Home Maintenance

I have assembled some ofthe more common home deficiecies I find. Typically they are caaused from oversight or lack of knowledge by the hoe owner. The information below is basic info that ALL home owners should know.

Moisture Problems

Nothing causes more problems to homes than moisture. When talking about moisture problems in homes most people think of roof and plumbing leaks. While these certainly can cause problems, the extent of damage is usually much less than moisture problems caused by ineffective rain gutters and downspouts, condensation and hydrostatic pressure from excessive ground moisture.

Why? Because roof and plumbing leaks are readily noticed by home owners and corrected in a short order of time. The others are either overlooked or out of sight and often neglected. Chronic moisture left uncorrected will not only cause decay and rot but may also cause serious mold issues which can be more expensive to correct than decay and rot. Surprising most roof leaks are caused by defective flashing not the roof covering (shingles, metal panels, wood shakes, clay tiles, etc.).

Roofs and Flashing

What is flashing? Flashing is required wherever there is a penetration of the roof or where a roof meets an exterior wall. Flashing is also required where there is a penetration of the exterior walls (Doors and Windows). On a shingle roof flashing is typically found around chimneys, plumbing vent pipes and where a lower roof meets second story walls. Flashing around chimneys usually consist of metals strips woven under the shingles (step flashing) overlapped by counter flashing. In the old days the counter flashing was set back into the mortar joints of the brick or stone and would typically last the life of two roofing coverings without any maintenance. Today, to reduce cost, contractors very seldom set the counter flashing into the mortar. Instead they will use caulking or other sealants. While the sealants have improved over the years they will not last the life of even one roof covering. Sealed flashing should be checked every couple of years and will require periodic maintenance to maintain its seal. Attic areas should also be periodically inspected.

If you are unable to get up on your roof or attic or you do not know what to look for, House Detectives can provide periodic inspections of these and other problem areas. These are significantly less expensive than home inspections for real estate transactions as they are not as comprehensive and because we can schedule these when we are in the area.

One last note on roofs. Caulking is not an approve method of sealing roof shingles. Flashing installed properly should not need caulking. Shingles and flashing are designed to shed water, not to be water tight. Shingles rows are overlapped. Water runs off one course of shingles and onto the next. Any water which gets under the shingles can run out the bottom and onto the top of the next row of shingles. Caulking can seal water under the shingles forcing it to find entry into the home which often goes unnoticed causing extensive damage.

Gutters and Downspouts

Most homes have rain gutters and downspouts, however many are ineffective. The purpose of gutters is to collect water running off the roof and channel it to the downspouts. Downspouts should move water away from the foundation. Ineffective gutters, downspouts and ground slope contribute to some of the most expensive repairs to homes. These items are also the most overlooked by home owners and contractors.

When rain gutters become dirty or clogged water may back up under the shingles causing decay to soffit and fascia. Gutters may also overflow dumping large amounts of water by the homes foundation causing wet basements and crawlspaces and in some cases causing serious foundation problems. More about this shortly.

If there are trees close to your home, you most likely will have problems with your gutters clogging from leaves. While there are several products available most are ineffective, or very expensive to install and maintain. Let's talk about a couple of these.

Gutter screens are the most popular but have several detrimental issues. To install, gutter screen sections are slid up under the shingles. This can cause problems with the shingles and may void the warranty of your roof. The individual sections are locked together to form a continuous barrier. However, after a couple of years these sections typically become unlocked and openings appear which allow debris to enter. To clean the screens will need to be removed and once cleaned re-installed. Very labor intensive and expensive.

Another popular product is gutter guards, solid metal shields with a small opening next to the front of the gutter. This system is generally much more expensive than gutter screens. Several problems exist with this system. During severe rain the gutters will overflow due to the limited opening size, dumping large amounts of water next to the homes foundation. Bees tend to build nest in the gutters, and installation requires them to be slid under the shingles as with the screens above. Eventually debris will build up in the gutters and they will require cleaning. To clean the gutter shields will need to be removed, the gutters cleaned and the shields re-installed. This often cost as much as the initial installation.

The most effective method of keeping gutters clean is a product called GutterBrush. GutterBrush is endorsed by ‘The Money Pit', ‘Gary Sullivan' and ‘The Handyman Show with Glenn Haege'. New York Times features GutterBrush among affordable and effective gutter protection system. To make this product available locally, I have become the areas only authorized dealer for GutterBrush. If you have trees close to your home and want a simple and affordable method to prevent your gutters from clogging, please call or email me for more information.

Wet Basements and Crawlspaces

Most home buyers are concerned about having moisture or water leaking into their basements. Excessive moisture in crawlspaces and basements is a leading cause of mold which can be very expensive to eradicate. Additionally, excessive ground moisture is the leading cause of foundation problems. Every building publication, engineer or expert will tell you the primary means of controlling moisture and preventing foundation problems from excessive moisture is achieved by providing a ground cover which slopes away from the home's foundation. This must be done around the entire perimeter of the home.

When the ground slope is level or slopes toward the home, water has nowhere to go but against the foundation. This is further compounded when the gutters are clogged and overflowing or the downspouts empty next to the foundation without a slope to carry this huge amount of water away from the home. Due to severe problems in the past most homes today are built with perimeter drains around the foundation footers, however perimeter drains are a secondary means to prevent water problems. Excessive reliance upon these drains will cause them to clog with sediment. So a newer home with the above problems may not present symptoms immediately.

Improper ground slope is the most common problem I observe during home inspections. Probably 90% of homes do not have a proper ground slope around the entire perimeter of the home. Not all homes that have an improper ground slope have moisture problem, but virtually every home that has moisture or foundation problems has improper ground slope, especially if the home has ineffective gutters and downspouts. Additionally wet floor framing is a leading cause of termite infestations.

So if this is such a severe problem, why do so many homes have this problem? First home owners like a level yard, second with hilly terrain a proper ground slope is not always easy to obtain, but Is possible. Last, contractors believe if they have perimeter drains they have taken care of the problem, besides the problem will probably not appear until years later, after their warranty has expired.

What amazes me is no matter how much I stress the importance of ground slope and downspouts, home owners and contractors very, very seldom will re-grade their home. They will try painting walls with water-lock, installing interior perimeter drains in the basement slab, sump pump systems or other elaborate means. Often these attempts have limited effectiveness and often cost more than re-grading. These systems do not cure the problem, they are treating the symptoms and often cause additional problems. Sump pumps and interior perimeter drains require openings in the basement slab often resulting in extremely high radon levels. Even if one stops the water from entering the home, excessive water pressure in the soil often results in buckling of the foundation walls. Contractors like to employ these interior methods because they make more money on these systems than re-grading. Again the primary means to prevent water problems in basements is to control surface water by proper grading. Enough-if I haven't convinced you by now, I never will.

Wood Decay and Termites

Wood decay or rot is the breakdown of wood cells by fungi or molds. The primary means to prevent rot is by keeping wood dry. Keeping wood dry is also the primary means to prevent termites or other Wood Destroying Insects (WDI). Fungi cannot grow without moisture and termites require high humidity or moisture. Termites cannot survive in dry wood. They will come to the surface of the wood and build mud tunnels to control the humidity.

We have already talked about the importance of having a good roof and proper flashing to control moisture. When wood is exposed to the exterior, such as window or door frames and wood siding it will need to be protected from the elements. This is typically done by wood stains or painting. Wood stains penetrate into the wood and provide oils and other chemicals that prevent the growth of fungi or molds. After several years these oils and chemicals will leach from the wood and will need to be replaced.

Paints form a water proof layer on the surface of the wood, it does not penetrate the wood. When paint peels or cracks it provides openings where moisture may enter. Before painting the wood needs to be properly prepped and primed. To prepare wood it should be cleaned and any cracks or openings should be filled with wood putty. Structurally damaged wood should be repaired by wood epoxy or replaced. Primer like stain also penetrates into the wood cells. Paint will not properly adhere to wood surfaces which are not adequately prepped and primed and will quickly fail. Wood surfaces properly prepped, primed and painted will typically last 10 to 20 years. However very seldom is this done.

 It is not unusual to see relatively new doors with decay at the bottom of the frame. These areas need special attention. Leaves and snow blows up against the frame holding moisture and should be kept clear. Additionally rain and melting snow will run along the threshold and go under the wood framing. The end cuts of wood in this area typically does not get painted and the capillaries of the wood fiber will wick or suck up moisture. Each year you should go around to all exterior doors and caulk between the wood framing and the metal threshold. Do not caulk the front of the frame so any moisture which finds its way under the wood has a place to drain out. Additionally, each year, the bottom six inches of the wood framing should be prepped, primed and painted.

One last note: Treated wood will still rot. It just rots slower. Treated wood can be stained or painted and at the very least should have a water sealant applied.

Mechanical Systems

Mechanical systems consist of your home's plumbing, electrical and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning). These systems require specialize training, code knowledge and skills. Most repairs or work should not be attempted by the home owner unless they have these traits. For example many home owners may install receptacles or light which have power or work. However, many times they are not properly grounded or in compliance with codes and are not safe. I will touch on items most home owners are capable of handling.

Plumbing

Good support of supply and drain lines are required to prevent excessive movement and strain on pipe joints. Plastic pipes should not move more than one inch and metal pipes should have virtually no movement. Today very few plumbers support pipes under the sinks as required. Review your pipes and add support if needed. All valves should be operated at least once a year to prevent mineral build up around the valve stem. Mineral build up will result in leakage around the valve stem. Some of these leaks can be repaired by tightening the nut on the valve stem.

Most plumbing problems are caused by scale build up from hard water. Scale build up is the leading cause of failure to hot water heaters, ice makers and other plumbing appliances. Additionally scale build can restrict water flow in pipes and causes most leaks to plumbing valves and fixtures. I am an authorized dealer for Easy Water a saltless water condition system which will keep scale from building up in your appliances and water fixtures. Please contact me email or phone for more information or to purchase if you have hard water.

Electrical

Due to safety reasons all electrical work should be performed by a licensed electrician. However home owners should periodically test GFCI's receptacles by pressing test button on the receptacles and resetting. All GFCI and AFCI breakers in the distribution panel should be tested periodically by pressing test button and resetting. All smoke detectors should be tested periodically.

Spray paint will destroy the sensor in smoke detectors, yet the detectors will still alarm when the test button is pushed. This is why smoke detectors when new comes with a bonnet. If you believe spray paint has been used in your home you should obtain a can of smoke detector spray. If you need this spray please contact me by email or phone.

HVAC

Naturally filters will need to be changed every month or two. I recommend the pleated paper filter for normal filtration. If your family has respiratory problems you may want to use a higher quality filter. Those filters that look like a brillo pad are not worth purchasing. When heating or air conditioning systems are operated without a filter dust will build up in the ductwork. This dust is a food source for mold. Additionally, in AC systems dust will build up on the ‘A' coil causing an air restriction. Systems with an air restriction will cost more to operate and require the system to work harder leading to premature failure.

Most other maintenance is best delivered by a licensed HVAC technician. Oil furnaces and boilers should be serviced every year; gas furnaces and boilers every two to three years; heat pumps and air conditioners every three to five years. Electric baseboard heating has no maintenance requirements other than normal household cleaning.

Sealing and Weatherization

All homes have some exterior surfaces which have been caulked or sealed, typically doors and windows. Caulking and sealing prevents water and air from entering the building walls or envelope. Nothing damages homes more than water intrusion. And it is estimated 40% of heat loss (in a properly insulated home) occurs due to air leakage.

Most caulked surfaces will exhibit some failure with-in three to five years and periodic maintenance is needed. While most believe caulking is a simple job. I beg to differ. Over 90% of the caulking I observe was not applied correctly. Caulking is like paint, if you don't prep the surface, it will come loose in a rather short period of time. Loose or cracked caulking will need to be removed. This may require scraping or cutting. Dirty surfaces should be cleaned. This is especially true when doing bathroom tubs and showers. Caulking doesn't stick to soap scum. Clean surfaces with a cleaner that does not leave a residue. Read the caulking instruction labels on the tubes.

Once a year all exterior surfaces should be examined for defective caulking/flashing and repaired where defective. This is especially true at the base of doors. I have seen many doors only a few years old with significant decay at the base of the door jamb and trim.

At the base of door jambs, the wood has been crosscut and set on the metal threshold. Water will run along the metal threshold and runs under the wood jambs. The wood wicks this water up and decay occurs. Even if the jambs and trim is painted well. This is further compounded by leaves and snow buildup during the windy winter months. Therefore it is important to scrape prime and paint the base of doors yearly. Additionally, caulking should be maintained between the wood jambs and metal threshold. Again, this is a service I offer under my maintenance plans.