House Inspection during Springtime
Many homeowners choose springtime to conduct their yearly house inspection. The general conditions of surroundings and the weather during springtime combine to give homeowners a perfect time to inspect the interiors and exteriors of their homes.
For most cases of annual house inspection, you do not need to hire a professional house inspector. Hire only a professional home inspector if you find something that you suspect will put your family’s safety and security at risk. You can also decide, depending on what you initially find out, if it is more cost-effective for you to hire a general home inspector or someone who has a specialization.
For first-timers in do-it-yourself house inspection, you can search reliable home maintenance and home improvement web sites and download their house inspection checklist. Choose checklists prepared for do-it-yourselfers because the instructions are in layman’s terms and are explained in simpler terms.
Start your house inspection by examining the exteriors of your home. Check the roof, focusing on the roofing material, the shingles and flashings. Remove stems, leaves and other kinds of debris from your gutters.
Check if your downspouts are clear and if they direct water to the drainage systems. Make sure they do not have leaks, leaving stagnant water near your foundation.
Next to check is your home’s exterior siding. Look for holes, deterioration, rot, cracks or any other type of damage. After a year, some parts of the siding could be warping or splitting because of water leaks.
Examine also the paint of your exterior walls and other painted surfaces. Look for chipping or bubbling.
If some of your windows or doors jam, you can make some minor repairs on the fixtures to make them operate smoothly.
To repair window cracks, learn how to caulk and then fill the cracks when it is sunny.
If you observe some moisture on window panes, think about replacing them while weather conditions are good. For doors with screens, look for torn parts that could hurt you or other members of your family.
As many homeowners have found out, home inspection is an essential part of home maintenance. House inspection identifies small damages or minor defects that could become a major problem if left unresolved. The health, safety and security of your family depends a lot on how well you maintain your home, so conduct regular house inspection.
