Pesky, But Potentially Costly Home Maintenance

If you’re new to home ownership, you may not be familiar with all of the responsibilities that are now yours. All of those things you used to call the super or management office for now fall in your lap.

Here are some items to keep in mind, especially if you got a “great deal” on your home because it needed a little TLC.

Little Drips and Leaks

Plumbing issues can by far cause some of the most costly problems if you ignore those little, niggling drips, clogs or strange sounds in the pipes. Get the drain cleaning started at once to prevent more costly plumbing damages. Leaks and drips under the sink are out of sight, so they often are out of mind. However, a buildup of moisture in a sink cabinet can set the stage for costly mold problems that will require the services of a mold removal company. If you’ve heard your pipes making a rubbing sound inside your home and noticed a decrease in water pressure, you may need water line installation and replacement services to get your water line working again.

If the leak is on an upper level and the moisture seeps into the walls and subfloor, it endangers the structural integrity of the ceiling below. Latex paint has the particular ability to “stretch” and hold moisture. When this happens, you may not notice the damage to the ceiling below until the paint forms a moisture-filled bubble. By this point, drywall, insulation and subfloor will need extensive and expensive repairs. Better to get the leak looked at right away by a certified plumber. Furthermore, periodic septic system pumping and septic tank service must be done in order to avoid any damages to the tank or your property. If there’s any damage on your septic system, call on an emergency septic repair company straight away to prevent further damage to your property. On the other hand, homes that are connected to the sewer system may eventually need sewer lateral replacement services.

Roofing

To an untrained eye, a residential or commercial roof may appear perfectly fine, but hail, heavy rain, ice, snow or wind can cause damage to your roof, which will require an immediate roof repair service. When left unrepaired, a damaged roof exposes your home to the elements, inviting potential damage and major roof repair. Here are some signs you need a professional roofing company or an expert roofer to inspect your home:

• Missing shingles: During heavy downpours, strong windstorms or as snow and ice melts and slides off your room, tearing shingles away. While tile roofing is designed to overlap, offering double protection, when one layer is missing, water can seep underneath and cause damage. Having a few shingles replaced is much less expensive than having to completely replace the deck (the layer of wood under your roof) of your home and completely re-roof it. To avoid any injuries, let a professional roofing contractor do the work on your roof.
• Curling or lifting shingles: A curled shingle or a row of lifted or buckled shingles indicates that you may already have a leak, or the potential for one. According to pros such as Bondoc Roofing, have these shingles replaced immediately and inspect the deck and sub-roof materials for damage.
• Decay and mold: When mold, moss or lichen grows on your roof it’s a sign that areas of the roof are holding water, check common types of mold that grow in homes. Treat the growths with a killing agent immediately. Have damaged shingles repaired as soon as possible.
• Damaged flashing and drip edge: Flashing refers to the metal or vinyl pieces that surround chimneys, pipes, exhaust fans, while a drip edge is the metal piece along the outer edge of the roof. If any of the metal or vinyl pieces are bent, buckled, dented or have holes, your home may be exposed to water damage. A certified roofer can repair flashing and drip edges.
• Gutters are the metal or vinyl troughs that collect water runoff and direct it to downspouts away from the home. Gutters require extra maintenance. In the fall, leaves and debris collect in gutters potentially damning them and causing water to back up under the roofing tiles. Make sure to clean gutters each year before winter weather begins.
  In the winter, your gutters may fill with ice and snow forming an ice dam. The best way to avoid ice dams is to have sufficient insulation in your attic by hiring an attic insulation services company to avoid overheating your roof, and sufficient ventilation that accumulated heat can escape. Yes, it is too much heat coming from the inside of the house that causes a rapid snowmelt and pushes snow and ice into your gutters.
• Extra precautions: If you live in an area with lots of snow and ice, consider having ice and water barriers or shields added to the “valleys” of your roof. A valley is where two differently angled roofing lines meet and where water, ice and snow can pile up.

Electrical Problems

If you have a breaker that continually trips or (in older homes) a fuse that blows, you may have an electrical problem and may need the assistance of an electrician from mitchellelectric.com/. Of course, you may simply have too many items running on one breaker, but blown fuses and continually tripping breakers may indicate a fire hazard so they must be repaired by electrical contractors right away. Additionally, you may also upgrade your electrical panels, especially if your home is an older one. You may visit sites like xpertelectricllc.com/electrical/electrical-panel-services/ to get a quote.

Have your home inspected by a certified residential electrician or a commercial electrician. If you own an older home, with fuses, consider having them replaced with modern breakers. Replace outlets in bath areas with a GFI (ground fault interrupter) outlet that switches off when the outlet is overloaded or when the appliance comes in contact with water. Visit https://electricalsynergies.com/electricians-in-ashwaubenon/ or similar sites to know more.

HVAC maintenance
According to pros like Energy Pro HVAC, HVAC maintenance and tune-up is important since you often may not see problems until they are already causing trouble. Regular residential ac repair and tune-up will help ensure that your ac unit is working at its maximum efficiency. Visit https://drwattselectric.com/copperas-cove-hvac-services/ to see if they can cater to your location.

We want your home ownership to be the best possible experience. We suggest getting an inspection before purchasing your home, and a yearly or bi-annual maintenance inspection to keep your home in top shape. When the time comes to sell this home and move to another one, you won’t have costly repairs needed before you can put it on the market.

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