What is wear and tear?

As you go about your daily life at home — cooking, washing, and simply living — things inevitably wear down or break due to aging, regular use, and exposure to the elements. This natural deterioration is called 'wear and tear'.

Is wear and tear covered by insurance?

Home insurance doesn’t cover wear and tear or damage resulting from lack of maintenance. For example, a sun damaged awning or water damage to a wall next to a shower —determined to be caused by missing grout — wouldn’t be covered. To learn more, refer to your policy’s Product Disclosure Statement.

Minimising wear and tear

Like regular car servicing can help to avoid breakdowns, regular home checks and maintenance can help prevent minor wear and tear from turning into more costly repairs and inconvenience.

Know what to look for

Understand the risks associated with wear and tear and common things to look out for.

Adopt home maintenance habits

Help reduce wear and tear with preventative actions and regular checks to spot potential problems early.

Address issues promptly

Before starting maintenance tasks, check if it's a task that must be carried out by an expert or licensed professional.

Your Home Health Check

Look for these icons to see which actions apply to your home type.

Wet zones

We’ve put together some common issues to look out for and some proactive steps you can take to help prevent them turning into bigger problems. For safety and peace of mind, we recommend hiring licensed trades for structural, plumbing or sealant repairs.

Failing or lack of sealant

What to look for
Ensure silicone sealant is intact. Check the shower, around the bath, tapware, basins/sinks and inside basin cabinets for signs of moisture.

What to do
If you find sealant damage, call your local tiler or plumber to reseal the affected areas.

Deteriorated grout

What to look for
Check grout for any mould or deterioration, including gaps or chips in the grout or loose tiles.

What to do
Clean your tiles and thoroughly remove any mould. If you find any damage, call your local tiler or bathroom repair specialist to re-grout the affected areas.

Leaking plumbing and pipes

What to look for
Check for leaks and water damage under the sink and around taps, toilets and shower heads. Check water bills to identify any unexplained increase in water use.

What to do
If you find a leak or signs of a leak like water damage, changed water pressure or an unexplained increase in water use, call a licensed plumber to investigate and fix the issue as soon as possible.

Failed waterproof membrane

What to look for
Check for signs of damp or mould on the adjoining wall of a shower or the ceiling under a shower in a two-storey house.

What to do
If you find signs of a failed waterproof membrane, call a local tiler or waterproofing specialist to investigate and fix the issue.

Corroded flexi hoses

What to look for
Check flexi hoses used to connect kitchen and laundry appliances and toilet cisterns to the mains water supply. Inspect for corrosion, deterioration and swelling.
What to do
Contact your local plumber to replace flexi hoses that are worn or damaged to reduce flooding risk.

Recap: Wet zones

What you can do to help maintain wet zones:

Check plugs, drains and taps for cracks, blockages or leaks.
Check flexi hoses and replace any that are corroded damaged.
Check for cracked or missing grout in showers or signs of damp or mould on adjoining walls.
Dry wet surfaces and ensure proper ventilation.
Use extraction fans when using hot water to reduce condensation.

When to speak to a professional:

Problems with sealants, cracked tiles, missing grout.
Damp or mould on walls adjoining or ceilings below a shower.
Leaking taps, blocked or slow drains or water pressure changes.
Contact your local plumber to replace flexi-hoses that are corroded or damaged.

Start your Home Health Check today

Download a Checklist of regular home checks and maintenance tasks.

Living areas

We’ve put together some common issues to look out for and some proactive steps you can take to help prevent them turning into bigger problems.

Surface damage

What to look for
Check for bubbling or fading paint, dents, scratches or scuff marks on walls and floors.

What to do
Perform regular cleaning and maintenance. If you find structural damage, hire a local builder to investigate and fix the issue.

Windows and seals

What to look for
Check your windows for signs of damage, such as drafts, condensation between panes and problems closing and locking them securely.

What to do
If you find any damage, call your local window installer to repair your windows and seals.

Mould

What to look for
Mould often appears as spots or stains on walls and ceilings. It can also grow in hidden areas like wall or roof cavities or subfloors with a musty or 'mouldy' smell as the only clue.

What to do
Hire a licensed tradesperson to investigate and fix the underlying cause such as a leak (e.g. roof, plumbing, air conditioner, failed waterproofing), poor subfloor ventilation or a lack of natural light and ventilation. Follow safe cleaning practices to remove it or hire a professional mould cleaner.

Recap: Living areas

What you can do to help maintain living areas:

Perform regular cleaning and maintenance to walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, cabinetry and fixtures like air conditioning units.
Air your home regularly to reduce condensation.
Close windows, doors, cupboards and drawers gently.
Use rugs in entryways and corridors to protect floors.
Use curtains or blinds to minimise sunlight that can fade paint and flooring.

When to speak to a professional:

Cabinetry repairs or replacement.
Air conditioner professional cleaning and servicing.
Carpet repair or replacement.
Fixing the underlying cause of mould.

Start your Home Health Check today

Download a Checklist of regular home checks and maintenance tasks.

Structural elements

Don't put off investigating and fixing damage to walls, floors, ceilings and your home’s roof. A lack of regular maintenance has the potential to lead to costly remediation repairs later.

Cracks appearing

What to look for
Check for internal and external cracks that run horizontally or diagonally or that have appeared near doors and windows.

What to do
Monitor hairline cracks for growth. If you are concerned, contact a licensed builder to investigate.

Uneven floors

What to look for
Check for signs of an uneven floor, like doors and windows sticking, gaps between the floor and skirting board, floorboards lifting, cupping or separating, creaking or springy floors or rolling objects that move in a particular direction.

What to do
Contact a licensed builder to investigate and fix the underlying issue before it becomes a bigger problem.

Roof problems

What to look for
Check ceilings for stains or sagging. Check for damage to roofing, moss, debris around skylights or valleys, sagging and loose or damaged ridge capping and flashings.

What to do
Check the roof cavity and visually inspect the roof exterior from the ground or a safe vantage point. Have your roof checked annually and get any issues fixed as soon as possible by a licensed builder or roofer.

Recap: Structural elements

What you can do to help maintain structural elements:

Check for uneven floors and cracks in walls.
Check for stained or sagging ceilings.
Check the roof cavity and visually inspect the roof exterior from the ground or a safe vantage point.

When to speak to a professional:

Annual roof checks.
Issues like sagging floors or ceilings and cracks in walls.
When planning structural changes, for example major renovations or changes to the pitch of your roof.

Start your Home Health Check today

Download a Checklist of regular home checks and maintenance tasks.

Outdoor areas

We’ve put together some common issues to look out for and some proactive steps you can take to help prevent them turning into bigger problems.

Overhanging branches or shrubs

What to look for
Check for overhanging trees or shrubs that are dead, diseased, warped or growing too close to power lines or your home.

What to do
Trim dead or overhanging tree branches regularly. Seek approval from neighbours and council if required. For tall trees or branches near power lines, hire a qualified arborist.

Water draining and pooling

What to look for
Check for water pooling around your home’s foundation, slow drainage and damp.
What to do
Ensure air conditioner and hot water system overflows are directed away from your foundation. Hire a builder or landscaper to fix water drainage issues in hard landscaped areas.

Clogged drains and gutters

What to look for
Check for signs of slow drainage, unusual sounds like gurgling from drains, water backup, visible debris, and overflowing and sagging gutters.

What to do
Clean your gutters, downpipes and drains at least twice a year to ensure water flows safely away from your home.

Fences and retaining walls

What to look for
Check garden fences and retaining walls for structural damage like cracks, leaning and damp.

What to do
Perform regular cleaning and maintenance (painting, pressure washing) and repairs. Hire a builder or landscaper if you need assistance with repairs, drainage issues or problems with tree roots.

Termites

What to look for
Regularly check for signs of termites, like mud tubes, frass (droppings that resemble sawdust) and discarded termite wings. Notice hollow-sounding timber and sagging floors.

What to do
Fix wall cracks and leaks and keep gutters and drains clear. Make sure subfloor areas are dry, well-ventilated and clutter free. Avoid placing firewood, mulch or garden beds against the house. If you spot signs of termites, don’t disturb them—contact a licensed pest professional as soon as possible.

Book a professional pest inspection each year and follow their advice.

Recap: Outdoor areas

What you can do to help maintain outdoor areas:

Trim overhanging trees and shrubs regularly.
Check for signs of termites.
Clean gutters, downpipes and drains at least twice a year.
Check for water drainage issues around your home’s foundation and in hard landscaped areas.
Clean and maintain garden fences and retaining walls.

When to speak to a professional:

Hire an arborist to trim taller trees and branches near power lines.
Book a professional pest inspection each year and follow their advice.
Hire a builder or landscaper to fix water drainage issues in hard landscaped areas and repair fences and retaining walls.

Start your Home Health Check today

Download a Checklist of regular home checks and maintenance tasks.

Why home maintenance matters

Maintain your insurance cover

Keeping your home watertight, structurally sound, well-maintained, secure, and in good repair can help keep you covered by your home insurance.

Ensure the safety of your home

Regular home maintenance can help make your home safer, for example, cleaning gutters and drains to reduce bushfire and flooding risks.

Help prevent expensive damage

Fixing problems promptly can help avoid potentially more expensive damage and inconvenience.

All content is intended to be general in nature and does not constitute and is not intended to be financial or professional advice. While NRMA Insurance has tried to ensure this website’s accuracy, you should not rely on any representation, statement or information on this website without first making your own enquiries about the accuracy and reliability of the information provided. NRMA Insurance does not accept any liability for the information provided on this site or for loss or damages resulting from reliance on the information contained on this site.
© Insurance Australia Limited ABN 11 000 016 722 AFSL 227681 trading as NRMA Insurance. Insurance issued by Insurance Australia Limited trading as NRMA Insurance. This is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs (“your personal circumstances”). Before using this advice to decide whether to purchase a product, you should consider your personal circumstances and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations available from nrma.com.au.