The Importance of Personal Home Inspections

A home is often referred to as a haven or a respite from the chaos of the outside world. When all is well with the structural aspects of your home, it’s easy to forget that problems could be occurring that will disrupt the tranquility of your haven. You can avoid some potential problems by doing a semi-annual inspection of your home. This doesn’t take much time and it can save you a lot of money. Many times, it’s much easier on the budget to have a problem fixed in its developing stages than to wait until a major repair is necessary.

Check Out the Roof

A leaky roof can lead to a multitude of problems such as damage to your ceiling and the development of mold. Water leaking into your attic space can cause electrical wires to short out. A leaky roof can cause rafters, ceiling joists and other structural features to deteriorate. You should inspect your roof periodically to check for visible signs of damage. Loose shingles or buckling are problems that need immediate attention. If you notice moss growing on your roof, you should apply a moss killer to it.

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Check the Foundation

If you notice that your doors and windows aren’t fitting as well as they once did, the foundation of your home could be cracking. Another warning sign is that your floor will begin to lean. If your home has a basement, you will need to contact a professional to do basement foundation repairs as soon as possible. If your home doesn’t have a basement, a visual inspection will indicate if the foundation is cracking. If you see evidence of cracks that exceed ¼ inch, it’s time to call the professionals.

Inspecting the Gutters

Improperly working gutters and downspouts can be a cause of foundation issues. On a semi-annual basis, you should clean out your gutters and inspect them for leaks at the seams. Water should run freely through your downspouts and should be directed away from your home’s foundation.

Taking a little time to inspect important aspects of your home can save you a lot of money in future repairs. While you can take care of minor issues such as clogged gutters, the major repairs should be left to the professionals who have the training and equipment to properly resolve the issues.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Cool My House?

The battle to keep the home cool and saving money on electric bills seems never-ending. There are ways to drastically reduce your energy use and keep the home cool by installing a whole house fan system.

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Whole House Fans

Whole house fans can be placed in a central location of the home, such as an attic and used to pull in fresh, cooler air from the outdoors. This provides a cooling for the entire house, especially when used during the cooler parts of the evening and morning. They are nearly silent to operate and offer effective relief from the high temperatures of summer.

Significant Reduction of Energy Use

Pacific Power & Gas estimates that the average household saves at least 90 percent on their energy use with whole house fans, rather than traditional compressor operated AC units. This translates to a significant reduction in energy costs every month. You save without without compromising on the quality of home cooling.

Less Use and Wear-and Tear of AC Units

When the system is operated during the cooler hours of the day and evening, it will produce a lasting cool for the hotter portions. There may be times you want to run the AC, but it is limited and for a short duration. Whole house fans can cool the main areas by as much as 30 degrees and up to 50 degrees in the attic. You will notice an immediate difference in the air temperature when the fan is started.

Better Ventilation Using Naturally Cooler Air

Use of a whole house fan will bring new air inside the home anywhere from 12 to 15 times per hour. The constant flow of air that is naturally cooler than the internal temperature of the home provides the cooling effect.

Low Cost of Purchase and Installation

There are very little parts to purchase and install with this type of cooling system. The cost of adding a whole house fan versus a larger, or secondary AC system are dramatically smaller. The cost savings on your electric bill will pay for the unit quickly.

Contact an expert in home renovations like Teknic Inc for an estimate on the installation of quiet cool systems right now!

Home Maintenance Projects that Can Save You Money

When everything seems to be going fine with your home, it's easy to forget to do semi-annual check-ups to make sure there are no structural, interior or exterior problems occurring that could result in a high repair bill. In almost any home repair situation, the high repair cost could have been avoided if someone had noticed the problem when it first started and took steps to resolve it.

Roof Inspection

At least every six months, you should visually check the condition of your roof. If you notice a problem with the roofing material or chimney, it would be better to address the issue while the repair would still be considered minor. While you're checking the roof, you should examine the gutters to make sure water is flowing through them freely. Unclogging gutters can prevent the potential costly expenses associated with water damage such as mold, foundation damage and damage to other areas of your home.

Heating and Cooling System

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While it may be impossible to guarantee that you won’t find yourself without heat on a cold day or air conditioning on a hot day, you can be certain that those events are less likely to occur if you have regular inspections done by qualified technicians at ac repair Williamsburg va. You can do your part to keep the system running properly by changing the filters on a regular basis and keeping the area around the outdoor unit free of debris.

Walk Around Your Home With Alert Eyes

Some potential problems with your home can be seen if you simply walk around it looking up, down, over and under for problems that could become a budget-breaking repair if left alone. In addition to the roof inspection previously mentioned, you should also check to see if there are any limbs rubbing across your roof. If so, they should be trimmed back so that they don't damage the roof. Tall trees that could potentially fall across your home should be cut down by professionals. Look for cracks in the foundation and for the source of water that could be contributing to those cracks. Early repair is the most budget-friendly way to go with foundation issues.

Make a note on your daily planner to do a home inspection at least every six months. Fixing small problems is generally less expensive than having major repairs done.