|
YOUR
HOME;
ASSET OR
LIABILITY
Keeping
the
scales
tipped
in your
favor
can be
simply a
matter
of
paying
attention
to what
your
house is
telling
you. If
you are
planning
to sell
your
home to
provide
the
funds
for
assisted
living
or
nursing
care
when and
if it
should
be
necessary,
you will
be wise
to keep
it well
maintained
and to
stay
abreast
of
current
home
values
in your
neighborhood.
This way
you can
be
realistic
with
your
expectations
and not
jeopardize
your
chances
for the
best
possible
price in
the
least
amount
of time.
It’s a
good
idea to
know
your
realtor
now, so
you’ll
be kept
up to
date and
ready to
list
your
home at
short
notice.
Don’t
let your
home
owner’s
insurance
coverage
lapse,
and
check
with
your
insurance
agent
regularly
to be
sure you
are
adequately
protected
against
an
unexpected
loss.
Pay
close
attention
when you
receive
the
“Notice
of
Appraised
Value”
for your
annual
property
taxes.
This
will
give you
an
indication
of what
to
budget
for your
tax bill
when it
becomes
payable,
and
also,
you can
take
advantage
of your
“opportunity
to
protest
and/or
appeal”
if you
feel
your
home has
been
over-valued.
Make
sure you
are
receiving
all the
homeowner
exemptions
you
qualify
for,
such as
Homestead,
Over 65,
etc.
You
can be
out of
touch
with
current
trends
if you
have
lived at
the same
address
for many
years,
and it
will be
difficult
to be
objective
when
considering
the
marketability
of your
home
today.
Many
things
can
change
with
time;
codes
are
revised
to make
homes
safer
and more
energy
efficient
and
products
are
improved.
Updated
bathrooms,
kitchens,
appliances
and
fixtures
are
always a
plus
when
selling
an older
home.
Because
a home
inspection
will
certainly
be
ordered
by a
prospective
buyer,
and can
make or
break a
deal,
it’s a
good
idea for
you to
order
your own
inspection
right
now, so
you can
address
any
defects
before
they can
affect
your
safety,
comfort,
or a
pending
sale.
Tips
for
Taking
Care of
Your
Home;
avoiding
costly
repairs:
Foundation:
Slab
- don’t
allow
erosion
to wash
soil
away
from the
foundation,
and keep
moisture
levels
around
the
perimeter
at a
consistent
dampness.
Too wet,
too dry
or just
natural
soil
conditions
in your
area,
can
affect
your
foundation,
resulting
in
cracks
and
joint
separation
in
outside
bricks
and
mortar.
Inside
walls
may show
cracks,
doors
won’t
close,
tiles
crack,
and
floor
surfaces
become
noticeably
uneven.
If you
have any
of these
symptoms,
contact
a
licensed
structural
engineer
for a
professional
evaluation.
Foundation
movement
can also
compromise
plumbing
lines,
and an
under-slab
leak can
be a
real
problem,
requiring
the
expert
services
of a
plumber
who
specializes
in
under-slab
leak
detection,
and
potentially
costly
repairs.
Note
that
sometimes
an
under-slab
plumbing
or sewer
line
leak can
cause
the
foundation
problem,
so keep
an eye
on your
water
usage,
and
inspect
your
perimeter
for any
signs of
unexplained
dampness
or odor.
If you
have any
reason
to be
concerned
have
leak
tests
performed.
The
sooner
you act
the
better.
Pier
and Beam
– piers
too, can
settle
over
time,
producing
the same
symptoms
as
above,
and
requiring
a
similar
procedure
to
remedy.
Inspect
the
crawl
space
regularly
to
ensure
no
varmints
have
found a
way in
and
decided
to
homestead
under
your
house.
If you
suspect
this may
be the
case,
your
pest
control
expert
can help
you.
Termite
treatments
and
regular
pest
control
inspections
are also
a wise
precaution
for any
home.
HVAC
System:
Change
all
filters
regularly.
Clogged
filters
can
overload
the
system
and
cause
premature
wear.
Make
sure the
overflow
drain
for your
air
conditioner’s
condensation
is
running
freely,
as an
undetected,
blocked
drain
will
cause
serious
water
damage
to your
home and
furnishings.
If you
notice
black
dust
areas on
your
ceiling
around
the
vents,
air from
the
attic is
being
pulled
through
an
ineffective
boot and
requires
attention.
You can
also be
blowing
precious
conditioned
air into
the
attic,
through
faulty
seams in
old duct
work,
and your
system
will be
running
constantly
during
extreme
temperatures
to keep
up. Keep
leaves
and
brush
away
from the
outside
unit,
and the
fins
clean.
Regular
inspections
by your
HVAC
specialist
to
maintain
a safe
and
efficient
gas
and/or
electric
heating
and
air-conditioning
system,
will
keep
your
energy
bills to
a
minimum.
Water Heater:
Don’t
wait
until
your
water
heater
fails,
or a
corroded
joint
gives
way and
floods
your
home
before
you pay
it any
attention.
If your
heater
is old,
and you
are
constantly
running
out of
hot
water
because
sediment
over the
years
has
displaced
the
volume
of
available
water,
call in
your
plumber
and have
it
replaced.
According
to your
city
code, he
will
install
a new,
energy
efficient
heater
of your
choice,
with all
the
current
safety
features.
No more
worries
and no
more
cold
showers.
Plumbing:
Make
regular
checks
under
your
sinks
and
basins
with a
dry
paper
towel to
detect
any
drips or
slow
leaks in
the
joints
and
connections.
Have
washers
replaced
in any
dripping
taps,
inside
and
outside.
If your
sink
waste
disposal
is old,
pay
attention
to the
connections
as they
can
corrode
and be
leaking
undetected
into the
cabinet.
Do this
while
the unit
is
operating
and
draining.
Keep
toilet
mechanisms
adjusted
and in
good
repair
to avoid
water
waste or
leakage.
Don’t
forget
the tap
attachments
and
drain
from the
washing
machine
and the
water
connections
to the
icemaker
while
you are
checking.
If you
have gas
heating
and
appliances,
your
plumber
can
perform
an
inspection
and leak
test to
ensure
everything
is
operating
safely.
Wiring &
Electrical:
The
wiring
system
in your
home can
also be
outdated
and
below
code,
and a
complete
home
inspection
will
alert
you to
any
problem
areas.
Frayed
wiring,
improper
grounding,
overloaded
circuits,
etc.,
are all
serious
problems
that
will
need to
be
addressed.
Not only
can
these
cause
electric
shock,
but they
can
damage
appliances
or
fixtures,
and even
have a
potential
for
fire.
Extensive
use of
extension
cords
can also
be
hazardous.
Your
electrician
will
suggest
the best
and most
efficient
course
of
action,
if any
is
required.
Interior:
If
your pet
has
scratched
through
paint
and
drywall,
chair
backs
have
worn off
strips
of
texture,
exterior
corners
are
chipped
and
bare,
wallpaper
is worn
and
peeling,
and
dampness
in
bathrooms
has
caused
paint
and
texture
to lift,
the
interior
of your
home
needs a
face
lift. A
professional
handyman,
drywall
expert,
and/or
painter
can make
your
home
like
new.
Then you
can
consider
ways to
prevent
a
reoccurrence
such as,
a pet
door,
chair
rails,
corner
protections
and a
new
exhaust
fan in
the
bathrooms.
Doors
&
Windows:
All
double
pane
glass
with
broken
seals
and
sweating
will
need to
be
replaced,
as will
rotted
frames,
sills
and door
jambs.
Windows
and
doors
should
be
fitted
with
secure
locking
devices;
they
should
open and
close
easily,
and be
draft
free.
Much of
the
glass in
the
windows
and
doors of
an older
home
does not
meet
current
safety
standards,
and can
be a
hazard.
Your
window
and door
professional
can make
recommendations
and
bring
your
home up
to code.
Chimneys
Whether
you burn
wood or
artificial
logs, it
is
recommended
you have
the
chimney
cleaned
regularly.
If you
haven’t
used the
fireplace
for
years, a
visit
from
your
chimney
sweep
will
assure
you that
everything
is
clean,
and in
good
working
order. A
secure
chimney
top cap
or
damper
will
allow
you to
shut
down
during
the
off-season,
keeping
birds,
varmints,
and
drafts
out.
Roof
&
Gutters:
It’s
easy to
forget
that the
roof of
your
home
needs
attention
too. How
often
you
should
have a
full
roof
inspection
will
depend
on the
age and
type of
roof
material,
how your
roofline
is
configured,
and
whether
your
home is
single
or multi
story.
If you
have
open
gutters,
and
large
trees in
the
area,
keeping
gutters
and
downspouts
in good
repair,
and free
of
leaves
and
debris,
will be
a
priority.
Professionally
installed
gutter
screens
work
well,
and can
make a
big
difference
to your
maintenance
schedule.
A roof
inspection
will
determine
the
condition
of your
tiles,
boots
around
plumbing
vents,
sealing
around
chimneys
and
skylights
etc. and
any
problems
can be
corrected
before
they
cause a
damaging
water
leak. If
a severe
hail
and/or
wind
storm
has left
signs
your
roof may
be
damaged,
contact
your
insurance
company
to
arrange
for an
appraisal.
Exterior:
Peeling
paint
and
rotted
fascia
boards
and
siding
are a
sure
sign of
neglect,
and an
invitation
for
birds
and
varmints
to make
entry to
your
attic.
Don’t
let it
get to
this
stage,
for it
will not
sit well
with
your
woodwork,
your
pocket
book,
your
neighbors
or any
prospective
buyer.
Without
a sound
protective
coating,
exposed
wood
will
deteriorate
quickly,
allowing
mold and
rot to
spread.
Painting
over
years of
built up
paint
layers,
caulking
and mold
is
futile.
A
professional
painter
will
recommend
woodwork
replacement
where
needed,
clean,
prepare
and seal
the
surfaces
before
painting,
and
bring a
superior
and
lasting
finish
to your
home.
Landscaping:
Landscaping
that is
properly
planned
and
maintained
is a
beauty
to the
eye and
a
compliment
to any
home.
However,
plantings
made too
close to
the
house
and left
to grow
unchecked
can have
the
opposite
effect.
Trees
with
aggressive
root
systems
may
endanger
the
integrity
of your
foundation,
plumbing
and
drains;
certain
tree
branches
can
damage
guttering,
tear up
roof
tiles
and
break
away
bricks.
Deciduous
trees
will
continually
clog
gutters
and
downspouts.
Very old
trees
that
pose a
danger
in a
storm
may need
to be
evaluated
for
professionally
installed
limb
support
systems,
or
removal.
Many
vines,
such as
ivy and
jasmine,
are so
aggressive
that
over the
years
they
will
grow
through
cracks,
travel
behind
siding,
fascia
and
brick
and
reappear
in an
electric
socket
or
around a
window
frame
inside
your
home.
They
will
also
grow
over
brick
and
stucco,
damaging
the
integrity
of the
mortar.
Better
to keep
trees,
shrubs
and
vines
trimmed,
and away
from the
perimeter
of your
home. If
necessary,
problem
plants
can be
removed
and
replaced
with
those of
a more
suitable
nature.
Your
professional
landscaping
company
can help
you make
the
right
decisions.
If
you
ignore
what
your
house is
telling
you, it
will end
up a
liability
with
problems
you
can’t
afford
to fix;
if you
keep
your
home
clean,
organized
and
properly
maintained,
it will
be an
asset,
and a
pleasure
to live
in.
|
