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Your house is your home, and you would like to think it will outlast you.

Unfortunately, some people find their houses don’t last as long as anticipated, and they often face expensive costs to rebuild their homes or relocate to another house elsewhere.

Many people don’t even consider the possibility their houses might not last long, and when the unthinkable happens, such as extreme subsidence, those homeowners may feel like something catastrophic has happened that could potentially change their lives for the worse.

Of course, you don’t want that to happen to you, so it makes sense to take some practical steps to safeguard the longevity of your home. With that in mind, take a look at the following five suggestions for some inspiration:

1. Renew Your Roof Every 20 Years

The roof of your house helps protect the inside of your home from getting wet when it’s raining or snowing, and it also keeps your property warm during winter by preventing the warm internal air from escaping outdoors.

Ideally, you should replace your roof tiles and any associated materials like roofing timber every 20 years or so. Doing so will help prevent water from leaking into your house and potentially damaging your home’s internal structure. When it’s time for roof replacement, it’s essential to hire a trusted contractor, such as a specialist roofing contractor in Fort Worth, TX, to ensure the job is done correctly and your home is properly protected.

2. Get Rid Of Trees Next To Your House

Trees help make the exterior of any house look beautiful, especially if they bear fruit like apples or oranges. However, if a previous owner planted some trees very close to your house, the roots of each tree could damage your home’s foundations and cause subsidence. For this reason, hiring a company that offers a tree survey in Essex or London (or indeed anywhere else more relevant) can help identify potential risks. For example, if a tree is planted near a drain or cable, a tree survey will identify any issues the tree may be causing. Roots are stronger than you might imagine, and can easily break through pipes and wires.

Additionally, you should look into regular tree trimming to ensure that the risk of damage caused by branches being blown off in high winds, for example, is kept to a minimum.

Prevention is better than the cure, as they say, and it makes sense to remove such trees and all their roots. Click here to learn how site grubbing is the best process for achieving that goal.

3. Investigate Significantly Sinking Ground

Have you discovered any ground around the exterior of your house that has sunk significantly? If so, don’t assume that filling such holes is the answer to such a problem. That’s because there might be underlying reasons for the subsidence.

Instead, have it investigated by a contractor to determine whether you need to conduct any other remedial work.

4. Check Structural Timber For Damage Each Year

Virtually all modern houses contain some form of structural timber internally, and yours is likely to be no different. Wood is an excellent load-bearing material that lasts a long time, but it can go bad and “rot” for various reasons, such as termite infestation.

Make sure you carry out an annual inspection of your home’s structural timber and replace any damaged sections using quality wood, like those you can find through a reputable company such as Multiworks Timber. You will want the best strength and durability from your timber to ensure the most safety, reducing the risks of any collapses.

5. Check For Signs Of Underground Plumbing Leaks

Lastly, it’s worth noting that your house will have some underground water and sewage pipes connected to it from the main distribution networks in your neighbourhood.

Look for any signs of leaking underground pipes, such as an abundance of weeds growing on driveways or consistently wet ground.

Should you identify such telltale signs, you or a plumbing contractor will need to dig the soil, concrete, or tarmac out to investigate the source of the leak.

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