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Maintenance Inspection
INTRODUCTION
In a home, very few things are maintenance free.
While it is a bitter pill for most homeowners
to swallow, the fact is that preventative maintenance,
with all the time and money it consumes, is still
far more cost effective than the crisis management
approach of waiting until something breaks and
then scrambling to have it repaired. Preventative
maintenance can avoid repairs, extend the life
expectancy of many components and in some cases,
reduce energy consumption.
Advance Warning
A systematic maintenance approach also allows
one to monitor certain conditions and components.
Regular roof inspections, for example, will give
one enough advance warning to allow for several
roofing quotes in order to make an educated and
cost effective purchase of a new roof covering.
If on the other hand, no maintenance is done,
and the roof suddenly leaks, there is very little
time to do comparative shopping. Under these circumstances,
one is forced to go with the roofer who can do
the job the fastest - not necessarily with the
roofing materials of your choice or at the best
possible price.
In addition to monitoring systems which wear
out, structural monitoring can also be performed.
It is not uncommon for people who have been living
in a house for some time to suddenly realize that
a door frame is out of square and the door does
not close properly. With regular maintenance,
the cracks which occur in the wall surfaces adjacent
to the door frame can be monitored. Knowing whether
these cracks have appeared suddenly or have been
increasing at a specific rate, is valuable information
when diagnosing the problem and designing a repair.
Structure Monitoring
Regular maintenance is not everybody's cup of
tea. Hiring a handyman to perform maintenance
inspections and minor repairs is not unwise.
Ideally, preventative maintenance inspections
should be performed semi-annually in the spring
and fall. However, some components require more
or less frequent inspections. Where appropriate,
this is noted. Records of any work performed should
be noted in the Filing System section.
One last thought. There probably is not a homeowner
alive who performs maintenance inspections to
the degree that we suggest. So take all of this
with a grain of salt. Suffice it to say, the more
you do, the better. Please refer to the chart
at the front of this section to assist in creating
your own schedule.
EXTERIOR
Chimneys:
Chimneys should be inspected for loose or deteriorated
bricks or mortar. If covered with stucco or parging,
look for cracks or loose sections. Chimney caps
should be inspected for loose or broken sections
as should the protruding clay chimney liners.
Chimney flashings should be inspected for leakage.
Efflorescence (a white salt build-up on the chimney)
indicates moisture within the chimney and further
investigation is required. Metal chimneys should
be checked for rust, missing rain caps and loose
braces.
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Long term Care
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Protect your home. How to keep your home more safer.
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