Buying a house is exciting as you get a place you can settle down and call your own. But that excitement can quickly become overwhelmed by the daunting reality of home repairs.

Several repairs can severely impact your finances if you don’t take the proper care to avoid them. The good news is that you can prevent issues before they become too costly. Read on to learn more about the nine most expensive home repairs, how to avoid them, and when you need a roofing contractor.

1. Foundation Repair

The foundation of your home is vital to the building’s integrity. You may have damage to your foundation if you notice any cracks, sloping floors, or doors or windows that are difficult to open.

These repairs can be expensive, with estimates reaching $25,000. Some repairs can be fixed for a few hundred dollars, but you’ll need a professional to inspect to know for sure. You won’t be able to do the repairs yourself.

Average Repair Cost: $2,000 to $7,500

Prevention

Ensure proper drainage in and around your home to prevent damage to your foundation.

You don’t want water from your gutters to drain directly into the area around your foundation, but you can still water normally so that the ground doesn’t get too dry. If the soil is too dry, any water that does enter the area will rapidly penetrate and may affect your foundation.

It’s also important not to have plants with roots, as these could penetrate or damage your foundation if they’re too close to your home.

2. Roof Repair

Maintaining a healthy roof is imperative to your home’s overall condition. If the roof’s integrity is jeopardized, water damage, mold, and other issues will likely crop up.

Roof repair costs vary, with some projects being well-suited to DIYers and only setting homeowners back a few hundred dollars. Other issues can be substantial and should only be repaired by a professional roofing contractor.

Average Repair Cost: $300 to $2,000

Prevention

You can avoid expensive repairs to your roof with preventative maintenance. Keep your gutters clean, inspect and replace damaged shingles, treat moss or mildew growth, remove debris, and perform tree maintenance.

3. Hot Water Repair or Replacement

Unless you’re living in a scorching hot area, you’ll probably want hot water at some point. Over time, a water heater can break down and need repairs or replacements.

Average Replacement Cost: $1,500 to $3,500

Prevention

You can add years to your water heater’s life by performing general maintenance. Try draining the tank and clearing it of sediment, insulating the tank and pipes, lowering the overall temperature, and scheduling routine inspections by a professional to find problems before they start.

4. Oil Tank/Furnace Repair or Replacement

In many parts of the country, homes are heated by oil. These tanks and furnaces can be expensive to maintain but dangerous if you neglect them.

A furnace that isn’t adequately maintained is a fire hazard, whereas an oil tank can potentially leak oil into the ground. The environmental damages can be costly to cover.

Average Oil Tank Replacement: $800 to $3,800
Soil Remediation: $2,000 and over, depending on the amount of spillage
Furnace Repairs: $450 and over
Furnace Replacement: $2,000 to $11,000

Prevention

As with many entries on this list, regular maintenance from a professional can save you more money in the long run. It is essential for your furnace, as it requires a yearly tune-up to run efficiently.

Installing your oil tank above ground, within sight, is one way to know that you’re not losing oil in the soil. A concrete slab should be installed under the tank so that if oil is lost, it lands on concrete and doesn’t go into the ground.

5. Termite Damage

A termite infestation that goes unnoticed can cost thousands of dollars in structural damage to your home, and even make your property unsafe. Signs of termites can include bowing wood, what appears to be water damage, and mazes carved into the wood of the house or furniture.

Average Cost: $3000

Prevention

The good news is that you can prevent termites from invading in force. Remove any wood-to-soil contact between your house and the surrounding ground, make consistent use of water drainage, reduce humidity, don’t store firewood or debris next to your home, and use mulch sparingly.

Finally, contact a professional pest control company to help prevent termites before they get a chance to move in.

6. Water Damage

Water damage can be caused by a leaky roof, bad pipes, or catastrophic flooding. The result can be damage to your home’s structure and mold. Due to the many ways that water damage can occur and the extent of it, the cost of repairs can vary.

Average Cost: $1,300 to $5,500

Prevention

To avoid the catastrophic effects of water damage, you’ll want to stop water from getting into places where it shouldn’t. Continued maintenance of your roof and prompt repairs of plumbing issues can avoid the most common sources of water damage from developing.

7. Mold Removal

Nearly all homes have mold in them, typically a result of moisture. The trouble with mold is that it has the potential to be harmful to your health. Sometimes, when the amount is small and contained, you can remove it yourself. In other situations, you’ll need a professional to take care of it.

Average Cost: $1,500 to $4,000

Prevention

The key to preventing excessive mold growth is to remove moisture wherever possible. That means immediately repairing any leaks and then drying the area so mold doesn’t take root.

You’ll want to keep your moisture levels no more than 50% all day. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers can help you to meet that target.

In addition, keep air flowing freely through your home and use mold-killing products whenever necessary.

8. Electrical Rewiring

Depending on the state and age of your home, you may need electrical work. How expensive that work is will vary drastically depending on the project’s scope.

Average Cost: $1,500 to $10,000

Prevention

Unfortunately, doing electrical work on your home isn’t something you can necessarily avoid. If you suspect you need your electric updated, it’s in your best interests to have the home inspected promptly. Then, to get the work done to prevent wiring problems from becoming a significant issue.

Outdated electricity can be a fire hazard, and repairing that damage can be even more of a heartache than the price of rewiring.

9. Driveway Repair

Depending on the material they’re constructed from, driveways can begin to break down from age, exposure to the elements, use, and excessive weight. You’ll be able to tell your driveway needs repair if there’s significant pooling of water or alligator cracks in the asphalt.

Average Cost: $1000 to $3,600

Prevention

You can extend the life of your driveway with proper maintenance. Keep plants with disruptive roots from growing too close, seal coat every two years, and only park heavy vehicles on your driveway if you can’t avoid it.

Preventing Home Repairs Before They Happen

In most instances, preventative maintenance can save you thousands of dollars. It may be a drag to reach out to a professional, and you might dread that bill, but it will be significantly less than what it could cost you if there’s a catastrophic breakdown of something in your home.