Great home maintenance resources for first time homeowner

[David Dewey Johnson]

Hello BP, 

About a month ago I closed my first deal! My wife and I are house hacking a 3-unit building in Chicago (Avondale). Built in 1901, all units were remodeled in the last 10 years, and inspection came back with only small things here and there. I am planning to do maintenance, fixes and hire a professional when needed. I have no knowledge of a building but have an engineering background and looking for a good resource to self-teach from. 

What are great resources to self-teach about how a building works, maintenance, easy fixes and what professional to hire for situations?

I'm a bit overwhelmed with any maintenance especially with any type of water leakage in the basement. There were a few things noted in the past year and I want to stay on top of them. 

-Outside stairwell drain overflowed and water came in through a basement door

-Weird smell in a basement room when Heat is turned on. Could be HVAC, could be water leakage/mold somewhere. 

-Seepage in outside stairwell may require drain tile 

Thanks,

David

[John Warren]

@David Dewey Johnson congrats on your recent purchase. Avondale is a great neighborhood, and I am sure you will do very well with the property. 

In terms of maintenance, I think the first step is to find a local handyman. Most of the items you referenced could be taken care of by a handyman, and you can learn from them as you go. In terms of the HVAC, again I would focus on finding a good HVAC or boiler guy to handle your building. 

The drainage issues you mentioned sound routine. There is almost always a drain on exterior stairwells here in Chicago, and if it isn't cleaned out it will allow water to flow into those exterior doors on the garden level. This is a maintenance item for sure. In terms of water, I would clean that drain, clean your gutters and see how things go. I wouldn't go spending tons of money until you get to know your building better.