Home Maintenance, Guest Post

Home Maintenance: 11 Things You Should Address Immediately

June 3, 2020 by Lexi Klinkenberg

Your home is your sanctuary and maintaining it is paramount, especially if you ever plan on selling your home in the future you’ll be sure to want top dollar for it. Beyond sweeping floors and mowing your yard, some home maintenance tasks require more immediate attention and if left unchecked can cause significant damage to your home. Here are 11 things you should address immediately if you happen to see any of the signs that your home may have an underlying problem. 

1. Your home has a leaking pipe

Whether it’s a small drip or a larger steady leak, the continuous moisture build-up can lead to mold growth, cracks in your drywall, damage to your ceilings, and can even affect your home’s foundation. If you suspect you have some plumbing that may be leaking inside your home, call a professional plumber to come and examine the signs you’re seeing, and any other plumbing questions you may have, so you can get your home back to working order.

Signs to look out for: You receive an unusually high water bill, a room smells musty, or you recently noticed an unexplained staining, wet spots, mold or mildew, on ceilings, walls, or floors. 

2. Your roof is leaking

Rain may be a blessing for your garden, but not if it’s entering your attic or the rest of your home. Your attic is usually warmer and more humid than the central area of the house, and even a small leak from the roof into warm attic conditions makes a hotbed for mold to grow. Not to mention, if that leak continues unchecked it will begin to wreak havoc on the rest of your home, damaging ceilings and possibly your home’s walls and floors. This is one home maintenance item you will want to address the moment you realize it’s there.

Signs to look out for: A large water stain appears on your ceiling, unexplained moisture or drips forming on your walls, or you see larger bits of roof shingles in the downspout of your gutters.

3. Leaky foundation

Your basement foundation can leak over time. As your home settles, hairline foundation cracks can form. Unfortunately, water only needs a tiny space to seep through a foundation wall. You may be able to find and seal these cracks yourself, or you might need to hire a foundation specialist to shore up the foundation and prevent further movement and possible leaks. Standing water in an already damp basement can lead to mold growth, but also significant damage to your home. 

Signs to look out for: An unusually high water bill, damp carpet or floors, you can smell mold or mildew, there’s a warm spot on your floor, you spot foundation cracks, or you notice a white powdery substance (efflorescence) which is usually the result of water evaporating leaving behind minerals. 

4. Damp or wet crawl space

You want to keep your home’s crawl space as dry as possible. However, if you live in an area like Portland, OR or Seattle, WA where it rains a lot, it’s possible for your crawl space to become wet. It is usually because surface water from your roof’s drainage has begun overflowing, groundwater from the earth surrounding your home was overly saturated from heavy rainfall or melting snow and has found its way in, or there’s a plumbing issue you haven’t discovered yet. Though this home maintenance task isn’t necessarily the most enjoyable, because you’ll most likely be crawling under your home, it is a very important one to check off. Luckily, there are professional crawl space inspectors that can do this for you.

Signs to look out for: Higher energy bills because it takes more energy to heat/cool damp air, you smell mold or mildew, or you’ve noticed an increase in dust mites and other pests that thrive in a damp environment.

5. Dirty and improperly sealed air ducts 

Air ducts become traps for dust, pet hair, and other contaminants that get sucked into your heating and cooling system. These contaminants stick to any damp ducting where mold, bacteria, and other fungi can grow. While you can keep air moving with ceiling or portable fans and air conditioning, the result is recirculating that same air filled with dust, mold, mildew, pet dander, and other respiratory irritants back through your home.

Also, air ducts that are not sealed properly lead to overall poor air quality in your home. Replace your air filters more frequently and have a professional come out once a year to thoroughly clean out your air ducts, check your ductwork to tape and repair as needed.

Signs to look out for: You begin to have high electric bills, your home is always dusty, your rooms are different temperatures, there’s debris under your vent covers, your return air register is covered in especially thick dust, and your air filter is clogged with dust.

6. Air leaks

Air leaks from outside can contribute to poor quality air indoors. Especially during the warmer months, pollen from new plants, chemicals from lawn pesticides, and other environmental pollutants can float into your home through improperly sealed windows, doors, and ducting. Air leaks also contribute to higher energy bills for cooling and warming your home. If you suspect your home has air leaks and you see some of the signs listed below, then consider hiring a professional to come out and do a home energy audit. 

Signs to look out for: Gaps where two different building materials meet on your home (example: exterior brick joining to a cement foundation), you notice cracks/gaps by outlets, doors, window frames, fireplaces, light fixtures, or you may just simply notice a draft in your home. It is most likely coming from an air leak.

7. Sewage backup or odors from sewer gas

A sewage backup is a serious environmental hazard. Because modern sewer systems usually function so effectively, people often don’t worry about how a backup might affect their home or their family. If you notice any of the signs that you have a sewage backup in your home, you should probably leave this one to the professionals and get this looked at immediately. This is one home maintenance item you don’t want to put off as the toxic fumes from sewer gas can negatively impact your family’s health.

Signs to look out for: More than one of your drains are clogged, water is backing up in other drains, you see bubbles after you flush the toilet, your toilet isn’t flushing right and the plunger doesn’t seem to help, or you smell sewer gas in your home.

8. Excess moisture in the house

Environmental health experts stress how important it is to maintain indoor humidity at around 40% and keep windows, basements, and attics dry. Excess moisture in your home can create a breeding ground for all types of fungi and bacteria. Monitor the humidity levels of your home with a handy humidity meter you can get at any home improvement store. This can help you decide how to control the humidity levels in your home. 

Signs to look out for: There’s condensation on windows during the colder months, you notice a mildew smell in the bathroom or mold growing in the cabinet under the sink, the paint is peeling, cracking, or blistering on interior surfaces, or you notice an increase in pests like dust mites.

9. Your stove’s exhaust fan is not venting properly

Your stove’s exhaust fan filter collects smoke, odors, and grease from your food as it cooks. If oil clogs your filter – which it inevitably does over time – cooking contaminants recirculate back into the air in the house and begin sticking to your walls. Luckily, this home maintenance item is easily remedied by simply cleaning (degreasing) your filters. If that doesn’t work, then you may have to call in a professional because the motor in your range’s vent hood may need to be replaced.

Signs to look out for: Your range hood doesn’t clear smoke easily (even on the highest setting), the exhaust fan is very loud or humming constantly, lights stop working on the hood which could indicate other electrical issues.

10. Overflowing gutters

If your gutters are overflowing, it usually means they are clogged with debris – leaves, seeds, and sticks from surrounding trees. The force of water flowing through the gutters compacts this debris which leads to clogged and overflowing gutters. If you ignore this typical fall and spring home maintenance task, then your clogged gutters can cause damage to the exterior of your home. Your gutters can place unneeded strain on your roof and shingles, spill water down the side of your home instead of through the downspout and away from your home, or they can even collapse damaging the side of your house. Luckily, this is an affordable home maintenance task you can simply have a professional do for you.

Signs to look out for: You see plants growing from your gutters, there’s debris on the side of your gutter, you notice dirty streaks (tiger stripping), watermarks, or mold on the side of your house, or possibly your gutter is pulling away from your home. 

11. Chimney and flue build-up (creosote)

Creosote is an oily substance that builds up inside your chimney and flue if you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove. Have your chimney and flue cleaned of creosote annually, especially if you regularly use your fireplace. It’s also a good idea to have it cleaned before the colder months of miscellaneous debris or even bird nests before you begin using it. If you don’t, you could put your home in danger of a chimney fire, causing significant damage to your home and possibly putting your family at risk. Hiring a professional to clean your chimney and flue once a year will help maintain your home and make sure you’re able to enjoy those warm fires for years to come.

Signs to look out for: You see more wood than ash after a fire, there’s reduced drafting in the fireplace, you notice black soot around the fireplace, very dark, dense smoke comes out of your chimney, and you can see a build-up of soot, you hear a loud crackling or popping sound, or you notice an intense hot smell.

Originally Published on Redfin

Inspection Adventures

As a home inspector, I have to continually ask myself, "Why was it done this way?' "There is always an answer, and it has more to do with building science than neglected home maintenance. Over the past month, I have found some pretty exciting things, take a look.

The company hired to paint the home decided to clean their equipment in the dishwasher, repair/replace.

A "custom" light fixture in a finished basement bedroom, a 6-foot ladder is needed to turn the light on and off.

Apparent mold growth on the sub-floor beneath the newly renovated hallway bathroom, the tile was gorgeous, which leads me to my initial question “Why?”

I was able to catch this potential roof leak on my thermal camera. After some investigation, I found wet insulation and signs of moisture intrusion on the roof sheathing.

While the process of purchasing a home may be stressful, protect your investment, and schedule a home inspection!

New construction inspection, why do I need one?

Over the past five years, I have received many quotes inquires for inspections on new construction homes. The conversation always starts the same, "I am looking at getting a home inspection for my new construction home, how much would that cost?" After I get to know the client, I give them a quote and send over my inspection agreement for their signature. Before the call ends, I offer times for scheduling, and the response I usually get is, "Is a home inspection on a new construction home necessary? Doesn't the home get inspected throughout the process?" 

        The Myth: New construction homes do not need a 3rd party home inspection, as the county inspects the house throughout the process.

        The reality: In a typical new construction home, there are multiple groups of people working on your home, from the developer to the trade contractors. The trade contractors hired to complete the work may have workers who are not completing the work to code, or who are doing incomplete jobs. Here are examples of unfinished work (all from the same home);

• Water from the top tank flowed over the toilet seat into the toilet bowl when flushed. 

• All of the GFCI receptacles in the kitchen did not function. 

• The roof had multiple raised nails, which are potential sites for moisture intrusion. 

• Every bathroom sink leaked at the drain trap. 

      While the above items are not "earth-shattering," they all should have been done right the first time. It is the home inspectors' job to discover things that may be a potential problem or safety hazard. If you are purchasing a new construction home, or are designing one from the ground up, I recommend protecting your investment and having a licensed 3rd party home inspector inspect the property. It may be best to request a pre-drywall inspection, as well as a full home inspection. 

Moisture intrusion, a homes worst enemy. (gutter edition)

If ten random home inspection reports were analyzed for most used words, moisture intrusion would rank at the top of the list right behind I recommend . Moisture is a homes worst enemy, be it from a leaking roof shingle or the rotted wood at the bottom of an exterior door frame. Moisture intrusion can provide a source for mold growth, and slowly deteriorate the structure of a home. Throughout my career I have seen several instances of moisture intrusion that could have been avoided with the proper home maintenance. I hope to supply some simple maintenance tips to avoid moisture intrusion, and some areas that are of concern in most homes.

Clogged gutters, which will eventually cause moisture intrusion.

Gutters

During the fall months most of my reports indicate excessive amounts of debris or foliage in the gutter system. A homes gutter system is designed to transport rain water from the roof and away from the home. The more debris clogging the gutter system, the more likely rain water will find its way into the home, either at the fascia (the board directly behind the gutter) or at the homes foundation. By cleaning out the gutter system annually, or as needed rain water can travel from the roof of the home, down the gutter downspout, and away from the homes foundation. Another solution is to have a gutter professional add guards.

Downspout missing an elbow, which allows water to drain directly onto the foundation wall.

Gutter Downspouts

The recommended distance a downspout should terminate from a home is five feet. In a majority of the homes I inspect, the downspouts terminate 1 foot from the foundation wall, have no elbow, and have no splash block. One of the simplest methods to avoid water intrusion is to make sure all downspouts have the recommend elbow and extension. Most of the items needed to improve water flow away from the home can be found at the local hardware store, or big box store.

Sign of moisture intrusion (wet ground, and hole) at the same spot as the missing elbow and extension.

Conclusion

While often an inexpensive and simple fix, gutter maintenance is often neglected which can resolute in more costly repairs later. When purchasing a home make sure to visually inspect the condition of the homes gutters, and gutter downspouts. Do the gutters have all the appropriate parts? Do the gutters have extensions, or splash blocks? Are the gutters clogged? Are there signs that the gutters have at one time drained onto the foundation wall (erosion)? Is the ground around the home properly graded away from the homes foundation wall? Getting a handle on how water flows away from the home is an important step in preventing moisture intrusion into the home.

What to expect at your first home inspection.

What if there is mold? What if the foundation has cracks? What if the main HVAC system is over 25 years old? What if….? These are all questions, or dare I say fears heading into a home inspection for the first time. As a home inspector, it is my goal to educate my clients on the condition of the home at the time of the inspection. I am there to observe and report possible defects, give possible maintenance tips, and help my clients understand how the home functions. Here are 5 things to expect at your first home inspection;

1. Your inspector will conduct a visual inspection of all major, readily accessible components of the home. (Exterior, foundation, roof, crawlspace, plumbing, electrical)

2. Your inspector will identify major areas of concern in reference to the basic structure of the home, and how moisture intrusion and other things may play a role.

3. Your inspector will take an abundance of pictures, and place them in a finished report that is broken down by systems with recommendations for repairs/replacements and maintenance.

4. Your inspector will do his/her best to answer any questions or concerns brought up by the client at the time of the inspection.

5. Your inspector will review his/her findings at the conclusion of, or during the inspection so that there are no surprises on the finished report.

Buying a home can be a stressful process, and a home inspection is a necessary part of every home purchase even new construction. I am often asked, “Did the home pass?” To which I reply “ A home can not pass or fail, a home is telling us a story. As a home buyer you have to decide if you like the story.” I truly believe that there is a home out there for everyone. Are you willing to find it?