Spring Home Maintenance (Part 1)

I know that it is a little early to be discussing Spring - but, I am feeling hopeful! 

Instead of discussing a lengthy list of things to check for and to do around your home during the Spring, I will break this up in to doable tasks.

The article below comes from Consumer Reports and has great information of things you should check this Spring - especially after the Winter we have had.

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Hazardous deck
Look for water stains where the deck ties to the house. Ongoing water leakage can lead to wood decay, weakening the deck structure and the house. If you have any doubt about the structural integrity of the deck, call a pro to investigate.

Rid your deck of moss and mold. Pressure washers are effective. Remember, if you see wood damage, like raised fibers, increase the distance between the spray nozzle and the decking.

CR recommends an electric pressure washer. It’s quieter and easier to store and transport than a gas-powered model (Ratings available to subscribers).
Dirty air conditioner

Disconnect electric power to the outdoor condenser on your air conditioner and clear it of leaves and debris with a vent brush, power blower, garden hose, or the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. If the cooling fins are exposed, be careful not to bend them. (If your yard has lots of trees and plants, wrap fiberglass mesh around the condenser coil to capture pollen and leaves. Replace the mesh as needed. Don't allow debris to block airflow.) Vacuum the grille and register inside the home to ensure good airflow. And change your furnace filter.

Foundation fissures

Hairline cracks in foundation walls might be the result of concrete curing or minor settling and aren't automatically cause for alarm. Mark them with tape and check them again in a few months. If they've worsened, call a structural engineer. If they're stable, fill them with an epoxy-injection system.

Check that the ground around the foundation slopes away from the house (about 1 inch per foot).

Look for pellet-shaped droppings or shed wings from termites.

Clear the area of leaves, in which rodents can nest.

Faulty garage-door opener

To check that the door is balanced, release it into the manual mode and lift it by hand. The door should lift easily and smoothly and stay open on its own about 3 feet off the ground. If it doesn't, by hire a garage-door technician to counterbalance its overhead spring . Next, set the reversing force on the opener as low as possible. Place a 2x4 board on the ground under the door, wide side down. The door should pop back up when it hits the 2x4. If it doesn't, call a garage-door pro. Test the photoelectric eyes by holding the 2x4 between them. The door should reverse direction. If it doesn’t, have it checked by a pro.

Clogged gutters

Clear gutters of debris and check them for corrosion, joint separation, and loose fasteners. Flush out downspouts and unclog leader pipes. Leaders should extend at least 5 feet to direct water away from the foundation.

Leaky roof

Leaks typically occur around an inadequately flashed chimney, skylight, or other opening. They're easiest to spot in the attic; inspect the rafters for water stains. Patching leaks is best left to a professional. While the contractor is on the roof, have him clean leaves from roof valleys.

Examine the siding under roof eaves, and the ceilings in the rooms below, for water or discoloration, indications that ice dams might have created leaks along the roof edge.

Inspect the roof for cracked, curled, or missing shingles. Asphalt shingles typically last 20 years.

Weakened trees

Inspect trees for broken branches. If the limb is high up, hire a licensed arborist. If you can reach it from the ground, take it down using the three-cut technique, which prevents bark from tearing and creating an open wound on the trunk:

Make the first cut 1 to 2 feet from the branch collar, sawing a quarter way through the bottom of the branch.

Make the second cut 3 inches farther out from the first, sawing all the way through the branch.

Make the final cut just beyond the branch collar, sawing from the top down.

Check trunks for signs of "sun scalding," which typically affects the south and the southwest sides of smooth-barked trees, such as maples. Inspect for roots poking through the soil, a possible sign that the tree is starting to list. If you had heavy snowfall in winter, look for bending branches. Make a mental note and check that they bounce back and produce leaves in the spring.

Cracked pavement

Nip cracks in the bud in the driveway and paths before weeds take up residence. Home centers sell patching materials and fillers designed for asphalt and concrete surfaces. These DIY fixes might not do the trick on surfaces that have ruptured from the effects of frost heaving. For those, you'll need to hire a professional to pour or pave a new surface over stabilized soil.

If you have a path that was dry set (as opposed to set in mortar), brush stone dust or sand in the joints to lock the pavers in place and prevent weeds from invading.

 

Make sure to look your house over after this storm (by Bill Poole, Sr. Inspector)

 Hope this post finds each of you doing okay and without any issues from this weather that has dumped on Middle Tennessee this past weekend.

I wanted to take a moment and remind you to take the time to look around your home and property for damage to it and/or ways to prevent damage during the thaw. To some, this may be old hat. But, 2Patriots has inspected many homes over the last few years for people that have moved from areas of the country that aren't used to the snow & ice that we have experienced.

• Snow and ice on the roof can melt during the day only to re-freeze again at night when the temperature falls below freezing once again. When this happens, rain gutters are prone to a condition called "ice dams" where ice builds up in the gutters, preventing water from flowing. When conditions are just right, this water blockage can cause water to work its way back up the roof line, under the shingles, causing leaks in the attic, down the walls, or through the ceiling. If possible, make sure to do a visual inspection of your gutters and your shingles. If you see evidence of raised shingles, please call a roofing professional to further investigate.  You may also want to take the time to go in your attic and look for any leaks in your roof.

Snow; ice and cold temperatures are damaging to pipes as well. While many residents that live in areas with harsh winter weather insulate their pipes, ice storms can hit more temperate areas (such as the Middle Tennessee). Even homes with insulated pipes can experience burst pipes after the weather we have experienced, especially if the power has been out for extended time periods. After all, without home heating systems circulating warm air, water in the pipes could reach the freezing point. When water freezes in pipes, it expands, putting extreme pressure on pipes and pipe joints. Depending on the extent of the freeze, the water damage may not appear until everything begins to thaw out. The best way to evaluate your plumbing is to LOOK & LISTEN. Go in your crawlspace or basement to detect leaks in waterlines or joints. Look for dripping spots on the ground and listen for any running water.  If you hear running water or see leak evidence, call a plumbing professional.

In addition to freezing and melt cycles, ice is exceptionally heavy. It can cause structural damages to roofs, bridges, and other structures. After the ice storm, ice from above can fall off in chunks causing injuries to pedestrians below.

If ice/snow has covered your bathroom fan vent, go in the bathroom and turn on the fan until you can see the vent on the roof (disregard if your vent fans at the eaves.) This may take anywhere from 10 - 60 minutes depending on the outside temperature and how much snow/ice is on the vent.

I hope this information helps you out. Feel free to call me if you have any questions. Our office # is 615.790.6233.  You can also find service professionals on our website.