There are significant advantages to owning your own home such as: privacy, no restrictions or limitations on how to fix up or change the interior, it is usually a good long-term investment, stability for your children, and you develop stronger ties to the community in which you live.

Of course, home ownership also has some drawbacks. Responsibility for all the maintenance and repair costs of the house is probably one of the biggest. A home inspection can give you a rough idea of what non-emergency upkeep you can expect so you can plan accordingly, but there will always be unforeseen issues that pop up. Luckily, you can prepare a bit in advance if you know what the most common problems are.

1. Plumbing & Drainage Problems

Regularly ignored, small annoyances such as a dripping faucet or running toilet can be signs of a bigger problem and also run up a staggeringly high water bill in the process. Fortunately, most plumbing and drainage issues are easy to repair, and often you can do it yourself. So don’t delay if you have any of the following occurring in your home now:

• Leaking tap – All those little drops add up! There are some quick DIY fixes for a leaky faucet. If a simple fix does stop the dripping, there may be a bigger issue, such as corrosion, at which point you will need to call in a plumber.

• Burst pipes – This happens most often in winter, but can occur any time. If you suspect a pipe has burst, check for damp sections of the floors and ceilings. Unless you are a highly experienced handyman, you will need to call in a professional.

• Running toilet – If left unchecked, one constantly flowing toilet can use up to 200 gallons of water a day! Like a leaky faucet, you may be able to do it yourself but don’t be afraid to call in a plumber to save time and potential headaches.

• Low water pressure – Sometimes this is a neighborhood-wide problem than can only be resolved by contacting your water supplier, but often it’s a sign of clogged pipes or valves. If the problem is only at an individual faucet and not throughout your entire house, then you just need to deal with that one source.

• Repetitive basement flooding – This can be caused by poor floor and wall sealing, a plug between your home and the public system, downspouts installed too close to the basement wall, or debris in your gutters. There are a number of fixes, including a sump pump, that can help.

2. Structural Issues

You will almost certainly face some or all of the plumbing issues mentioned above, and probably some of these structural problems as well. Like all things with your home, take measures to fix the smaller things now so they don’t turn into emergencies later on. The structure is the skeleton, so keep an eye out for:

• Cracked walls – Small cracks are normal, especially in a new home that needs time to settle. Generally, if a crack is ⅛ inch or smaller, it’s harmless. But it really depends on the material of your walls (concrete, brick, drywall, etc.) and the types of crack, so it’s best to have a professional check them out, especially if the crack is ¼ inch or larger or runs at a jagged 45-degree angle.

• Bulging walls – Most often caused by faulty wall ties that draw the interior and exterior walls together, this is also easy to fix with new cavity wall ties if caught early. If not, you might have to stabilize or rebuild the wall.

• Damaged roof and structural timber – Always fix small roof damage as soon as you see it, though be prepared that you may discover a larger problem concurrently. The most common cause of roof and structural timber issues is continual dampness and it’s often indicated by cracked lintels over doorways and windows, or a dip in the roof. You often need to replace the timber; your best bet is with stainless steel as it’s resistant to water damage, bugs and fungus, so contact a residential metal fabrication specialist.

• Foundation fractures – The main causes of foundation issues are soil movement, under-slab leaks (indicated by wet patches on your floor/rugs or bubbles through your floor), improper soil compaction and tree roots. For all of these issues, your best bet is to call in a structural engineer for a thorough evaluation. Also, the engineer can be a neutral party when evaluating bids for renovation work.

3. Mold, Mildew & Rot

Fortunately, the next few common issues you will face as a homeowner are much less costly and time consuming. But they can be serious nonetheless. Mold, mildew and dry rot (i.e., wood fungus) should be dealt with as soon as possible due to potential health issues and the possibility of hidden damage. And it is not only leaks or flooding that produce the moisture mold needs to grow–something as innocuous as cooking can cause your kitchen’s humidity level to rise significantly.

Some molds, if left unchecked, can destroy your drywall, wallpaper and carpets, while others can make people seriously ill, especially babies and those with compromised immune systems. If you are unsure as to which types of mold and rot you have, it’s best to contact an independent consultant.

If the mold seems mild and you want to take care of it yourself, your first step is eliminating the cause of the moisture (it is usually something easily remedied like poor ventilation in the kitchen or bathroom). Only after you take care of the underlying problem do you focus on the cleaning.

4. Pest Control

Bed bugs, termites, cockroaches, wasps, rodents – All these little buggers love living with you, especially in the colder months. There’s no better way to keep these varmints at bay than with routine maintenance. Spend the money now so you don’t have to have your entire home professionally “bombed” and possibly have to throw out infested furniture and rip up floors to get at the creatures who have made themselves at home.

5. Air Conditioning, Insulation & the Furnace

Lastly, at some point in your home ownership, you will have to deal with HVAC issues. Hopefully most of the concerns regarding your heating and cooling will be based around performance, which is simple and cost-effective to take care of.

Make sure you schedule routine maintenance for both your air conditioning system and your furnace. If you are using individual room air conditioning units, consider a central air system as it is less expensive over the long-term and more environmentally friendly.

For your furnace, the easiest way to check its efficiency is to learn its AFUE rating. The rating is based on a new furnace or one that has been properly cared for over its lifespan, so it might be best to contact a specialist who can also do a proper cleaning of the filter, ducts, etc.

Finally, consider installing blow-in insulation in your attic. Believe it or not, you can do it yourself in a weekend!

Maintain Your Dwelling

As Benjamin Franklin said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is as true with the health of your house as it is with your body. So take care of your home, fix any issues or problems as soon as they arise, schedule regular service checkups for the main systems of your home, and, if necessary, consult with a general contractor to resolve any major issues that you’re not able to take care of yourself. This will help you maintain, and in many cases, improve the value, quality, and comfort of your home.