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It's tedious, dirty work.
You may have to give up a weekend or hire someone for the job, but somebody has to do it.
It's time to winterize your home.
The California Real Estate Inspection Association, a home inspectors' trade group, says if you don't it could cost you the integrity of your home, higher fuel bills, money spent on deferred maintenance, higher insurance premiums and possibly your homeowners insurance policy.
The list of winterizing tasks is shorter.
But seriously, winterizing your home is designed to thwart air intrusion to keep energy costs down, but it's also necessary to prevent moisture intrusion.
According to the trade group, moisture infiltration is the most destructive threat to a home's structural health. Moisture breeds rot and mold, which left uncorrected can ultimately cause structural damage which is especially dangerous in earthquake prone regions.
For some, mold also causes allergic reactions and greater health concerns for others.
That's not all.
Because of the growing number of moisture-related homeowner insurance claims, some home owners have suffered insurance premium hikes as high as 35 percent. A recent study from Chicago-based Aon Corp. says the industry isn't finished raising rates and premiums could rise again by as much as 20 percent.
In some states, insurers have withdrawn from the home owner insurance market. In still other cases, insurers fail to renew policies if a home owner has too many water-related claims. And in a growing number of instances, home buyers can't get coverage on a home they are about to purchase because of previous claims against the home made by the former owner.
Home inspectors recommend taking a series of winterization steps to minimize the cost to your home, health and energy and insurance budgets.
The best moisture mitigation strategy begins with proper drainage. Maintain a slope of at least 1/2-inch per foot for three to five feet (like an apron) around the perimeter of your home to allow water to flow away from your home. Concrete walks and patios should have a similar drainage pitch away from the home. Fit downspouts with extensions and splash pads to direct water away from your home.
Check to see that there are no low areas around the home's perimeter foundation where water can pond or collect after a rainstorm. Standing water will eventually work its way beneath the home and can lead to building settlement and foundation support failure.
If you think the surface grade around the perimeter foundation is a source for concern and more than you can fix with a garden shovel, consult a state licensed drainage contractor for recommendations. Estimates for corrective work could include installing an underground drainage system.
Immediately after the first heavy rain, check under your house to confirm that the ground is reasonably dry. You may have to pump out any standing water. For a persistent standing water propble consider installing a sump pump and or waterproofing the outside of the basement or crawlspace walls. The work requires the professional skills of a licensed contractor.
Clean all rain gutters, including downspouts, and make sure all gutter joints are properly sealed. (Deaden that annoying ''ping, ping, ping'' sound from water dripping onto the inside of a downspout's elbow by affixing a piece of indoor-outdoor carpeting inside the bottom of the elbow.) Screen gutters and downspouts to keep out debris. Repair rust spots or holes in gutters and downspouts. Inspect eaves, louvers and all attic and garage vents for damage or debris blocking openings. Repair damaged vent screens.
Carefully check all of your exterior doors, windows, adjacent trim, outlets and anywhere where a pipe, wire, cable or other material enters or exits through your home's surface to see if they need caulking, epoxy or sealants. Tighten door hinge screws and lubricate hinges. Check weather stripping around doors and windows and repair or replace any damaged weatherization materials.
Where possible, check the subfloor and floor joists, especially beneath rooms that have plumbing -- bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, wet bar lounge -- for signs of water, moisture or other obvious damage.
Taking great care, climb onto the roof to look for loose, missing or damaged roofing materials and flashing. On a sunny day, go into the attic and look for gaps, discolored walls or ceilings and other signs of moisture intrusion. Make repairs or call a professional, licensed roofing contractor before the rains begin and contractors get booked.
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