One of the most basic and common ways to save extra money in your home is by making regular home improvements. With a little bit of elbow grease and patience, you can do it yourself at a fraction of what it would cost to hire someone else for the same job.

Homeowners can do many small things every year to maintain their homes and keep them running at their best for years to come. If you’ve never given much thought to maintaining your house or if you just need some inspiration for what sort of maintenance tasks need to be done this year,

Here Are 5 Regular Home Improvements That Homeowners Should Never Neglect:

1. Wash Exterior Siding & Windowpanes

Cleaning off exterior siding may seem like a menial task, but it’s essential to keeping your home looking its best. If you live in an area where dust and grime tend to accumulate rapidly, washing siding and windowpanes may be necessary as often as once per month (ideally every few weeks). The frequency with which your exterior needs to be washed will depend heavily on the plants surrounding your property, how close you live to a major road, and the time of year.

2. Repair or Replace Broken Windows

You should consider replacing broken windows at least once per year—more often than not if the window has sustained any sort of major damage, such as cracks or holes. Once your windows are broken, it’s just a matter of time before the rest of your window panes begin to break down, so be proactive about replacing windows that have sustained even minor damage.

3. Examine Garage Door Torsion Springs & Hardware

Your garage door requires frequent inspection and maintenance in order to remain fully functional. Also, check the torsion springs connected to your garage door for stretch marks—if they’re beginning to show signs of wear, it will probably be necessary for them to be replaced at some point within the next couple of years.

4. Inspect Attic Insulation

While this may be best suited for fall or winter months when insulation is more likely to become saturated with water during freeze-thaw cycles, it’s important for homeowners in temperate climates to inspect attic insulation on an annual basis, so humidity doesn’t manage to compromise their R-value. 

If any significant drops are noticed over time—or if there are obvious signs of moisture accumulation within bottom levels of fiberglass batts—there’s a chance that insulation may need to be replaced for you to protect the value of your home. In addition, always check for pests that may have invested in your attic. Call pest control as soon as possible if you see the little pesky pests.

5. Lubricate Door Hinges & Tracks

Since your home’s doors are opened and closed with regular frequency—and the hinges’ areas of contact tend to expand as time goes on—it’s important that you lubricate all door hinges once per season (ideally during wintertime) to keep your doors running smoothly throughout the year. In addition, if there is visible damage present on either the hinge itself or where it connects to your door, it’s probably time to replace that particular hinge.