house Archives - Page 12 of 12

Pests, Plumbing, and Paint: What to Look for When Shopping for a House

May 4, 2017 by Mandy

When you are home-hunting, it is easy to fall in love with a house and to allow that emotional reaction to cloud your judgment about whether it is a sensible and realistic purchase for you, ignoring what may be important defects. It is sensible to get a proper survey before you sign any contract, but surveys cost money and you don’t want to pay out before you have considered likely problems yourself.

Roof and Walls

The main components of the house are its walls and roof. Carefully look for any cracks in the walls. Hairline cracks are probably cosmetic, but larger cracks may indicate problems.

A sound roof is essential to keep the elements out. Look from the ground, and from inside the attic, for signs that the roof is feeling its age: multiple missing shingles, water stains, light getting through, a sagging appearance.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and air conditioning systems generally last about 20 years, and old ones can be very inefficient. The sellers may have no idea how old their system is, so you may be able to check by finding the serial number and consulting the manufacturers.

Find out if the house is well insulated. Is there a good layer of insulation in the roof? Are the walls insulated? Are the pipes lagged and the windows double-glazed? Do all the windows open and close properly?

Pest-Proofing

There is little worse than sharing your house with the local wildlife. Look for any signs that it is easy for pests to get in, like gaps around the utility pipes and windows. Inspect the roof space and basement for any signs of previous infestation, and the backyard for piles of debris. Don’t accept the sellers’ explanation that a couple of rodent smoke bombs were enough to deal with any problems.

Electrics

Bringing an electrical installation up to modern standards can be expensive. Inspect the condition of sockets, and take a look at the fuse box. Old-fashioned fuses are indicative of an old system which will need updating. It should have at least a 100 AMP circuit breaker service, preferably 200 AMP in a modern house—you can normally check the service AMPs by looking at the main shutoff in the panel box.

Plumbing

Check that the faucets work with sufficient pressure, the toilets flush, and the sinks drain away easily. Get under the kitchen sink and look for any signs of leaks or drips.

Outside

It is worth looking critically at the backyard. A well-tended garden may indicate a well-tended house. A backyard that smells bad could suggest a problem with the drains.

Your Biggest Decision

Buying a home is the biggest financial decision most people ever make. By approaching your purchase with a bit of hard-nosed common sense, as well as starry-eyed optimism, you may be able to keep the stress to the minimum. At the very least, the fact that you know where to look will show most sellers that they cannot fool you into making a rash purchase.

I have less and less hot water, what can I do?

April 11, 2017 by Mandy

Are you noticing that your showers are getting shorter, and the water runs out before you are ready to go? This is a common problem with household hot water systems and it may be easy enough to fix so you can get back to the luxury of a long hot shower once again.

The Plumbing Detectives, a busy plumber located in Lane Cove, have a few suggestions that you can use to diagnose the problem before you call the professionals.

Check For Leaks

Though it’s not that likely you are suddenly leaking hot water without noticing, this is a quick way to eliminate the possibility before getting into the more involved possibilities. Take a walk along the path of the pipes while the water is running, and use a flashlight to look for leaks, particularly in hard-to-see areas that nobody would notice.

Check for Obstructions

This is another quick check that you can do while you’re looking for leaks. There are most likely several points along your hot water system that have shut-off valves. Take a look to ensure that nobody has knocked against one and restricted the water flow. If all the valves are wide open, you can move on to checking the hot water tank itself.

Check the Tank

Now that you’ve given the hot water plumbing a quick inspection, it’s time to focus your attention on the source. Since you do have some hot water to begin with, it’s obviously working to some degree. There are mainly 2 problems that will cause this.

The first is a burned out heating element, specifically the lower one. The top one keeps heating just fine, giving you hot water to start with but when the tank starts to draw water farther down, it gets cold because the second heater isn’t working. A somewhat handy individual can remove and replace a heating element, so you can try to fix this one on your own.

The other possible problem is that your dip tube has gotten broken or otherwise damaged. This is a pipe that draws the cold water from the top part of the tank down to the lower portion where it can be heated. It helps keep the water moving through the tank, basically. Mineral deposits can corrode a plastic dip tube, disrupting the flow. The hot water tends to settle at the bottom, and isn’t being drawn up through the plumbing properly. If you see small bits of plastic in your hot water, this is the cause. You’ll want a plumber to help you out with the repairs.

Flush the Tank

Lastly, if the tank seems to be operating fine, there is a good chance it needs a cleaning or flush-out. Hard water minerals can build up inside and all of that crust can interfere with the heating elements and the proper flow of water out of the tank.

There should be a drain plug at the bottom of the tank, that can be opened up for this procedure. Turn off the in-flow pipes, and run the hot water through the taps in the rest of the house to lower the volume in the tank. Then open up the drain and ideally a lot of the sandy debris that is clogging your heating elements will run out along with the water.

My Home was Just Flooded. Now What?

March 27, 2017 by Mandy

Source

As a homeowner, one of the things that can happen is that you are hit by a flood. A flooded house is not only a very frustrating problem to deal with, but it can be very costly as well. Floods can cause damage to your furniture, electronic devices, and valued documents, and to the house’s structure as well.

Most people never think that their houses will flood, especially if they aren’t from areas susceptible to natural disaster, but homeowners should be aware that nobody is safe and that disasters can happen at any time. And it’s not only natural disasters; flooding could occur because of something as simple as a malfunctioning sump-pump or a burst pipe.

Floods are the kinds of problems that won’t go away until you do something about them. In this article, we’re going to give you a few tips on what to do if you are the victim of a flood.

Safety Comes First

Use your common sense and ensure that your safety remains a priority throughout the ordeal. One of the first precautionary steps you should take is to switch off your mains electricity since we all know that a combination of water and electricity is deadly. Make sure you wear some protective clothing such as hand gloves and rubber boots before you do anything.

You also need protective clothing because you don’t know what else the water is carrying in the form of debris. You could even step on sharp objects and injure yourself. If the cause of the flooding is a blocked sewer, the water could have dissolved chemicals that are harmful.

Once you manage to extract the water, throw away any foodstuffs you suspect might have been contaminated by the flood water. Wash all your dishes and other utensils thoroughly and ensure they are clean before using them again.

Stop and Drain the Water

In your protective gear, stop the source of the flooding if possible. Stopping the source of the flooding allows you to concentrate on draining out the flood water. If you can’t, your best move will be to contact a water restoration service provider to stop the flooding. You might also be forced to replace any broken pipes or buy a new sump-pump if that was the cause of the flooding.

Dry Your House

After the house is drained, it’s time to dry out the damp. Open your windows to allow the sunshine into your house and fresh air. You could also use a dehumidifier to dry out the wetness and fans can also come in handy during the drying process.

Flooding can be very destructive and frustrating. After everything was done, it’s always best that you keep an eye on any symptoms of water damage in your house. You should always be on the lookout for things such as water stains on your wall and floors.

If you notice any form of corrosion or missing caulks on your piping, make sure you seek professional help before you even experience flooding. And always keep a list of professional water restoration service providers just in case.

Three Simple Ways To Make Your Home A Healthier, Happier Place

March 23, 2017 by Mandy

These days, more and more people are realizing that the quality of their home life plays an integral role in determining what level of mental and physical well-being they will attain. As such, it’s a good idea to think critically about what steps you can implement to ensure that your home is conducive to health and happiness. Here are three simple strategies you can implement to make it happen:

1. Consider Whether You Need To Sell Your Property And Move.

In some cases, individuals who want to optimize their home life need to look into attaining a new property. Whether your current space is too small or the local environment is no longer conducive to your mental and physical well-being, selling your property and moving can be a great way to get in a setting where you can live and thrive. If you’ve been thinking about this lately, consider attaining assistance from a real estate company like Invitation Homes. The Invitation Homes rentals provided by the realtors can help you take your quality of life to a new level.

2. Turn One Room Into A Gym.

If you’re serious about making your home a healthier, happier place, consider turning one room into a gym. This approach is immensely empowering because it enables you and your loved ones to make physical fitness an integral component of the lifestyle. Some of the great health benefits everyone will attain from regular physical activity include:

• Boosted immunity
• Weight management/weight loss
• Better sleep
• Enhanced metabolism
• Improved memory

Remember that turning a room into a gym doesn’t have to be an expensive or tedious process. You can slowly install piece by piece. For example, you could start with a treadmill and television. You could then add a few sets of weights, jumping ropes, ellipticals, and much more.

3. Have A Yard Sale.

In some cases, people will allow old furniture to pile up in their homes. When this happens, the aesthetic appeal of your property will oftentimes go down. Also note that maintaining the pack rat lifestyle can make your living space appear cluttered. As such, it’s a good idea to periodically have yard sales in which you give away old items that are no longer in use. To make the most of this strategy, be sure to advertise your yard sale as effectively as possible. In some cases, discussing the upcoming yard sale through social media channels like Twitter and Facebook can be efficacious.

Start Enjoying Your Home Life Now!

If you’re serious about leading a life of exceptional wellness, now is the time to acknowledge the role that an optimized home setting can play in helping you realize this objective. There are at least three strategies you can employ to take your home life to the next level. They include moving to a new property, turning a room into a gym, and having a yard sale. Start using these techniques immediately so you can begin enjoying your home life to the fullest!

A Mom’s Guide To Exterior Cladding For Homes

March 2, 2017 by Mandy

Your home is probably one of your biggest investments and a substantial investment must be protected. Due to different weather patterns, the external walls of your home can get affected and lose its colour and beauty. This problem is seen in many homes, but as a mom who understands the importance of having a beautiful home will invest to protect it.

There are several things you can do to maintain your home’s aesthetic appeal. The simplest of them involves working with a home improvement expert such as Peter Bracey that provide and install exterior cladding. The process of installing exterior cladding is meant to update the house walls. For moms who want something unique, there are different types of materials to choose from. When you decide to do cladding, you will be improving the look of your home making it appear stylish. Once done, it increases the wow factor of your home.

Use palliside cladding.

It is an easy task when you decide to do the exterior cladding using palliside cladding in your home. There are benefits associated with this. It is resistant to rot and termite attacks. It doesn’t powder after a long time and has a layer against UV. The biggest advantage of going with this option is that this type of cladding helps to improve the insulation. Consult an expert to know the benefits that a palliside cladding has to offer. You can also ask the expert and see whether palliside cladding is suitable for your home.

Check timber or wood cladding.

Another method that allows you to add protection for your home is timber cladding. Many people choose timber cladding because they have several choices such as softwood and hardwood. The other reason for choosing this type of cladding material is that the material is treated to reduce colour fading.

For those who prefer a wood effect cladding, they can still turn their homes to look more appealing while adding protection to the exteriors. The best part about the wood effect cladding is it’s easier to maintain. The material comes in pre-printed fibre cement boards offering the same appearance like natural wood.

What to consider when choosing exterior cladding:

There are several options available for you to choose from. Before you do the installation, consider the following points:

The most important consideration is the protection provided by the cladding.
The cladding material must be a good insulator to reduce power bills.
Budget allocation is a priority. Make sure you know how much you will spend in buying and installing the cladding.
Go for high quality cladding so that it serves you for many years.
Consider the ease of installing the cladding and the contractor’s experience.
Last but not least, know the maintenance plans and when it should be done.

You might be confused when choosing the cladding materials to use since there are various options. The option chosen must meet your needs such as the points mentioned above. When you go for this project, make sure it gives you the protection but also adds to the beauty of your structure. The material must match the overall style and theme of your property.