Category: Home Ownership

Protect Your Home Investment With These 10 Checks Each Year

Caulk

10 Quick Checks a Year Can Keep Your Home in Top Condition By Barbara Pronin

 

If you live in cold weather, fall is when you put in the storm windows. If you live in a warm climate, summer is when you step up the pool maintenance. No matter where you live, however, checking on – and maintaining – 10 areas of your home each year is one good way to ensure your home stays in peak condition. From the home maintenance consultants at Home Depot, here is where – and how – to begin:

1 Roof – In early fall, check around vents, skylights and chimneys for cracks or leaks and repair or replace tiles as necessary.

2 Gutters – Clean gutters so leaves won’t clog them, and be sure they drain away from the house.

3 Fireplace – Clean out any leftover ashes. If heavily used in winter, you may want the chimney professionally cleaned. Make sure the damper is closed tightly.

4 Filters – Clean or replace furnace filters once every month or as needed. Check and clean the dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans regularly.

5 Safety equipment – Be sure smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working condition. Replace batteries twice a year.

6 HVAC – Have your units inspected annually or with the change in the season. Be sure to change filters quarterly at a minimum.

7 Refrigerator – Test door seals once or twice a year to be sure they are airtight. Test by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, the seal may need to be replaced. If you have a coil-back fridge, the coils should be vacuumed twice a year.

8 Faucets – Check for leaks in kitchen and bathrooms and replace washers as necessary.

9 Windows and doors – Replace seals as necessary to keep heat in and drafts out. If you added up all the tiny cracks where heating and cooling escapes, it could be the same as having a window open.

10 Siding and paint – Look for cracks or peeling areas. Repaint or replace caulk as necessary.

 

http://rismedia.com/2015-08-01/10-quick-checks-a-year-can-keep-your-home-in-top-condition/

Every Drop Counts: Protecting Homes from Flood Damage – KW Blog

We have all seen images of the damage that flooding causes. Floods can happen almost anytime, anywhere. Flooding causes an average of $8 billion in property damage in the United States each year according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And it doesn’t take much to cause damage. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, just 1 inch of water can cause almost $21,000 in damage to a 2,000-square-foot home.

Your Policies Do Not Cover Floods

What you may not realize is that your homeowner’s insurance policy likely does not cover floods. To be protected against flood damage, secure additional coverage specific to flooding. In some cases, depending on where the home is located, lenders might require proof of flood insurance. As your real estate agent, I will connect you to insurance professionals who can help you find out early if flood insurance will be required. This could be an important factor in your purchase decision.

Protection Beyond Insurance

There are some precautions you can take to help safeguard your home from damaging flood water.

Ground-level flooring should be tile or stone. Wood flooring and carpet are more susceptible to rot when exposed to large quantities of water.

Check the roof for leaks and repair them immediately. When replacing the roof, make the additional investment to install a rubber roof underlayment, which is a waterproof barrier that sits under the shingles and protects your home from water entering through the roof.

Consider investing in a sump pump and keep it handy in the event you need to remove excess water from the home.

It Doesn’t Need to Rain to Flood

Keep in mind that damaging waters do not come only from excessive rain and inclement weather; homes can flood from broken pipes, faulty appliances or human error such as leaving a faucet running.