Thirteen Small Home Repairs that can Save You a Big Headache
From the beginning of time, humans have been devising ways to keep warm, dry, and safe. And we've gotten good at it. But, over time, even the best-built house needs some repair work.
A house that isn't cared for will develop minor problems. Over time, minor problems become big (expensive) problems.
Consider the following as an example. When you buy a home, you get your windows painted (which seals and protects them). You notice over time that the paint is weathering a bit and exposing the wood underneath. You have two options: 1) ignore it and let the problem grow, or 2) buy a bucket of paint or pay a painter to come and touch up your window. A couple of hundred bucks, and everything is good to go. If you choose option one, water can seep into the wood on the window and rot it out over time. You realize what's happening, bring someone out to look, and the whole window needs replacing. Oh, and all the rest of the windows should be checked too. That bill is not going to be a couple of hundred bucks.
Translation: spend a little money on small repairs now, or spend a lot of money later.
"But what are the things I need to be looking for?" you might ask. We're so happy you did.
A general rule of thumb when knowing where to look for home repairs is this: wherever the outside (heat, electricity, water) can come in or go out, look there first.
Below is a list of house repairs that our team sees regularly. If caught early, they are usually a one-day fix.
Moisture barriers under your house. One of the most significant issues when selling during the summer is the high moisture under the house.
How to assess: Is there any mold on the wood under the house? Does the insulation start falling and look like Spanish moss because it's breaking down? Then, is there too much moisture under the house? If you'd like to learn more about your crawlspace, we have written a blog here.
Exterior paint. As we said, the moisture barrier on the exterior of the wood elements of your house is paint, so make sure that everything is well sealed with a good coat of paint.
How to assess: Examine window and door moldings to see if there is any chipped or flaking paint. If you find exposed wood, poke it with your finger or a screwdriver. If it goes through the wood, you have rot.
Loose toilet. Over time, the toilet flange - a pipe fitting (specifically, a type of flange) that mounts a toilet to the floor and connects the toilet drain to a drain pipe. can become loose
How to assess: does the toilet seat wobble? Do you see any water leaking on the floor around the toilet? If your house is on a crawl space and this is happening, the floor around your toilet will rot over time.
Underneath the sink. When considering the bathroom (or kitchen), always be wary of any irregularities (water leaking from the fixtures, clogging), which could be a sign of leakage that could lead to wood rot.
How to assess: Any standing water under your sink?
Unsealed nails. Nails that are attached to plumbing vents can fail over time, or the nails themselves can be left uncoated, allowing moisture to seep into the house slowly. The vent boots themselves can also fail where they seal around the pipe.
How to assess: Water stains on your drywall ceiling? Are there any water stains on the sheathing in your attic around the vents?
Clogged gutters. The role of gutters is to allow water to flow efficiently away from your house, but if they're full of leaves, sticks, and little Timmy's tennis balls, that water doesn't have anywhere to go. If the water can't flow away from your house, it'll sit around it (see point 1 for why this is a problem). The most common reason why there is moisture under the house is there is moisture around the house.
How to assess: During a good rain, grab your umbrella and walk around your house to see if the gutters seem to be working well. If you have trees around your home, cleaning them out after the Fall is also good.
Smoke Detectors. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that homes have smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. So, a two-story, three-bedroom house needs at least five smoke alarms. Also, at least one carbon monoxide detector should be installed in a central location or near natural gas appliances.
How to assess: Buy, install, and check them regularly.
Open wire splices that are taped but not in a junction box. This is not up to code and can be a fire hazard if you have an electrical arch.
How to assess: hire an electrician to evaluate your electrical system's health
Flexible dryer vents: These are a fire hazard and are no longer up to code (M1502.5 of the International Residential Code if you're up for some riveting reading) as they don't allow for direct exhaust of heat and lent, creating a fire hazard.
How to assess: Take a look behind your dryer. Crawl under your house and see if your dryer vent is still attached. Most often, these become dislodged from all the pressure created from clogs. If this is the case, you are filling your crawl space with flammable lint.
Bathroom vents not vented correctly: You know those lovely vents that suck all the steam out of your bathroom so you can use your shower? That steam has to go somewhere, often directly into the attic. This can cause, you guessed it, moisture. And mold.
How to assess: Check and see if your bathroom vents are venting directly to the outside via a soffit or roof vent.
HVAC breaker. Often, they don't change out the breaker when they install a new unit. Newer units use less electricity and require smaller breakers. An oversized breaker on your unit can void your warranty and damage the unit.
How to assess: Check the amp rating on your unit and look in your box to see if the breaker is the right size.
Unnatural breaks in the drywall: breaks or cracks in drywall not along the seam but jagged cracks can be the difference between a structural and normal settling of the home. Also, if you notice that your doors have begun sticking, this is a clue to check the drywall for cracks.
How to assess: Look for cracks in the drywall above doorways or windows. If the break is on the diagonal, call a professional for assessment. Look for doors that don't close well.
Changing two-prong outlets for three on your own. While you'll finally be able to charge your computer and run your blender, you won't be up to code (Article 210.8 of the National Electrical Code). You need GFCI requirements…
How to assess: If you only have two wires in the junction box and not three, you can't install a three-prong outlet. You have to either install a GFCI or run a grounded wire back to the panel and ensure that your system is grounded.
As we've said, most of these issues can be remedied quickly if caught early or not be an issue at all if proper care was taken during the home build or remodel. But problems do happen, and if you feel uncomfortable or not confident doing these repairs yourself, please feel free to give us a call to assess what needs to be done.