{"id":7098,"date":"2021-06-09T00:28:27","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T00:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternatech.net\/?p=7098"},"modified":"2021-06-09T00:28:27","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T00:28:27","slug":"15-home-renovation-tasks-that-are-a-waste-of-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/15-home-renovation-tasks-that-are-a-waste-of-time\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Home Renovation Tasks That Are a Waste of Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>You might actually be doing tasks that either isn\u2019t necessary or are damaging your home in some way. Here&rsquo;s a list of the home renovation tasks that are a waste of time.\n<p>Ben Shrauner, a real estate investor and the owner of SellYourKCHouse.com, says that you can determine which tasks to skip and which to prioritize tasks by asking yourself two questions: Are there permanent effects of not cleaning or maintaining an item, and how expensive will it eventually be to replace this item\/part of your home? The answers may surprise you\u2014and make you wildly happy! With your newfound free time, tend to these absolutely vital home maintenance tasks you shouldn\u2019t overlook.\n</p><h4>1. Getting carpets professionally cleaned\n</h4><p><img fetchpriority='\"high\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7101 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation2-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation2-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Think you need to enlist a professional carpet cleaner once or even twice a year? Think again. Unless your carpet suffers from a multitude of food or wine spills and heavy pet usage, you don\u2019t need to do a deep cleaning more than once every 18 months, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute. In between, simply focus on deodorizing and spot treatments. \u201cCarpets can be deodorized with baking soda every other month, and rubbing in a little bit of powdered Tide or Dawn dish soap with warm water is an inexpensive, easy way to treat spills and spots,\u201d says Ty Rosa, owner of the Sparkling Clean Home.\n</p><h4>2. Repainting walls\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7102 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation3-1024x681.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"681\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation3-1024x681.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>What else can you skip this year? The expensive and exhausting process of repainting your walls. You might be tempted to do this to make them look new again, but all you really need to do is clean them properly. Believe it or not, that means vacuuming and washing them, says Rosa. Since they hold a lot of dust, she advises vacuuming them every three months, then following up with a little high-quality, all-natural dish soap, warm water, and a microfiber cloth. This will bring your walls back to life and keep them in tip-top shape.\n</p><h4>3. Washing curtains\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7103 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation4-1024x684.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"684\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation4-1024x684.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Some people religiously wash their curtains every month, but this is another time-consuming home project that isn\u2019t necessary, according to home cleaning expert Natalie Barrett of Nifty Cleaning Services. But this doesn\u2019t mean you can ignore your curtains altogether. After all, curtains do accumulate a lot of dust and grime. \u201cTake a less demanding approach to keep them tidy by dusting the curtains and regularly deodorizing them for a fresh and clean scent,\u201d she recommends. Incorporate these mini cleaning tasks in your regular chores, and then opt for professional curtain cleaning every six months or so to ensure that all dirt beneath the surface is eliminated.\n</p><h4>4. Cleaning windows\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7104 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation5-1024x685.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"685\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation5-1024x685.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>You\u2019ll want to hug Barrett for this tip: Skip the window cleaning\u2026at least in the summertime. Why? On hot days, before you\u2019re able to wipe away the cleaning detergent and all the dust and dirt, the heat will dry up the mixture. This will result in Sisyphean work for you: more effort and only more dirt to get rid of! Instead, spot-treat kiddie fingerprints and dog-nose smudges in the summer, and leave the intense, full window cleaning for the fall.\n</p><h4>5. Polishing wood floors\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7105 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation6-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation6-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Carpenter Trond Nyland, founder, and CEO of the Cordless Drill Guide urges you to stop polishing your wood floors on a regular basis. If you do this too frequently, you\u2019ll actually damage the wood. Instead, use cleaning chemicals a lot more sparingly. Furniture should be polished only every six weeks or so to help keep the veneer, and when it comes to hardwood floors, Nyland advises running a vacuum over them about once a week and giving them a wax and polish every three years.\n</p><h4>6. Mulching\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7106 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation7-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation7-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>A lot of work goes into maintaining the outside of your house, but this is one thing you can eliminate from this year\u2019s to-do list. While mulching flower beds in the front yard can certainly make them look nice, the effect may not be worth the effort. That\u2019s the assessment of Joe from the blog Mini Riches, who\u2019s worked in the construction business for a decade. The process can take up days of your precious time or cost you thousands of dollars if you hire a professional. Skipping this for one season won\u2019t dramatically impact the curb appeal of your house, but it will spare your back and knees and keep a lot more money in your bank account. Instead, tidy up the beds with a rake, and pull out weeds as you see them rearing their ugly heads.\n</p><h4>7. Cleaning dryer vents\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7107 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation8-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation8-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Step away from the dryer vent. This is not a project that you want to DIY, says Jason Kapica, president of Dryer Vent Wizard. Instead, pay attention to the warning signs that you might have a problem, such as your dryer being hot to the touch or needing additional cycles to run, and then call in a professional for the actual vent cleaning. It\u2019s not that cleaning a dryer vent is a waste of time\u2014it\u2019s a waste of time for you to do it because you\u2019re not a professional. Tinkering with it yourself can damage your dryer, and if you attempt to clean or repair it yourself, you might miss important fire-hazard signs.\n</p><h4>8. Power washing\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7108 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation9-1024x683.png%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation9-1024x683.png' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>While many homeowners love the way power washers deep-clean, in most cases, this kind of treatment should be limited. \u201cOne downside of excessive power washing is the abrasiveness of the water pressure itself, which can remove paint and wood fibers if used to excess,\u201d says Richard Reina, product training director at TOOLSiD.com. \u201cJust because a wood fence is a little dirty, it shouldn\u2019t require the power washer every time.\u201d Instead, use a garden hose with standard water pressure to minimize damage to siding and fences.\n</p><h4>9. Sharpening lawn mower blades\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7109 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation10-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation10-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>\u201cWhether you have a push mower or a ride-on mower, you have heard that the mower blade needs to be kept sharp,\u201d says Reina. But the truth is, you don\u2019t need to do this task as often as professionals recommend. \u201cIf you\u2019re sharpening that blade every few weeks, you\u2019re wasting your time because a well-sharpened blade should last most of the mowing season (depending on the size of your lawn, of course).\u201d Not only are you losing time that could be spent on hobbies or relaxing, but the frequent sharpening will also ultimately cost you money. Think of it this way: Each time you sharpen that blade, you remove a fine layer of material, so if you\u2019re doing it too frequently, the blade will need to be replaced sooner.\n</p><h4>10. Removing wallpaper before painting\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7110 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation11-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation11-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Before getting into online marketing, Daniel Morris was a self-employed painter. According to him, you shouldn\u2019t bother scraping and peeling off old wallpaper if you want to paint your walls. It takes a ton of time and energy, and there\u2019s a much easier solution. \u201cIf your old wallpaper does not come away easily\u2014and it probably won\u2019t\u2014it is best to paint over the wallpaper after gluing back any raised areas for a temporary improvement,\u201d Morris says. It may sound crazy, but it works, and it\u2019s a lot more common than you think.\n</p><p>How to do it: First, apply a diluted TSP (trisodium phosphate) mixture to the paper to get it ready to accept and hold the paint. Then prime the area, and once dry, apply coats of oil-based paint. Easy-peasy! The bigger question may be what color you should use. We can make that easier for you, too: Here\u2019s the perfect paint color for you, based on your zodiac sign.\n</p><h4>11. Cleaning your entire house\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7111 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation12-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation12-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>This might be controversial for neat-freaks, but you don\u2019t need to clean your entire home before entertaining guests. If you\u2019re short on time, says Richard Kennedy of the Vacuum Experts, \u201cjust vacuum the places that people actually go.\u201d For example, you might just want to quickly vacuum from the front door to the stairs and in the sitting area. The well-rated Dyson Cyclone V10 Cordless Stick Vacuum gets the job done quickly and efficiently. You\u2019ll also want to scoop up any clutter and temporarily stash that in a locked bedroom, fold throw blankets nicely, and put away stray shoes. This work takes minutes instead of hours, but to guests, the house looks spotless. Of course, you should give the guest bathroom a once-over, too\u2014here\u2019s how to do that in five minutes or less.\n</p><h4>12. Regrouting tile\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7112 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation13-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation13-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>\u201cUnless grout is crumbling and falling out, regrouting is often a waste of time,\u201d says James Upton, the DIY Tile Guy. \u201cIf your grout is old and dingy-looking even after you\u2019ve cleaned it, I recommend looking into grout colorants before you take on the much larger project of removing and regrouting.\u201d Both colorants and grout pens will color and seal grout joints, making them look fresh and new.\n</p><h4>13. Installing a new roof\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7113 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation14-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation14-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Obviously, sometimes you need a new roof. But most times, you can get away with simply replacing the pieces of the roof that are slightly damaged and problematic from an aesthetic perspective. That will save you time, money, and energy, says Rostislav Sherman, founder of 9Kilo Moving. \u201cA more aesthetic-looking roof [won\u2019t] increase the value of your property manyfold,\u201d he explains. In fact, most times, you will recoup only a little over half of what you spent.\n</p><p>So, how long will your roof last? According to the National Association of Home Builders, \u201cslate, copper, and tile roofs can last more than 50 years, while homeowners with wood shake roofs should expect them to last about 30 years, fiber cement shingles 25 years, and asphalt shingle\/composition roofs about 20 years.\u201d Here are another 32 home upgrades that are a huge waste of money.\n</p><h4>14. Raking leaves\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7114 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation15-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation15-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>If the fall is famous for anything other than pumpkin-spiced everything, it\u2019s probably the piles of leaves covering our gardens and lawns. Jordan Collins, a home maintenance expert at Two Lions 11 Ltd, thinks that too many people spend time raking leaves only to realize that the next day they have to do this all over again. \u201cOn top of this, throwing away the leaves isn\u2019t optimal for any gardener because the foliage is rich in nutrients. When you allow the leaves to decompose, you actually enrich the soil for the next season.\u201d For those reasons, Collins recommends leaving the leaves right where they are!\n</p><h4>15. Weeding\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-large' wp-image-7115 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/home-renovation16-1024x683.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1024\"' height='\"683\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/home-renovation16-1024x683.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Homeowners spend far too much time weeding their lawns. Dan Bailey, president of WikiLawn Los Angeles Lawn Care, sees some of his neighbors out there every weekend, on their knees and hunched over as they deal with pesky weeds. Stop right there! \u201cIf you\u2019re prioritizing the right things, you should only need to weed in spring,\u201d Bailey explains, \u201cand if you\u2019re in a tropical area, maybe once a month during the summer.\u201d Instead, he says, invest in good fertilizer and establish the right watering habit. If you buy top-grade fertilizer, you\u2019ll have far fewer weed problems as long as you\u2019re properly aerating the soil. While you\u2019re at it, you can also water your lawn less, too, since that contributes to weed growth. \u201cIn the summer, most lawns only need watering one to two times a week, depending on the climate,\u201d he notes.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"</p><p>You might actually be doing tasks that either isn\u2019t necessary or are damaging your home in some way. Here&rsquo;s a list of the home renovation tasks that are a waste of time. Ben Shrauner, a real estate investor and the owner of SellYourKCHouse.com, says that you can determine which tasks to skip and which to\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7116,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"%%title%% %%page%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"You might actually be doing tasks that either isn\u2019t necessary or are damaging your home in some way. Here's a list of the home renovation tasks that are a waste of time.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[96,63,39,30],"class_list":{"0":"post-7098","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-diy-home","9":"tag-diy-home-repairs","10":"tag-home-organization","11":"tag-household-hacks"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/15-Home-Renovation-Tasks-That-Are-a-Waste-of-Time1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writehorizon.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</p></strong></p>