August 24, 2010

Tips for Home Safety

Filed under: Home Safety — Chuck @ 1:08 pm

Here are some handy home safety tips that will help to ensure that you, your family, and your property are better projected from fire, theft, or accidents that can cause damage or serious injury.

Fire Safety

Although it may shocking to realize it, about 80 percent of all structural fires start in the home, and fire departments in the USA respond to an alarm about every 15 seconds. The first step in preventing your house from becoming one of those unfortunate statistics is, of course, to install smoke alarms and test them periodically to make sure they are working properly. A good way to ensure timely inspections of your alarms is to schedule the checks to coincide with “springing forward” and “falling backward” with daylight savings time. When you’re resetting the clocks just also check the smoke detectors to make sure they are working.

Keep fire extinguishers handy, on every floor of the house, and make sure that they are properly rated for the kinds of fires you might anticipate. Having an extinguisher that is rated for trash, wood, and paper is a good idea if you have a garage full of newspapers you plan to recycle. But unless it is also rated for electrical fires it might not be appropriate for a fire that ignites in the garage due to faulty wiring in the circuit box. You should also use carbon monoxide detectors to avoid illness or death due to such things as a faulty furnace, a running car enclosed in the garage, or a fireplace that leaks dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

To know where to place smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers – and which kinds are best for your home – just ask your local fire department. Firefighters are eager to help you practice home safety because it is much easier and safer to prevent fires than it is to fight them once they have already started.

Electrical Safety

Meanwhile one of the biggest sources of house fires is electrical appliances. The majority of fires that start in the home occur because of faulty cords, overloaded circuits, or improperly used electrical space heaters or other potentially dangerous gadgets. But many of these fires can be avoided if you are careful to visually inspect appliance cords and plugs for wear and tear.

Check for any frayed or crimped spots on the cord, any wires coming loose from plugs, or bent or otherwise damaged prongs. Don’t overload circuits by plugging lots of cords into one plug – which is easy to do if you use outlet strips or adapters that allow you to plug several gadgets through a single wall socket. Also make sure that when using a 3-pronged plug in an outlet that the electrical connection is actually wired for all three prongs. Sometimes the faceplate has three holes in it, for example, but the actually wiring connection behind the faceplate lacks a ground wire connection – which is needed for safe use of 3-pronged appliances.

It is worth the investment to hire an electrician or qualified building inspector to go through the house and check for this kind of discrepancy. It’s a simple process that will give you lots of peace of mind – and otherwise your home’s electrical system could be a tragedy just waiting to happen.

Door Locks

Of course another area of safety is locks, because although no lock can completely stop a determined burglar most criminals prefer the path of least resistance. The more you can do to make your house a difficult target for break-ins the safer it will be.

It is possible to buy relatively inexpensive and secure door and window locks and have them professionally installed. Use a deadbolt system, and also be careful not to place window panes within reach of your doorknobs. That’s because even if you have a fancy deadbolt lock it is easy to break into the house if a window pane is nearby. Just smash the window, reach inside, and unlock the door from the inside of the house. So if you have a back door and the whole upper half of the door design is comprised of window panes, for example, consider replacing it with a solid door that instead has a peephole.

Avoid leaving a “hide-a-key” in a fake rock in the flower bed or under the doormat. Even if you disguise it well you can’t prevent a crook from watching the house and seeing someone retrieve the key – which gives them an open invitation to mischief.

Follow these tips, use common sense, and also set up procedures like fire drills to train your children how to respond in the event of a 9-1-1 emergency. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to protecting your property, your belongings, your pets, and your loved ones.

Home Maintenance and Your Appliances

Filed under: Home Maintenance — Chuck @ 1:07 pm

When most homeowners think of home maintenance chores they think of such things as cleaning the gutters, caulking the windows, repairing a leaky faucet, oiling a squeaky cabinet hinge, or tightening up a loose doorknob. But home maintenance also applies to your home appliances. Keeping those well maintained can ensure that they last longer, look their best, and deliver optimum performance without unnecessarily taxing your utilities and raising your monthly energy costs.

Here are three suggestions to help you create your own appliance maintenance checklist:

* Clothes Dryer:

One of the easiest home maintenance chores also happens to be one of the most important, because cleaning the lint filter and vent on your clothes dryer can help you prevent a house fire. Sometimes lint will build up in a machine and then combust due to heat from an overworked motor or damaged wire. So train everyone in the home to clean the lint screen before turning on the dryer. This simple procedure is explained in the owner’s manual and usually takes not more than 30 seconds to do. If clothes are not drying as they should it might also be because the outside air vent is blocked with lint. In that case check the outlet where the clothes dryer vents the warm air outdoors. It is usually covered by a plastic or metal hooded flap. If there is lots of lint on the flap or inside the pipe that leads to it then it is time to clean out that vent pipe or replace it with a newer and safer one.

* Air Conditioning System:

When it comes to air conditioners, most homeowners inadvertently waste huge amounts of money while also working way too hard to stay cool and comfortable. That’s because most air conditioners have inexpensive filters that need to be cleaned or replaced regularly, but many homeowners seldom, if ever, do this easy maintenance task.

The A/C filter usually looks kind of like a large paper or aluminum picture frame about an inch thick that holds synthetic fibers or a cardboard honeycomb to trap dust, dirt, and lint. They sell for just a few bucks and can be purchased at any home improvement store. But dirty ones dramatically reduce the ability of the A/C unit to cool the home while they simultaneously cause you to use more electricity to run the air conditioner. So dirty air filters cost you double, whereas clean ones are relatively cheap and will ensure that you stay comfortable and that the air conditioner last longer without costly repairs.

* Appliance Settings:

Another really easy way to save some serious cash is to monitor the settings on the appliances in your home. Maintaining them on energy-saving settings ensures that you don’t pay more than necessary to operate them, and it also helps to reduce your carbon footprint and conserve our natural resources. You can adjust settings on the dishwasher, for example, to let dishes dry by themselves instead of using the automatic drying setting which burns more energy. Or you can be sure that you only use the energy necessary when you wash small loads of dishes or do a light load of laundry in the washing machine. That saves on water bills as well as gas or electricity bills, and it is another environmentally responsible habit. The same goes for the water heater and the refrigerator. Adjust those appliance settings so that the water is hot enough to suit you but not any hotter than it needs to be, for example, and that the fridge is cold enough to keep foods and beverages nicely but is not colder than necessary. If you go on vacation be sure to take advantage of the vacation setting on your water heater, too, because that will ensure that the appliance doesn’t keep reheating water (and costing you extra money) the whole time you are gone.

Of course every major appliance in your home deserves a little routine maintenance, so consult the owner’s manuals for these units. Then use a calendar to remind yourself when it is time to check them. The time it takes to keep appliances in tip-top shape amounts to just a few minutes a month, on average, but it can save you a substantial amount of money in terms of energy bills

Home Inspections: One of the better values in the real estate industry.

Filed under: Home Inspection — Chuck @ 1:05 pm

While the prices of homes and the availability of mortgages have fluctuated wildly within the past decade, the value of home inspections has remained a solidly reliable and affordable investment. Without the helpful expertise of licensed and trained home inspectors sellers would have much too little guidance when negotiating repair allowances and buyers would likewise be in the dark regarding the condition of the houses they tour when shopping for a home.

The most common type of buyer-ordered inspection is the “limited visual inspection,” which takes approximately two to four hours to complete – depending upon the overall condition of the house, its size, and its age. This type of inspection generally costs between $200 and $800 – again depending on the size and nature of the structure. The inspector looks at the various components and systems in the home such as the appliances, electrical outlets, heating and air conditioning units, and the roof and foundation.

He or she will study the general condition of these items and others in order to determine whether or not they are performing the job they are intended to do. An inspector will turn on the kitchen oven, for example, and check to see if it heats up properly. He or she will make sure the dishwasher cycles as it should, and that the electrical outlets near the sink are rated for safe use near water. If the inspector sees evidence of a more serious problem – such as improper gas connections or inappropriate wiring – then that will be noted in the inspection report and it will be recommended that an appropriately skilled contractor be called in to fix the problem or at least bid on the cost of repairs or upgrades.

If the inspector is able to see that roof shingles are missing, for example, he or she will then look closer for any signs of water damage coming through the attic, walls, or ceilings. Likewise when telltale cracks that are signs of structural shifting or settling are discovered in the brickwork or around doors and windows, the inspector will point these out in the report so that a prospective buyer can have a foundation contractor or structural engineer take a closer look, if so recommended by the home inspector.

The buyer also has the option to order a more comprehensive inspection. This is often done before buying a home with more complex systems or features such as fire suppression systems, or elevators that also fall under special regulatory guidelines. A comprehensive inspection can also be technically exhaustive, as well as invasive to the point of some minor destructive testing. The buyer may also hire a specific type of inspector to follow-up on recommendations made by the home inspector who is a “generalist”. If the home inspection report mentions symptoms of termite infestation, for example, the homeowner can bring in a termite inspector. In the event that there is insulation material that resembles asbestos or mold that could potentially be toxic, the general inspection report may urge the homeowner to contact a licensed environmental inspector for a more exhaustive investigation.

By taking advantage of the services provided by home inspectors, in other words, a buyer can gain insight into issues of concern that might otherwise go unnoticed. The relatively minor problem of peeling paint might be ignored as merely aesthetic or cosmetic, for instance, and postponed for a few years until the homeowner is ready to repaint the house. But an experienced inspector may point out that the paint could be peeling because it is made of toxic lead that could easily sicken small children. An environmental inspector can come to the home, test for lead, and give the homeowner a conclusive answer.

Similarly, a homeowner could be frightened by the presence of what looks like wood devouring insects but an inspector might realize that they are a different species that poses no real threat to the home. Or a homeowner may see scorch marks on an electrical outlet, which normally indicates faulty wiring. An electrical inspector can use professional instruments to determine whether it is actually faulty wiring that might cost thousands to remedy – or if it is instead just an old faceplate which can be replaced with a new one for the cost of one or two dollars.

So while the price of a home inspection represents just a fraction of the cost of the home, it can potentially save a buyer from making a terribly expensive mistake and purchasing a “lemon.” Inspections can also help buyers avoid the error of passing up a perfectly good house due to unwarranted fears or concerns. Regardless of what kind of home it is or what the overall real estate market may be doing, home inspections are well worth a small investment because they offer invaluable assistance to both buyers and sellers.

July 28, 2010

Hot Weather Home Maintenance Tips

Filed under: Home Maintenance — Chuck @ 5:08 pm

Most of the USA is suffering from unusually hot weather, and those scorching temperatures don’t just take a toll on people but they can also stress a residential building. So it is good idea for homeowners to keep an eye on their properties while also keeping some unique and helpful hot weather maintenance tips in mind. Here are a few items to put on the home maintenance checklist for the especially hot and humid time of year:

Air conditioning systems are especially overworked this time of year, so it is important to check them on a regular basis to make sure they are in good condition and are functioning in an energy efficient way.

• If there is a unit with a fan on top of it outside, for example, keep the fan grill free of debris such as leaves or branches.

• Trim the landscape around A/C units so that summer weeds and tall grasses don’t encroach, and also make sure that there are no drainage problems that might cause standing water near the unit.

• Anytime the unit makes loud noises or shows signs of rust, have it checked by an HVAC contractor to make sure it is working properly. If the unit is too old replacing it may be the right thing to do because inefficiently working air conditioners create much higher utility bills.

• Window units should be checked to make sure they are not creating moisture that is causing damage to a window frame or sill, porch, or the siding of your house. A/C filters should also be inspected and cleaned or replaced as needed.

• A dirty filter not only impedes efficiency to make it harder to cool your home but it can also create airborne dust, allergens, or mold that can be bad for your health and aggravate those annoying allergies.

Speaking of health, harsh UV rays from scorching sunshine can affect the outside of your house just like they can cause skin damage to people who sunbathe without protection at the beach. So toward the end of summer is an ideal time to look for signs of sun damage around your home.

Walk around the outside and give the paint job a close inspection. On parts of the exterior where there is less shade and the most exposure to direct sunlight you may find sections of peeling and blistering paint. That kind of paint problem can be caused by sun breaking down the chemical components of the paint over time. There are some brands and formulas of paint that are more resistance to harmful UV rays, so if you decide to repaint you may want to invest in that type of paint. But peeling and blistering is also caused by not using the right kind of paint or not priming the subsurface properly.

If it has been an especially rainy summer then the gutters also deserve a closer look. Keeping them structurally supported and clean helps to preserve the whole house, because when large amounts of rainwater cannot drain through the gutter system water seeks the path of least resistance. That could be through your roof, for example, or down the side of your house where the water can damage exterior walls. Also check around the whole property for especially muddy spots that may indicate a lack of proper drainage. These are especially critical around structures like a garage or shed because poor drainage can undermine the foundation and cause serious damage.

But standing water also invites mosquitoes, and everyone knows how quickly they can spoil a summer day or outdoor entertainment. After every rain it is a good idea to police the area and dump out any collected water from items like empty gardening pots or trash cans. If you have a water feature like a fountain you may want to buy special anti-mosquito pellets or add some household bleach to the water to keep it free of larvae.

Always be careful, however, when using any chemical or bleaches around the house. A small amount of bleach could kill your aquatic plants or goldfish, for example, and drinking standing water that has chemicals in it could harm your pets or even small children who like to play in muddles.

So always read labels carefully, take appropriate precautions, and don’t take any chances. Call in a professional whenever you have a question or doubt.

Fire Hazards

Filed under: Home Safety — Chuck @ 12:15 pm

Fire hazards are normally associated with winter when people use space heaters and fireplaces. But many summer fires happen, too, so be especially attentive when grilling or barbecuing.

• You should never leave any kind of fire or cooking unit unattended, and keep lighter fluids and matches out of the reach of children.

• Storage of old paints, varnishes, stains, and household cleaning products can also ignite a fire. Don’t keep those kinds of items or pressurized aerosols in a hot shed, for example, because as the mercury rises so does the chance for spontaneous combustion.

• Summertime means using gas powered weed-whackers and lawn mowers, too, so take extra care when using and storing gasoline and other fuels. Even a small amount of gasoline left in a can has the potential to create a fire or explosion, and if fuel is spilled on a hot engine or other hot surface that can also cause it to burst into flames.

Don’t’ forget and leave gas cans or other combustible items in the car too long, either, or they might combust. Even a laptop computer left to bake in the sun has the potential to start a fire because of the chemicals in the battery, so use extra caution all summer long.

Accidental Poisoning:

Extra summer yard work also means more fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and other chemicals around the house. Many of these are engineered as potent lethal poisons, so don’t let them create an accidental illness or death.

• Never remove labels from these kinds of items, and always be sure to keep the safety warnings and first aid information intact.

• When working with hazardous chemicals it is a good idea not to do it while small children can observe you. They may interpret the activity as play and then when you are not around they might try to help out by spraying plants on their own – with catastrophic unintended consequences.

• Many plant chemicals as well as those used to suppress rodent and insect populations take time to get absorbed. Read labels carefully. Usually it is best to make sure that no humans or pets are in the area until well past the recommended time to safely reenter the zone.

• Weather conditions also affect toxic chemicals. If you use a poison ivy killer when the wind is blowing, for example, it could harm your vegetable plants or accidentally wind up in Fido’s water dish.

Once you are finished with a chemical be sure to dispose of it in an environmentally conscious way too, otherwise those toxic elements could wind up in the soil or your own drinking water supply.

We all want to feel safe inside our own homes but it is an unfortunate fact of life that there is always the potential for accidents and mishaps. Stay alert, follow sensible procedures, and then you can really and truly relax and enjoy yourself all summer long knowing that you’ve done what’s necessary to ensure protection and safety for your home and family.

Specialized Kinds of Home Inspections for Health and Safety

Filed under: Home Inspection — Chuck @ 12:09 pm

As summer heads into its last phase many home buyers who have been browsing and shopping begin to make final decisions and submit purchase offers. They’ve toured homes, they’ve looked up information about the local schools, and they’ve compared prices. At last – while they still have an opportunity to complete a move before the kids are back in the classroom – they are headed for the home stretch. But one of the most critical events between the signing of contracts and the closing transaction at an attorney or title company office is the home inspection.

Others who already own their homes are finishing up warm weather home maintenance projects and errands this time of year. They may want to consult with a professional home inspector to ensure that there are no hidden problems lurking and waiting to manifest. They, too, can benefit from the insight of a home inspector. Whatever the motivation or need may be, there are many reasons to seek out a good home inspector during the late summer months.

But some of those relate to more exotic or unusual types of issues such as those that specialized inspectors deal with on a daily basis. Keep in mind that just as no two properties are exactly alike there is also some significant variety within the home inspection arena.

There are special home inspections, for example, that a homeowner can order for the sole purpose of investigating the potential presence of environmental hazards. Someone buying an older home, for instance, may want to hire a licensed environmental inspector to check for evidence of asbestos. Although the use of asbestos is now prohibited in construction materials it was once quite popular and its application was widespread. Many homes now on the market have asbestos flooring, siding, or insulation.

The current owner may not even be aware of the asbestos, either, because sometimes it is not easy to detect. In Victorian era houses, for example, one of the common features is authentic plaster work. Plaster has a distinct antique appearance and many buyers appreciate the old-fashioned aesthetic and practical durability of a skillfully applied layer of plaster. But what most people do not realize is that lots of vintage plaster contains asbestos fibers that were mixed into the plaster slurry in order to help the mud-like material bind together better with more structural integrity.

If asbestos used in any way, shape, or form is disrupted it can enter the atmosphere of the home where breathing those minute particles may lead to serious health consequences. The asbestos can be easily dislodged during a simple repair, renovation, or the normal wear and tear that happens by living in a home. But a qualified and experienced environmental inspector can detect asbestos materials and can even take readings of the air quality inside the home to determine whether or not there are any unhealthy levels of asbestos.

Environmental inspectors and inspectors, who are trained to offer these additional services, can also check for harmful radon gases. Radon is a type of organic gas that often rises up from beneath a home to threaten the health of occupants. Radon is invisible, colorless, and odorless, but environmental inspectors have meters and gauges that can detect it. There are also numerous stains of toxic mold that are often found in homes, and some of these can even be lethal. To be well informed and well protected from such hazards a homeowner or home buyer can enlist the help of an appropriately trained and certified inspector whose particular area of expertise is environmental issues.

Other specialized inspections will cover the issue of harmful pests and insects. Not only can these inspectors look for wood-eating termites but they can also be hired to check for signs of wood-boring bees, disease-carrying rodents, or other troublemakers.

Many homeowners can, for example, suffer extensive and expensive damage from carpenter ants. They may even see ants but not realize that they are the species that devours wood. Wooden siding on a home may look perfectly normal to the untrained eye while it is being silently destroyed from within by a busy colony of hardworking and hungry carpenter ants.

These kinds of inspectors – and other inspection specialists – can also offer useful and valuable home maintenance tips. That way homeowners are more keenly aware of potential threats and can check for visible symptoms that might alert them to call in a professional for a closer and more thorough investigation.

So whatever the field of home inspection expertise may be or whatever kinds of concerns you may have as a homeowner or buyer, check with your local professional home inspectors. They can help. The services offered by the home inspection industry are varied because the issues that can impact your property are also diverse.

June 23, 2010

The Purpose of Pro-Sight Property Inspections Blog

Filed under: Purpose — Chuck @ 8:28 am

Pro-Sight Property Inspections Blogs: Keeping you informed.

Whether you happen to be buying or renting a home or representing someone as their real estate agent or broker, a professional home inspection is critical to the success of the transaction. In fact, there is perhaps no step along the way that is more important in terms of understanding the real value of a home and providing insight into issues of home maintenance and safety.

To keep you more informed and educated about the home inspection process and what to expect from a licensed property inspector, Pro-Sight provides this resourceful blog. Log on anytime to learn about how and why mechanical and structural house inspections and real estate inspection reports are essential.

Find out about what the professional inspector looks for in a home, how to interpret or understand the details in an official inspection report, and what actions can and should be taken to follow up on an inspector’s expert observations and recommendations.  Whether it is a general home inspection – like those typically ordered by the buyer prior to closing on a home purchase – or a specialized inspection for such things as environmental hazards, the nuts and bolts of the subject will be thoroughly presented in a user-friendly but insightful manner.

Those who are shopping for a home will be kept on the leading edge of the learning curve with expert answers to commonly asked questions regarding inspections and what they cover. Real estate agents or brokers will find that the blog is a convenient and reliable resource for helping to teach clients – whether they are buyers, sellers, or renters – about home inspections. When new developments in the home inspection industry happen, the Pro-Sight blog will ensure that you are kept up-to-date and informed. If you’re a home seller trying to prepare a property for an inspection, we’ll tell you how to get your house in top condition. Or you may just be a concerned homeowner, property investor, or professional landlord who wants to get a home inspected to uncover any potential maintenance issues or problems that may jeopardize safety. Whatever your reason for wanting to know more about the technical, legal, and practical aspects of the home inspection process, this blog is intended to be a one-stop comprehensive resource. Subscribe to it now to be alerted whenever a new entry is posted and ensure that you have the information you need and deserve to stay informed.

Home Safety: More than meets the eye.

Filed under: Home Safety — Chuck @ 8:24 am

Whether you rent, lease, or own your home – and whether you live in a condo or a single-family home – safety is a paramount concern. Accidents happen, and they can be both personally and financially devastating. But many of them can be easily prevented by taking some basic simple steps to ensure that your home is a safe environment for you, your loved ones, and your pets.

It all starts with taking a complete inventory of any potential hazards, because by eliminating those you can quickly and easily enhance the safety and security of your property – without really spending a dime. Once you have evaluated any potential risks you can minimize them while intelligently organizing your home to make it permanently safer. That will help you sleep better at night, knowing that you’ve rooted out those problems before they happen by taking the right proactive steps.

The obvious culprits are such things as flammable substances stored indoors or in the garage where they could erupt into a fire. These include such household items as old cans of paint thinner, containers of kerosene or lawn mower fuel, and BBQ grill lighter fluid. Leftover paint stored away in buckets and cans, bottles of unused cleaning products, and stacks of old newspapers not only take up useful space but they also pose an easy-to-remedy household hazard. Check all around the house for these items and unless you’ve used them within the past 2-3 months, consider getting rid of them. The cost to replace that old bottle of lighter fluid is miniscule when compared to the cost of an accident, and freeing up extra room for storage can be a huge bonus in any home.

Keep in mind that many household items – from old batteries to cans of varnish or solvent – need to be disposed of properly to help protect the environment and to also prevent them from injuring someone who might be involved in hauling away your trash to a landfill. If you’re not sure how or where to safely dispose of something, contact your town’s municipal waste management department and they’ll be more than happy to help you.

But there are other threats to safety that can be either concealed or totally invisible to the untrained eye. These run the gamut from structural problems like rotted beams or loose brickwork to more subtle agents like toxic mold, radon gas, or carbon monoxide. Your home may have outdated electrical components, faulty wiring, inadequate circuit breakers, or a faulty chimney, stove, or furnace. While these problems sometimes show external symptoms such as scorch marks on the face plates of electrical outlets or a dimming of kitchen lights every time the refrigerator cooling systems comes on, others are virtually invisible and silent.

Each year, for example, many people are killed or hospitalized because of overexposure to carbon monoxide in the home – which is both silent and odorless. Or there may be rodents living in an out-of-the-way place like the corner of an attic or a tiny hole in the wall of the garage, and if they gnaw on electrical wiring that could cause a fire. If the wrong kinds of outlets are installed in the kitchen or bathroom they could lead to accidental electrocution, and if a gas appliance needs repair or the wiring to the hot tub is incorrect those could also have tragic consequences.

Even something as simple and benign as a bathroom vent fan can become potentially hazardous, because if the fan is not properly ventilated it will blow moisture up into the walls, ceiling, attic, or whatever other area of the house it is connected to through the fan’s ductwork system. That creates a breeding ground for mold, and many forms of household mold will make you sick – while some types of mold are potentially lethal. You won’t see the mold, and you probably won’t see that the fan isn’t working as it should, either, unless you trace the venting system all the way to the outdoors.

When in doubt, don’t risk your health and that of your family. We know that we need to keep regular appointments so that the dentist can look for potential cavities hidden under the surface and catch them in time. Otherwise we won’t notice them until they turn into a toothache that could mean a painful and expensive root canal infection. Similarly, for about the same price as getting our teeth cleaned and checked twice a year we can take advantage of the expertise and experience of a professional.

Licensed contractors, environmental inspectors, general home inspectors, or other specialists may be available to check your home or offer expert recommendations. Members of your local fire department can also be consulted, and they can help point out safety issues and do checks of items like smoke detectors to make sure they are properly working and ideally located within the areas of your home.

Staying aware of what’s going in within your domicile gives you a head’s up on any lurking problems. That helps to eliminate unnecessary fear and anxiety and enhance your safety and well-being – and it could even lower your home insurance costs over time by minimizing hazards and claims.

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

Filed under: Home Maintenance — Chuck @ 8:23 am

Although we would all prefer to spend each and every one of our summer weekends relaxing on the beach, golf course, or around the outdoor grill, the warm weather also provides an excellent opportunity for doing outdoor chores. So set aside a little time, at least, to devote to routine annual or semi-annual home maintenance projects.

To make the endeavor more useful, satisfying, and productive, plan your home maintenance projects with some expert tips in mind. If you have a copy of the home inspection report you got when you hired an inspector before buying your home, take it out and give it a quick read. There may be some comments or notes from the inspector regarding recommended home maintenance procedures. Highlight those with a marker, and make a checklist of ones that should be done in the summertime.

You will want to concentrate on the outdoors, naturally, because during the rest of the year those tasks may be harder to do thanks to shorter days and colder temperatures. Plus it is much more fun to be outside during the summer, so you can combine work with pleasure – especially if you mix up a refreshing pitcher of iced tea or lemonade to keep you hydrated while you’re working.

Check painted surfaces for peeling, cracking, or blistering. Sometimes painting the trouble spots on a home or garage can help prolong the life of a paint job and reduce the number of times you have to repaint your whole house. Make sure the gutters are clear and that they drain away from the foundation of your home, too, because summer thunderstorms can produce dramatic amount of potentially damaging rainfall runoff. Also visually inspect the roof to see if any shingles are curled, misshapen, or missing. Those might be easy to repair or replace, but if you neglect them they could wind up costing you an entire roof replacement or expensive water damage inside the home.

Do a walk-around to inspect the perimeter of the home. You should look for any termite tracks along the foundation. These are thin, tiny trails of dirt shaped like branches. If you aren’t sure how to identify them, have a termite inspector show you examples so that you can be on the lookout for these telltale signs of trouble. You should also learn to accurately identify carpenter ants and wood-boring bees, because these insects can also do a tremendous amount of damage to your home. A good inspector can check for these and also show you what to look for so that you can do regular spot checks on your own.

Be sure to keep your air conditioning system or heat pump filters clean, and keep the HVAC fan outdoors free of leaves and other debris. Everything grows faster this time of year, too. So keep bushes, weeds, tree limbs, and even flowerbeds and mulch trimmed or manicured away from your home and foundation.

Here’s the easiest and most pleasant summer chore of all. Stand beneath the shade trees on your property and while looking up into the leaves and branches, check for dead limbs. A sudden gust of wind or an ice storm next winter could send those crashing down, so if you find evidence of dead, diseased, or rotten limbs have the trees inspected and treated or trimmed.

Also, before stepping on the ladder, cranking up the hedge trimmer, picking up a paint brush, or doing anything involving home maintenance – be sure to practice safety first. Too many homeowners cut corners on simple safety procedures and wind up making unfortunate trips to the emergency room – which is no way to spend a bright and sunny summer afternoon. Take your time and protect yourself – because nothing is more valuable than your good health and the health and safety of those around you.

Use OSHA-approved safety glasses to protect your eyes, wear cotton or leather gloves to help avoid blisters, cracks, and abrasions on your hands, and wear an appropriate dust mask or respirator when working around chemicals, dust, or other products that could be potentially hazardous when inhaled. Sturdy footwear is a must – otherwise you could twist and ankle or step on something sharp and get injured – and if you’re going to be exposed to poison ivy or other toxic plants then wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Sunscreen and a hat with a brim or visor are also important to protect you from harmful UV rays.

The effort you make will pay off throughout the year by keeping your home in tip-top condition and ensuring that it performs as it should. A home that performs well is less expensive in terms of repairs and utility bills, so that will keep your overall homeowner costs to a minimum.

Home Inspection Tips: Look before you leap.

Filed under: Home Inspection — Chuck @ 8:22 am

The warm weather months are the prime season for real estate buying and selling, and millions of Americans are busy shopping for homes and finalizing their transactions. Purchasing a home is typically the largest financial transaction of a person’s entire lifetime, and those who realize the American Dream through home ownership want assurance that their home is well constructed so that it can potentially last a lifetime. For that reason it is always highly recommended that before closing on any home the buyer should hire a licensed and qualified home inspector to thoroughly evaluate its structural and mechanical performance.

Here are some tips for ensuring a successful home inspection:

  • Schedule the home inspection as soon as possible after submitting an offer to purchase.  That will allow you enough time to negotiate any potential repair allowances or expenses with the seller. It will also give you time to have repairs or other remedies completed and, if necessary, inspected again before the date of your closing.
  • Attend the inspection, if possible. Being on hand while the inspector examines the home offers you a rare opportunity to ask questions and get valuable home maintenance advice. The inspector can point out particular areas of interest to you and explain any special concerns or issues he or she discovers.
  • Don’t neglect the home inspection process just because you are buying a new home from a developer or builder. Some of the most catastrophic problems with homes have been found in new construction, and if nobody has lived in the home before then there is no one to verify whether or not problems or potential problems exist. A professional inspector knows exactly what to look for – even in the examination of a brand new house – and they will give you a full report to help you make your important buying decisions.
  • Once you receive the inspection report take some time to read through the entire document. Many homeowners simply scan the report for problems and then toss it out or file it away somewhere. But each report contains lots of insightful information about the property. Knowing what the inspector found and described about your home can make you a more informed consumer and a more conscientious homeowner when it comes time for proactive home maintenance.
  • The inspection report also gives you a common reference document that is written in appropriately technical language. That means that referring back to the home inspection report can facilitate clear understandings during discussions about your home with contractors, tenants, insurance companies, real estate agents, and other interested parties.
  • Even if the home has been recently inspected and the current owner shares that official inspection report with you, you should still exercise your right to hire your own inspector. Houses aren’t static, unchanging structures. The condition of a home can change drastically within a very short time, and relying on outdated information – even if it was accurate at the time it was compiled – can be a serious mistake.
  • Before hiring a home inspector, first confirm his or her professional credentials. Each state has its own criteria and licensing or certification system for home inspectors. You want to be sure that yours has the educational and training background required – as well as current and verifiable professional certification.

A professional home inspection is one of the best investments you can make, and it represents just a small fraction of the cost of the real estate purchase. Nobody would risk buying a car without first having it checked-out by a knowledgeable mechanic or other car expert. Otherwise they can end up paying a considerable amount of money for a lemon. But compared to the price of a home, vehicle purchases are relatively minor. Trust the experts before signing on the dotted line and signing up for a long-term mortgage commitment.

Hire the best possible home inspection professional, and then rest assured that you can make a wise, well-informed, confident home purchase. Not only will the expertise of a professional home inspector provide you will valuable insight and information, but it can also offer you invaluable peace of mind and reassurance during the often stressful process of buying a home for yourself and your family.

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