted homes may take up to two times longer to sell as compared to homes that are painted in lighter hues. Light colors can also help make a room seem larger than it really is.

Water damage marks – These should be fixed right away. Water damage is on top of the list of things that potential buyers are avoiding. If there are any water marks from a small water problem before, make sure to take the time to paint and refinish to take away any and all signs of water damage.

Kitchens and Bathrooms – Aside from painting, there is probably nothing else that can give you a better return on your investment than making sure that your kitchen and bathrooms are in excellent condition. You must make it appoint that all bathroom fixtures and plumbing are functioning properly. The kitchen should be spotless and void of any unpleasant smells. If either of these rooms is looking worn or dated, it may be wise to attend to them immediately.

Cupboards and Closets – Your cupboards and closets should open smoothly. Doorknobs and hinges should be tightened and lubricated if necessary. Loose or clattering knobs and hinges give the impression that you are not very particular about maintenance. Fix or replace such items right away.

Faucets and light switches should be shiny and clean. If simple cleaning doesn’t do the job then replacing them is the best inexpensive option.

If your cabinetry is looking shabby or behind the times and you don’t have enough money to replace them, the next best option is to refinish or repaint the doors. You can also swap the old and dated cupboard handles for more contemporary ones.

By fixing the above mentioned, you are likely to be able to get a higher selling price for your home.

Every homeowner needs help around the house from small repairs or spruce-ups to renovations. But how can you determine what type of professional to hire? Here are some tips and differences in home improvement professionals that you should consider.

Contractor vs Handyman: Often a contractor’s fees to handle small projects can be cost prohibitive. A handyman typically handles small jobs around the house and yard for both businesses and homeowners alike, and can provide a practical and cost effective solution. Some jobs require a specific license or are beyond the scope of a handyman. General contractors can handle virtually any major home project. One rule of thumb can be how long the job should take. If it’s going to take more than 2 full days to complete, a general contractor is better equipped to handle the project.

Developing a relationship with a reliable and trustworthy handyman over the long term is a good idea for any homeowner. It’s always nice to address those home improvement projects a house needs from time to time easily and quickly. Before going out and hiring a general contractor to repair a hole in drywall or to paint a room, you can hire a handyman. A contractor’s fees to handle small projects can be discouraging.

There are a few good rules of thumb when considering a handyman. With a little investment in time, you can save both money and energy over the long haul. Here is a list of jobs that you can have one good handyman take care of for you:

* Minor plumbing like leaky faucets, a new sink or fixtures

* Minor electrical work like a new ceiling fan, an added plug or switch

* Fixing a leaky roof or correcting drainage problems

* Miscellaneous carpentry around the house

* Painting a room or garage area

* Siding repair

* Building shelves

* Tile repair or installation

This list could go on and on, but you get the idea. If you’re going to re-side or re-roof your home, you probably need to find a reliable contractor who specializes in those areas of home remodeling. Both Handymen and contractors should provide you with a free no obligation estimate before tackling a project. A homeowner should never hire a handyman until knowing the cost of the project, including materials. A good handyman can offer estimates and work either by the hour, or by the job like a major contractor would.

If you want to work with your contractor, you may be able to. Some handymen prefer to work alone, but most will work with you if you just want some help getting something done. You’ll likely get an hourly rate if you go this route. On the other hand, once a major contractor has outlined the scope of the work involved, and you approve his bid, you need to stand back and let him go to work. You are only in the way at that point.

There’s one thing that many homeowners dread and that’s unanticipated major home repair. You can put off some house repairs but others must be done without delay, such as roof repair. When repairs on your home have to be made, you will need to find out how much you will be spending for home repair costs. Make sure you have enough funds to finish the project before you even think about starting.

Major Home Repair Costs

Some home repairs are minor and do not cost much. Others, including the following, are major projects that may cost you thousands of dollars:

Roofing. Roof repairs may involve the installation of new shingles over existing ones. In some cases old shingles will have to be removed and replaced with new ones. The job will cost from $2 to $4 dollars per square foot. If you need new flashing expect to pay $300 to $500 more.

Electrical repairs. Major electrical repairs should be left to professionals. A do-it-yourselfer can put in new light bulbs, outlets and light sockets. But if you need an electrical upgrade or a new circuit you should call an electrician. Electrical home repair may cost up to $1,800.

Plumbing. For major plumbing repairs, you need a plumber or plumbing contractor. Repairs can involve replacing a sink, bathtub, toilet, tiles, etc. You may also want to install a submersible pump, jet pump, whirlpool bath or a new bathroom. Repair costs can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Other major home repairs are HVAC repairs, foundation repairs, and driveway or walkway repaving.

Getting an Estimate

Repairing and remodeling homes is a big business. There are websites that can give you a rough estimate of how much a particular job would cost. It’s difficult to get an exact figure online because jobs can vary based on the size of the home, location, materials used, and other factors such as building codes and job practices.

To get an idea of how much a job will cost, visit your local home center. Find out how much the materials cost. Add an amount for labor and profit.

To know exactly how much a specific home repair job will cost, call one or more contractors and ask for an estimate. Get at least three estimates that you can compare. The contractors should bid on materials and workmanship of similar quality. Also ask for options using the next better or worse materials. Quotations should be made in writing.

You can always ask a contractor if they can lower their price. You can also save on home repair costs by doing part of the job. Homeowners can do some of the demolition or prep work to save money.