Top 3 Takeaway: FOCUS on Overlooked Home Maintenance Items

by Tracey Barrett with Eric Boll, Home Inspector at Pillar To Post Home Inspections

During a home inspection my favorite home inspector, Eric Boll with Pillar to Post Home Inspections, will ring out with the comment “Ah! A usual suspect”. What he means by this is the offending issue is usually one of the very frequently overlooked, or deferred, home maintenance items. The great news is many of these issues are do-it-yourself (DIY) items that take very little time and money to manage, and in other cases are inexpensive to hire a professional to perform.

On the resale side of things, it is usually very obvious when a property has been well maintained over time. This goes a long way in boosting confidence in the purchaser to make the highest possible price to buy your property, results in fewer days on market, and can lead to a “cleaner” home inspection with less to negotiate.

Eric jumped at the chance to let me know his “usual suspects”.

• Exterior Water Entry Prevention
  • Every 5-10 years caulk around the exterior windows and doors to prevent cracking.
  • Every 5-10 years exterior wood around windows, doors, and decking need paint. This also includes scraping and painting weathered and rotted facscia and rake boards.
  • As needed in the fall, remove leaves and debris from window wells and walk out basement drains. These leaves can prevent water from draining properly and can lead to overflow back into the property.
  • As needed in the fall, clean your gutters to allow for proper water flow away from the property. Backed-up gutters can lead to ice damming in freezing weather, and roof and trim damage.
  • Remove leaf and tree debris from the roof. This will extend the life of the roof.
  • Extend all downspouts and sump pump drain lines 10-feet away from the property. This ensures the water that is collected on and in the property is ejected far away from the foundation helping to reduce the chances for water intrusion and erosion.
• Pest Control and Exterior Damage Prevention
  • Trim trees and shrubs away from the house. In high winds, they can cause direct damage to the house. They can also be easy in roads for squirrels, mice, and insects to enter the property.
  • Ensure the soil and mulch around the house is not in contact with the exterior siding and/or wood. As with above, these are vectors for critters and can lead to premature wood rot due to excessive moisture.

• Mechanical Maintenance
  • Change your heating and air conditioning (HVAC) filters every 2-3 months. More frequently if you’re doing home projects inside the home.
  • Service your HVAC system twice a year. Best to ensure everything is cleaned and running optimally in the Spring and Fall so that you don’t lose air conditioning in the dead of summer and heat in the dead of winter respectfully.

• Plumbing
  • Twice per year, tighten the nuts over the sink stoppers and pull rod penetration points.
  • In our area, usually around Halloween, it is a good idea to winterize your exterior hose bibs. This is an easy thing to do. Simply shut off the hose bib shut off inside the property, then go outside to the hose bib and open the faucet to let the remaining water in the pipe drain out. When temperatures drop below freezing you’ll reduce the risk for a burst pipe.
  • Watch for mineralization at faucets and shower heads. These can be easily cleaned or replaced as needed.
  • Shower diverter valves need cleaning or replacement from time to time. If you notice you’re not getting a complete shut-off at the tub when you divert to the shower head, this could be your valve.
  • Shut-off valves leaking at their stems is a good indicator that you need to get a plumber out before you have a bigger problem. Twice per year look behind the toilets, under your sinks, at your hose bib shut-off valves, as well as at your water heater, refrigerator ice maker, and humidifier on your HVAC system. If you see active water or corrosion, it’s a good time to call a plumber.
  • Most of us store way too much stuff under our sinks. Twice per year you should pull that stuff out and check for drain leaks under sinks.

• Miscellaneous Maintenance
  • Inspect your showers and tub enclosures for gaps and cracks in caulking and grout. Fill in as needed.
  • Get out on your deck and check for loose railings, weathered and rotted wood, raised nails, split wood, loose boards and stair treads, posts with rot, and fasteners that are not snug.