Anyone who is smart will be careful to eat right, exercise on a regular basis, and consult a health care professional whenever they notice any unusual symptoms or just need to get a thorough checkup to stay informed and aware. In the same way, wise homeowners should also practice prudent home maintenance and consult a professional inspector whenever necessary to get an accurate picture of the condition of the property and be alerted to any necessary repairs or maintenance issues.

Otherwise, just as it happens with our health and our bodies, if home maintenance is ignored or neglected it will eventually lead to more serious and expensive problems. As the old saying goes, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – and that is certainly the case when it comes to taking care of a valuable real estate investment.

Take a really simple example, for instance, of a stain on the ceiling of the living room. Unless it becomes too unsightly, many homeowners might put off having it repainted. But an inspector will see that spot as an outward symptom of a problem worthy of investigation, and by looking deeper he or she will likely find a faulty plumbing pipe, a leaking roof, or moisture that is being trapped between the floors of the home to create potentially dangerous mildew and mold.

A surprising number of homeowners do not know, for example, where to find or how to replace the filters on their air conditioning units. The filters cost just a few bucks each, and they should be replaced at least twice a year, if not more, in order to ensure that they continue to keep the system flowing freely and working at peak performance. Taking out the old filter and putting in a new one usually takes about five minutes or less. But lots of homeowners wind up with extraordinarily high utility bills or damaged central air conditioning units – which can costs thousands of dollars to replace – just because of dirty filters.

There are also landscape issues to consider – like keeping bushes from growing too close to the sides of the house where they can attract pests, cause accumulated moisture, or weaken the foundation. Drainage sloped the wrong way can be easy to remedy – or if it is left unchecked it can cause rotten siding, eroded foundations, and flooded basements. Even home maintenance of trees on a property can lead to structural damage or even a serious injury – and if dead limbs fall across the property line you could wind up getting sued for damage done to a neighbor’s home or to city owned property.

The list of potential issues that can result from a lack of home maintenance is practically endless, but the good news is that most routine maintenance is both simple and inexpensive. If you spend just an hour or two a month to monitor your property and review a home maintenance checklist it can save time and money while also adding invaluable peace of mind and security. Many types of maintenance tasks can be done by the homeowner – even without special skills or training – and the results of this kind of oversight are reflected in pride of ownership and a better looking and more enjoyable home for you and your family. If you are planning to sell, those small home maintenance chores will pay off in a big way by contributing to your home’s curb appeal and equity – and by making a strong positive impression on Realtors, potential buyers, mortgage appraisers and buyer-hired building inspectors.

Of course most people are not adept at the kinds of tasks that a contractor or handyman might do, and many homeowners who want to do a good job of home maintenance are frustrated by the fact that they just do not know where to begin or what to do. That’s why it is so important to take advantage of the expertise of a home inspection pro when purchasing a home. The inspector not only takes note of any potential problems, but if you sit down and talk with the inspector you can learn a tremendous amount about the way to property and professionally take care of your home and all of its various components and systems. The inspector can point out sections of the printed inspection report – which you get to keep for your own records – that include maintenance checklists. You can find out how and when to conduct your routine maintenance, and what to do if you notice anything out of the ordinary that might deserve a closer investigation.