There are multiple types of homes. People may live in a detached house, townhouse, condo, or apartment. The owners or renters may occupy homes.

Typical annual maintenance costs are between one and three percent of the home’s purchase price. Factors affecting the cost of household maintenance include the home’s age and the weather in your area. Household maintenance costs and responsibilities vary. Continue reading to learn about routine home maintenance, how your status as a homeowner or renter can affect your responsibility for home maintenance costs, and what type of warranty plans or insurance you need.

What are common home maintenance tasks?

Typically, homeowners should perform routine maintenance checks in the spring and fall. The spring’s an ideal time to check your yard for trees or hedges damaged during the winter. It’s also the right time to check for damage to your home’s exterior.

Have a certified HVAC technician inspect your air conditioning unit before summer arrives. The HVAC technician should clean the unit, replace worn parts, and clean your air ducts. You should also have your HVAC technician return in the fall to ensure your home heating system’s working correctly.

Other common home maintenance tasks include cleaning the gutters, having your chimney cleaned, and replacing your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors’ batteries.

Who’s responsible for the cost of household maintenance and repairs?

Homeowners are usually responsible for routine maintenance and repairs. Suppose you own a rental property and the property’s damaged by vandalism. As the property owner, you’re responsible for filing an insurance claim and repairing the damage.

Homeowners can opt to invest in a home warranty plan. When looking for a home warranty in Arizona, choose a home warranty company that understands how the climate affects Arizona homes. Your home warranty company simplifies the process of finding qualified technicians who can assess your home’s systems and perform routine maintenance and essential repairs.

Choose a home warranty plan suited to your needs. Perhaps you have an older home. You may want a platinum plan that covers plumbing issues, as well as appliance repair costs. You may need extra coverage if your home has a pool.

Could your rental agreement affect your maintenance costs?

A home warranty policy makes it possible to manage the cost of home maintenance. Homeowners can invest in a home warranty for their residence and any rental property they own. Renters can also take out a home warranty plan for their rental property if they’re responsible for the cost of maintenance and repairs. Rental agreements vary, and if a renter’s agreement stipulates they’re responsible for maintaining the appliances and household systems, such as the air conditioner and heater, they must pay for those costs.

Renters who’re responsible for the cost of repairs may call contractors or their home warranty company and initiate repairs. When the landlord’s responsible for the costs, renters will notify the landlord of the issue and the landlord will arrange for contractors to perform repairs.

What type of insurance do you need?

Homeowners, landlords, and tenants need insurance. The type of insurance varies. For example, homeowners will want insurance that covers the replacement cost for the building and their personal belongings. Landlords need landlord insurance. Landlord insurance provides financial compensation to replace a damaged or destroyed home. Landlord insurance also provides liability coverage if you’re legally responsible for injuries that occurred on your property. Liability coverage pays for the medical bills in these circumstances.

Renters need renters insurance to cover the cost of replacing their belongings if they’re destroyed, damaged, or stolen. Renters can use a comparison tool to evaluate renters insurance policies. The tool asks for relevant information, such as your location and the type of property you inhabit. This indicates the number of belongings you need to insure. The tool uses your data to create a list of insurance companies who can supply renters insurance and provides information about their policies and the costs, enabling you to find the right renters insurance policy for your needs.

Homeowners are usually responsible for household maintenance, although some tenants may agree to a lease making them responsible for maintenance and repair costs. Homeowners must insure their house while tenants need insurance for their belongings.