Don’t let problems
around the house turn into money drains
To help you protect your most valuable
asset—your home—be on the lookout for these potential issues and learn how to
fix them:
HAZARDOUS
DECK
Look for water stains where the deck ties to the house. Ongoing water leakage
can lead to wood decay, weakening the deck structure and the house. If you have
any doubt about the structural integrity of the deck, call a pro to
investigate.
Rid your deck of moss and mold. Pressure washers are effective. Remember, if
you see wood damage, like raised fibers, increase the distance between the
spray nozzle and the decking.
DIRTY
AIR CONDITIONER
Disconnect electric power to the outdoor condenser on your air conditioner and
clear it of leaves and debris with a vent brush, power blower, garden hose, or
the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. If the cooling fins are exposed,
be careful not to bend them. (If your yard has lots of trees and plants, wrap
fiberglass mesh around the condenser coil to capture pollen and leaves. Replace
the mesh as needed. Don't allow debris to block airflow.) Vacuum the grille and
register inside the home to ensure good airflow. And change your furnace
filter.
FOUNDATION
FISSURES
Hairline cracks in foundation walls might be the result of concrete curing or
minor settling and aren't automatically cause for alarm. Mark them with tape
and check them again in a few months. If they've worsened, call a structural
engineer. If they're stable, fill them with an epoxy-injection system.
Also:
- ·
Fill in holes in siding
and foundation walls with expandable foam.
- ·
Check that the ground
around the foundation slopes away from the house (about 1 inch per foot).
- ·
Look for pellet-shaped
droppings or shed wings from termites.
- ·
Clear the area of
leaves, in which rodents can nest.
FAULTY
GARAGE-DOOR OPENER
To check that the door is balanced, release it into the manual mode and lift it
by hand. The door should lift easily and smoothly and stay open on its own
about 3 feet off the ground. If it doesn't, by hire a garage-door technician to
counterbalance its overhead spring . Next, set the reversing force on the
opener as low as possible. Place a 2x4 board on the ground under the door, wide
side down. The door should pop back up when it hits the 2x4. If it doesn't,
call a garage-door pro. Test the photoelectric eyes by holding the 2x4 between
them. The door should reverse direction. If it doesn’t, have it checked by a
pro.
CLOGGED
GUTTERS
Clear gutters of debris and check them for corrosion, joint separation, and
loose fasteners. Flush out downspouts and unclog leader pipes. Leaders should
extend at least 5 feet to direct water away from the foundation.
LEAKY
ROOF
Leaks typically occur around an inadequately flashed chimney, skylight, or
other opening. They're easiest to spot in the attic; inspect the rafters for
water stains. Patching leaks is best left to a professional. While the
contractor is on the roof, have him clean leaves from roof valleys.
Examine the siding under roof eaves, and the ceilings in the rooms below, for
water or discoloration, indications that ice dams might have created leaks
along the roof edge.
Inspect the roof for cracked, curled, or missing shingles. Asphalt shingles
typically last 20 years.
WEAKENED
TREES
Inspect trees for broken branches. If the limb is high up, hire a licensed
arborist. If you can reach it from the ground, take it down using the three-cut
technique, which prevents bark from tearing and creating an open wound on the
trunk:
- ·
Make the first cut 1 to
2 feet from the branch collar, sawing a quarter way through the bottom of the
branch.
- ·
Make the second cut 3
inches farther out from the first, sawing all the way through the branch.
- ·
Make the final cut just
beyond the branch collar, sawing from the top down.
Check trunks for signs
of "sun scalding," which typically affects the south and the
southwest sides of smooth-barked trees, such as maples. Inspect for roots
poking through the soil, a possible sign that the tree is starting to list. If
you had heavy snowfall in winter, look for bending branches. Make a mental note
and check that they bounce back and produce leaves in the spring.
CRACKED PAVEMENT
Nip cracks in the bud in the driveway and paths before weeds take up residence.
Home centers sell patching materials and fillers designed for asphalt and
concrete surfaces. These DIY fixes might not do the trick on surfaces that have
ruptured from the effects of frost heaving. For those, you'll need to hire a
professional to pour or pave a new surface over stabilized soil.
If you have a path that was dry set (as opposed to set in mortar), brush stone
dust or sand in the joints to lock the pavers in place and prevent weeds from
invading.