Things Humpty Dumpty Should Have Done Before He Retired

As you plot and plan your retirement, there may be some things you are forgetting. Is your home maintenance free?

There are many things a person can do to their house to make it maintenance free.  Many seniors don’t think about this option and some attempt to do their own maintenance and instead end up in the Hospital Emergency Room.

The first thing you can do is prominently post a sign by your front door stating, “No Canvassers, Swindlers or Salespersons welcome.” That sign lets people know real quick what you think about them and just how welcome they are.

I was a contractor for many years. I was also an author and knowledgeable about the aging baby boomers and their need to have a maintenance free home in their great grey years. So I designed several ways a home owner could almost make their home completely maintenance free.

A rusted out leaking chimney cap can cause severe water damage in an unattended home. Depending on your environment they need replaced every 10-20 years. You can use a rust remover to preserve them or you can buy a stainless steel or aluminum chimney cap and not have to worry about it again.

Annual gutter cleaning can be avoided with durable gutter guards. Plastic or rust proof are preferable. Replace average down spouts with larger ones for a worry free gutter system. Having a drain tile system in place is also very convenient and removes possible water damage problems to the foundation of your home.

One area of a house that is always prone to rotting and water damage is the soffit and fascia. You can either use vinyl or durable hardy board siding to cover the wood to eliminate this problem.  Having this siding on the whole exterior of your house is also advisable for a maintenance free lifestyle.

Removing or replacing a wood fence with a vinyl fence can be costly, but it will never need a repair or to be replaced either. To eliminate weed eating around a perimeter fence, dig a 6 inch trench under the whole length of the fence and pour concrete into it.

Docks or decks can be made with plastic wood planks to last forever.

Metal roofs are maintenance free as well as energy efficient.

Sealing cracks in concrete with an elastic polymer crack sealant will add many years of life to a concrete driveway.

Replacing house numerals, mailboxes, and any exterior metal fixtures with plastic ones will eliminate future problems during your lazy retirement.

You can add many years of extra life to you’re A/C unit as well as slashing your electric bill by putting radiant barrier in your attic. It is the best and most cost efficient way to cut your electric bill, as well as doing your part to save our environment.

If you insist on keeping your wood exterior you can make a very strong and durable paint that is also energy efficient by adding ceramic microspheres to the paint.

I’ve had more then one customer explain to me how they were on the roof and slipped trying to make a repair on their own. They had the battle wounds to prove it. Plan a maintenance free retirement home and enjoy your life. You earned it.