A house is a great investment, but it is also a house that has to be constantly taken care of and may have some issues in the near future. The key is finding them in their early stages and avoiding a wallet-draining maelstrom that also may pose a structural threat to your home. There are many tiny issues which the many homeowners ignore thinking they will resolve on their own and they seldom do. Rather, what results is a large ceiling patch that turns into a problem with mold in several rooms. A faucet dripping removes into the foundation which results in costly repairs. The broken window allows for all sorts of increases to energy bills.
One last bit of advice that will help you keep your roof in great shape: listen to the cues. This checklist is meant to remind you of 10 of the more common small issues at home that owners often ignore – and why it’s critical to take care of these issues early to ensure your home continues to be home safe to live in for years to come.
1. Dripping Faucets and Hidden Water Leaks
Just that one leaky faucet could lose thousands of gallons of water every year, costing you hundreds of dollars on your water bill. Most significantly, the continual trickle of water allows mold to grow, and can cause structural wood underneath your sink or in walls to rot. The price range for a faucet repair is about $50 to $200. The replacement of rotten wood and mold treatment may turn into thousands of dollars.
The dangers of water leaks become even worse if they’re happening behind walls, as they won’t be visible! Regularly inspect under sinks for soft spots or discoloration. Listen for any uncommon sounds in walls. The sooner you discover a leak the less damage it has caused.
2. Roof Shingles That Are Curling or Missing
Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against weather and unattached or damaged shingles are an invitation to major problems. When one or more shingles is broken, water goes underneath and into the attic of your roof causing wood rot, insulation damage, and mold formation. When you don’t address roof damage, all you’re working on becomes a roof replacement project and costs easily range up to 10,000 dollars or more.
Remain outside around your house for several weeks and readjust up. Are shingles missing? Do you start to be lightheaded when you are near a curve? Discolored? All of these are indications of trouble. An issue which is small for a roofer is going to cost not more than several hundred dollars.
3. Cracks in Foundation or Concrete
You may think that if there’s just a few cracks in your foundation or driveway, but once water gets in, they’re not so small, are they? The neglected cracks will eventually expand wider, and damage the entire house’s structure. Basement flooding, mold and wood rot in floor joists are caused because water gets in through cracks in the foundation.
If you have foundation cracks, they should get in touch with a professional to have a look at them. There are many that can be covered with epoxy or polyurethane sealant at a price of less than a thousand dollars. Until cracks become serious structural issues can it access a lot of foundation repair work that will cost many thousands of dollars.
4. Peeling Paint and Exposed Wood
Your paint is not only designed to make your home look attractive, it is designed to protect your home from weather, moisture and pests. Paints that are peeling allow wood to be exposed to moisture and the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Exposed wood expands, rots and draws termites and carpenter ants. If it begins with peeling paint it will end up with a rotted fascia board or siding.
Repaint every 5-7 years in order to maintain protection of wood. A new paint job is not nearly as expensive as scrapping and replacing those wood siding.
5. Clogged or Deteriorating Gutters
Clogged Gutters Cause Water to not drain away from home. Instead, water backs up, rises and infiltrates the soil adjacent to your foundation. This leads to settling and erosion and flooding the basement. Gutters can rot and detach the house, and inflict structural damage.
Clean and maintain gutters twice a year and particularly after storms. Replace any gutters that allow water accumulation that perpetuates deterioration. If you invest in a small amount of money in a quick clean out of your gutters, it is more affordable than a foundation repair.
6. Cracked or Damaged Caulking Around Windows and Doors
Seals gaps around windows, doors and exterior walls with caulking. When cracks in the caulk get worn or through, water and air can escape. This inevitably causes damage to water, mold and the substantial loss of energy. The heating and cooling system has to work more and end up being more expensive. Framing and insulation becomes water damaged.
Replace caulk around windows and doors every 5 – 10 years. An easy, inexpensive task that helps to avoid large amounts of water damage and energy loss.
7. Slow Drains or Signs of Plumbing Problems
The process of draining slowly is frustrating but harmless. Instead, slow drainage can mean the creation of a clog deeper in your pipes. If you don’t clean it, it will get worse and develop a complete blockage of your drain. Backup sewage causes sanitary problems and may ruin your septic system or cause costly sewer line repairs.
If any part of the property has foul-smelling, slow or back-up toilets, use a plunger or drain snake immediately. The price of a professional drain cleaning service is between $1 and $400. A broken sewer line can be costly to replace, in the thousands.
8. Inadequate or Deteriorating Insulation
When your home can’t hold in the heat or cool, your heating and cooling system has to run more and cost you more than is necessary, meanwhile reducing the life of your HVAC equipment. Poor insulation also permits dust-laden variations in temperature which let moisture accumulate and create wood rot and mold growth in and beneath walls and main roof framing.
Get a check on your attic and basement insulation. Opening up new doors for insulating is an easy, cost-effective improvement that becomes profitable in terms of energy savings in a few years.
9. Visible Mold or Musty Odors
Mold develops slowly over time, but it grows quickly when it has wet conditions. It can break down building structures and cause severe health problems for those who have allergies or respiratory problems. Dirty mold spills small enough to treat early can be treated at low costs. Professional mold remediation is required for large mold infestations, it can cost thousands of dollars.
When mold or musty smells are found, investigate immediately. Moisture issues are characterized by the presence of mold, which should be repaired at the source.
10. Pest Damage or Signs of Infestation
Structural damage can quickly escalate and is caused by termites, carpenter ants and rodents. Timely treatments can help to eradicate infestations. It may be necessary to do extensive structural repairs and complete pest remediation for an advanced infestation.
In search of warning signs watch for: droppings, wood damage, strange noises or pests. Get pest control services from the pest control experts if you notice pests early, not when damage is done.
Why Early Detection Saves Money and Protects Your Investment
As a general rule, a small issue at the house that is overlooked, will turn into a significant and costly problem. You would rather wait a thousand dollars to have something fixed for only fifty dollars today, than deal with a known emergency, which would cost five thousand dollars, next year. Your home is an investment, and needs to be tended to and kept up properly. It’s the homeowners who take proper care of their home who are the ones who see problems early and respond in time before they become major emergencies.
It’s one of the smartest investments you can make to create and follow a regular home inspection checklist. Do a monthly house inspection. Look for discoloration, fanciful smells, infestations of pests, and damage. Record your observations. Try to solve minor problems as soon as they arise.
Conclusion
Your home is probably the greatest financial move you’ve made and if issues arise you’ll need to be alert and ready to defend your home. The reasons why homeowners have so many costly repair problems are the usual leading causes listed in this checklist and for sure are neglected to be done until they’ve become such a big problem. If these warning signs are taken seriously and problems are dealt with at an early stage, you can help to maintain the value of your home, avoid unnecessary and expensive emergency repairs and keep your family safe and comfortable in your home.
It’s our job at Install Worxs to help people spot and rectify any problems they may have with their home, before they become an issue. When it’s time for you to hire the best home inspector, the top home preventive maintenance plans, or the best emergency fixes, our team has your covered. If you have a minor concern or an issue that you aren’t sure about, or you wish to have a professional check your home for any possible problems, please reach out to us and we’ll help you preserve your home investment.
Call Install Worxs today and prevent home problems before they become costly emergencies that threaten your home.