Maintaining Your Home
If you found any cracks in your exterior walls, it is a good idea to look at the same areas from the interior. Cracks in interior walls adjacent to any observed at the exterior may be signs of foundation movement or settlement. When this happens, we recommend hiring a foundation or structural specialist to evaluate the causes.
If foundation repairs are performed, it is a good idea to wait several months before repairing any interior damage like drywall cracks and misaligned doors. After foundation repairs, there may be some final movement or settlement as the structure adjusts to the changes.
As Professional Home Inspectors, we often find homes that have had foundation repairs but the symptoms that lead the homeowner to the foundation repairs, the cracks in wall for example, have not been repaired. Repairing cracks in walls, broken floor tiles, and door alignment are the final steps towards a complete repair.
Most home interiors will need minor repairs even without foundation problems. As a home ages, doors will need adjusted, window guides will need lubrication, ceiling and wall nail pops need repair and general repainting are all part of general interior maintenance.
For reasons of safety, there should not be any openings in the garage walls or ceilings to the interior living space or attic. This include dryer vents. Dryer vents should be vented to the exterior. Damaged or unfinished garage drywall should be repaired to prevent vehicle storage area vapors from penetrating the living area.
Attic access ladders or access ports are often installed in the garage ceiling. It is recommended by current building standards that the attic access should be fire rated and well sealed. Many house fires begin in the garage. You may find it helpful to read "Preventing Garage House Fires".
Repairing or replacing warn and damaged floor coverings is also an important part of home maintenance. Wrinkled carpet for example is considered a trip hazard and should be repaired.
All interior room entry doors should have door stops installed. Door stops prevent damage to the wall coverings adjacent to the doors.
Interior doors should have door handles and hardware that easily operate the doors.
Exterior or "egress" doors should not require a key to unlock the door in order to exit the home in the event of an emergency.
Each bedroom should have at least one operable window within 44 inches of the floor. If bedroom windows are higher such as often the case in older homes, a plan of escape is important.
Second story windows should not be closer than 24 inches to the floor. These are current safety standards for windows in all homes.
Window's should not have locks that can't be easily unlocked without tools. If window locks are damage, replace them. Windows should not have storm windows or bars over them that prevent escape in the event of an emergency.
Electrical outlets and switches should be periodically checked for signs of arching or overheating. Discolored electrical receptacles may be an indication of overheating. Any signs of electrical overheating should be further evaluated and repaired by a certified, licensed electrical specialist. For more information about electrical safety, we recommend reading "Electrical Safety In Your Home".
Doing all of these repairs at one time is expensive and difficult to manage for most of us. For this reason, it is recommended that repairs and material replacements be made incrementally as they are observed over time.
Good interior home maintenance is important for quality of life and your family's safety. Routine interior maintenance also helps keep your home "market ready". When you decide it is time to move, regular maintenance and repairs will lower the cost of preparing your home to sell.
If you have additional questions about your home's interior maintenance or would like to schedule an inspection, contact your Professional Home Inspector.
David Selman, Certified Master Inspector #10299
www.selmanhomeinspections.com
469-371-3228
No comments:
Post a Comment