In this Post
–Apartment Maintenance Checklist
–Turn Apartment Into Smart Home
Whether you own an apartment for residential or investment purposes, you will always want it to look as good as new and retain its real estate value. Wear and tear can be a common occurrence in case you own a flat in an aging apartment building, which can be controlled with minor tweaks and repairs if spotted and fixed in time. Neglect, however, may lead to expensive repairs no matter the size of your apartment. This can make the maintenance part for you even more frustrating, especially if you don’t know how to do it the right way. So, to help you in this regard, we bring you a comprehensive apartment maintenance checklist in this blog, which will allow you to breathe new life into your living space.
Let’s get started!
The Ultimate Apartment Maintenance Checklist
Let’s list down and discuss some highly practical and easy to follow tips to maintain your apartment.
- Inspect the Walls and Paints
- Check All Electrical Sockets
- Maintaining Lighting Fixtures
- Take Your Balcony Decor Up a Notch
- Check for Rattling Doors and Windows
- Fix Plumbing Leaks
- Ensure Fire Safety
- Secure Your Premises
Inspect the Walls and Paint
Wet walls or dampness is one of the most common problems faced by apartment owners in Pakistan. Excess amounts of moisture and dampness coming through the walls not only leads to bacteria growth but also causes permanent damage to the plaster, paint, and finishes. However, to tackle such a situation and prevent it from happening again, there are several ways to go by. For instance, you can get all your walls layered with damp proofing materials, which are widely available in the market. Moreover, make sure that the exterior walls of your apartment building are leak-proof, which means they will not soak in the rainwater. Also, having proper arrangements for venting the steam generated in your cooking area and shower room will also solve your problem of experiencing wet walls. On a side note, in order to completely get rid of the moisture at home, you can take help from these useful tips for waterproofing your home.
Check All Electrical Sockets
Having faulty electrical sockets in your apartment may result in disastrous incidents like home fire or electrocution. If you carry out routine maintenance on all the electrical outlets in your living space then it can drastically reduce the risk and saves you from costly repairs by preventing different types of malfunctions. Whenever you carry out maintenance activities on any of the electrical outlets or switchboards around your flat, make sure they are not connected with the power to keep yourself safe from being electrocuted. Getting the faulty sockets timely fixed or replaced is one of the most important tips to maintain your apartment.
Safety Tip: Don’t plug in any of the sockets, which have been scorched. It is mostly caused by electricity overload or loose connection that can be dangerous if used.
Maintaining Lighting Fixtures
Want to live in a well-lit abode? Take care of all the lighting fixtures in your apartment. Since apartments usually have a balcony and windows all around, the interior of your living space may get sun-filled during the daytime but at night you may need to light it up properly with the help of well-placed lighting fixtures. Good lighting will make your apartment feel roomier. There are plenty of lighting fixtures available in Pakistan that you can choose for your home. However, the best thing to do in this regard is to go for energy-saving lighting equipment such as energy savers and LED bulbs. On a side note, if you don’t know which one of these is a better option for you, then our debate on energy saver vs LED bulb will help you decide.
Take Your Balcony Decor Up a Notch
If you are looking for tips to maintain your apartment, then upgrading your balcony decor is one of the best things to do in this regard, if your housing unit has one. With minor changes to your small outdoor space, you can come up with a cosy and relaxing balcony setup. However, you can also go through our blog in which we have discussed ways to decorate your small balcony to fetch some inspiring ideas. Some of the key elements that can upgrade the look and feel of your balcony include furnishings like a small table or built-in seats, greenery by installing lush plants that grow well in pots and designed or patterned floor pillows or outdoor rugs. You make use of walls by decorating it with murals in the form of paint or wallpaper that is waterproof and may not wear out easily.
Check for Rattling Doors and Windows
Checking for the doors and windows that need repairs is a must entry for your apartment maintenance checklist. Start by polishing or painting the frames of your doors and windows fixtures to enhance the functionality and aesthetics of your housing unit. To fix your window rails or sidebars of your door, you can take help from some essential tools you must have in your home including a hammer, pliers, screwdriver, and adjustable wrench. The three main elements of doors and windows are frames, shutters, and fitting, which are all usually made of wood. However, in modern times other materials have also come into play and now you have a variety of choices to install these fixtures as per your requirement. To know more about different types of fitting available for your apartment in this regard, you can check out our blogs in which we have discussed some of the most popular types of windows and doors available in Pakistan.
Ensure Fire Safety
Fire incidents can occur anywhere and anytime without any warning. As mentioned before, if you spot any scorched wire or electrical outlet around your living space, you need to immediately take preventative measures against any possible fire incident. Some of the key things you can do in this regard include not overloading the circuits and electric appliances, avoiding the use of cords that are cracked or damaged, not having cords running under rugs and between rooms as it may also cause someone to trip or fall. Also, never leave your heating appliance running unattended, especially when you have kids around. Here are some more home fire safety tips that you can follow to keep yourself and your household members safe.
Fix Plumbing Leaks
If you want to properly maintain your apartment, you need to get all the plumbing leaks checked and fixed. Leaky pipes in your apartment can become one of the biggest sources of water wastage and run up utility costs as well as causing severe water damage to your abode. The very first thing you need to check in this respect is the pipe that is right below your kitchen or bathroom drain, which is considered a common source of leakage in most of the households. However, the dampness can spread all around and these leaks can get worse if not fixed in time. Calling in a plumbing expert every time can be a bit costly for you, however, you can always go for the DIY option. Here are some DIY plumbing hacks that can help you out in repairing the leaky taps and pipes at home.
Secure Your Premises
Upgrading the security of your premises should be one of the priorities in your apartment maintenance checklist. Make sure that your apartment is well-lit and that your entrance door is properly locked. Not only you need to check your home entrance but also take a look at the other inlets like the doors that open up in your balcony and all the windows around your apartment, however, you can also get them installed with shatterproof glass. Installing a home security system is also one of the best things to do in this regard. Meanwhile, here are some other ways to ensure foolproof security for your abode.
Ideas to Turn Your Apartment Into Smart Home
When you are planning to maintain your apartment, think about incorporating some smart gadgets into your home to add convenience to your day-to-day lifestyle. Some of the most common smart home gadgets available in Pakistan include smart alarms, smart speakers, smart bulbs, smart switches, smart locks, smart appliances, and smart blinds. Smart appliances may include smart TVs, refrigerators, and ACs, which can now be controlled easily with the help of different types of applications installed on your smartphone.
This brings us to the end of our apartment maintenance checklist. If you think we have missed out on mentioning anything important, feel free to notify us about it by emailing us at blog@zameen.com. We’d be glad to hear from you.
On a side note, you might also be interested in reading our home maintenance checklist and other DIY home improvement guides including DIY ways to polish wood, DIY hacks for decorating your rental home, tips for DIY home improvements and DIY ways to organise your bookshelves.
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