17 Things Not to Do to Your Home

17 Things Not to Do to Your Home comes from a post from Houselogic.

There are some very good tips in here that I have recommended to multiple Baltimore homeowners that I have worked with – so I thought it could be good to share here.

Thank you to Houselogic for the inspiration post.

Don’t get rid of the only tub in your house. Many Rodgers Forge and other townhouses have only one bathroom. Even if you don’t use that as a tub, getting rid of it could hurt your resale. This also goes for if you have multiple bathrooms – keep at least one tub if you can.
Don’t keep kitchen cabinet doors on if you are painting them. It just won’t look as nice as if you removed them to paint.
Don’t put starchy food in your kitchen sink disposal. Though disposals can handle a lot, starchy items can clog your pipes since they end to clump when they mix with water.
Don’t plant a tree close to your home. Why? The roots will get larger and could grow into your house foundation, pipes, or under your driveway.
Don’t flush wipes – even those labeled as “flushable.” Even if they are “flushable,” they are shown to not break down as quickly as toilet paper.
Don’t paint over wallpaper with water-based paint. Yes, you can paint over wallpaper instead of removing it, but water-based paint can reactivate the glue used for the wallpaper, which could potentially cause the wallpaper to peel behind the paint.
Don’t paint exterior brick with standard paint. Brick needs to breathe, and if it isn’t allowed to breathe, it can cause big issues. If you don’t like the color of your exterior brick, there are stains that can be used that still allow the brick to breathe.
Don’t miss mowing your lawn before it gets cold. Shorter grass in cold months keeps it healthier.
Don’t leave ceiling fans running when you are not in the room. Apparently ceiling fans are meant to make sweat evaporate more quickly, so it can be costly and not much benefit received to keep them running when a room is unoccupied. (I am not sure I vibe with this one – I think the movement of air is helpful for the time before you enter a room – but maybe it shouldn’t be on all the time.)
Don’t remove original architectural details when renovating a home. Of course, you may want to remove walls and open things up if you desire. But for resale purposes, at least, the outside of your house should try to “match” the inside. A traditional home, for example, with an ultra modern take inside may be a harder sell later on.
If you have an HOA or a community with an architectural committee, don’t change your mailbox without checking with them first. Sometimes the mailbox has to be a certain height, width, color…Also, make note of the other mailboxes in your community. You don’t want to put one at the end of a driveway if the mail person is supposed to deliver to your house!
Don’t leave your outside hoses connected to hose bibs in winter. Leaving them attached during cold weather can trap water in the pipes, which could cause them (or worse, the faucet or inside pipe) to freeze. (The thaw is the problem and can cause leaks or pipes to burst.) I would add to turn off the hose bib for the cold months, but if you can’t locate or access a shut off valve, cover the hose faucet to hopefully prevent freezing.
Don’t keep an old thermostat. For one, they may not be accurate and may trigger your systems to run when potentially unnecessary. Second, really, you should change your settings when sleeping or leaving the house, and this may not be possible with an old thermostat.
Don’t put a brick in your toilet. (I have never heard of someone doing this.) Apparently it was done to prevent water waste, but the issue is that bricks can crumble in water, which could clog up your pipes.
Don’t water your grass at night. It can cause fungus build up! Watering in the morning before the heat of the day is the best time.
Don’t wash your windows on a sunny day. The glass cleaner may dry too quickly and streak. Cloudy days are best!
Don’t pour bleach down your drains. Bleach is caustic and can potentially react with other substances in your pipes, causing more clogs or other issues.