KEY POINTS:
Spotting potential problems (loose pavers or decks, a defective lock, storm damage) before they turn into majors is good for your family's health and your pocket.
Spread the costs and work: If you have a body corporate, your manager will have a regular programme for inspections and maintenance - cleaning every six months, for example, painting every 10 years and so on. If not, create your own. Even if your modern home is described as low-maintenance, this does not mean no maintenance. Visit www.consumerbuild.org.nz, a website run by the Consumers' Institute and the Department of Building and Housing, for the recommended maintenance for your type of building.
Clean frequently: Weatherboard and fibre cement-clad homes need to be washed frequently. And it is not just for good looks; in a new house, some claddings need to be washed to keep the warranty valid. Use only a soft brush and low-pressure hose - a water blaster can damage claddings and force water through gaps and joints. Be particularly vigilant if your house is near the sea or walls are sheltered from regular rain washing.
Water, water everywhere: Empty gutters after a storm to prevent clogging. If you notice dampness around drains or outlets, get a registered drainlayer on to it immediately, as water could be undermining your house foundations or threatening the ground. And once a year, check your roof cladding, chimneys and flashings for corrosion, crumbling or lifting. Trim back overhanging branches that can damage the roof or gutters.
DIY can be fatal: Know your limits, and hire a tradesperson to get the job done properly the first time around. Gas, plumbing, drainage and some electrical work can only be done by pros, and from November 2010, certain building work will also need to be supervised or carried out by a licensed building practitioner.
Emergency plan: Familiarise yourself with where and how the water, gas and power supplies turn off. If you are doing your own maintenance work, know where overhead power lines, underground cables or the bare conductors that connect them to the house are.
Safety first: Last year, 181 adults died as a result of home injuries, 62 as a result of falls. Use a proper ladder, secure it at the top or have someone hold the ladder steady and reach only as far as is safe. Avoid falls on decks or paths by regularly raking away damp leaves, killing moss and fixing loose tiles.