Preventative Maintenance

The work that stops problems forming, before they cost real money.

Preventative maintenance is the cheapest work you will ever do on a house. Almost every serious failure — rot, movement, mould, termite damage, corrosion — begins as something small, visible and inexpensive to correct. The expense comes from time, not from the fault itself.

These guides cover the work that stops problems forming: drainage, ventilation, sealing, protective coatings and the inspections that catch things while they are still cheap.

Articles in this topic

Process Explainer

Cracks and sticking doors: reactive clay through spring and summer

Sticking doors and new cracks as the weather warms usually mean the ground is drying and shrinking, not that the house is failing. Here is how to tell normal movement from a real problem.

How-To

Preparing the house for bushfire season

Most homes lost to bushfire are lost to embers, not flames. Spring is the working window for the maintenance that closes the gaps — here is what to do and in what order.

Process Explainer

Winter mould and condensation: fixing the cause in spring

Most winter mould is condensation, not a leak. Here is how to tell the difference, why it forms where it does, and why spring is the right time to fix the cause.

How-To

Termite season: what to check as spring arrives

Spring swarming is the one time a termite colony announces itself. Here is what the shed wings mean, what to check around the house, and what to do if you find activity.