Around The House

The following information comes from Joe Tripi, president of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)

To prevent minor trouble spots from becoming major repairs, home owners are encouraged to perform a thorough spring inspection of their homes.

The best course of action for your inspection is to start outside with the home's grounds and foundation. Carry a clipboard or note pad with you to take notes as you go along. Gradually work your way around the house, and be as complete as possible in your observations. Such actions will allow you to determine which problems you can tackle yourself and which may require consulting a professional.

First, inspect your gutters and downspouts from the ground up. Be certain your splash blocks are centered properly under your gutter drains and of course, tilting away from your house. If their angle has diminished over the winter, build them up with some soil.

The considerable weight of winter snow can often bend your gutters out of shape so that they no longer slope towards their drainpipes correctly. Check to see if water is heading for the downspouts by carefully positioning a ladder over your gutters and pouring a container of water into the gutter, noting which direction it goes. Repeat the task near every downspout, the gutters may require repair or replacement. Make sure the gutters are free of leaves and debris, and contain no holes or corrosion.

Walk around the house, and look closely at the foundation. Many houses continue to settle each year and can develop stress cracks in the concrete -- a perfect opportunity for water to come into your basement. Cracks should be repaired immediately to prevent moisture infiltration and energy loss.

Although many homes with healthy foundations can still experience some degree of dampness in their basements, opening basement windows when spring weather is dry and closing them when it is damp can help maintain a comfortable atmosphere. Also, if your heating system has a humidifier, be certain to adjust it for spring. If your basement is still on the damp side, consider installing a dehumidifier. Check any sump pumps you may have for proper operation.

If your home has a brick exterior, inspect your exterior walls and chimneys for loose or missing bricks. Check any metal flashing near your chimney for corrosion and make sure the chimney screen positioned on top is intact to prevent birds and rodents from entering your home.

When inspecting homes with other exterior materials, check siding for loose or sagging panels and trim. Visually inspect soffits and fascia below the gutters for rotting and every home owner's nightmare: termite infestation.

This is when you might want to decide what siding and trim pieces require painting or replacement to get an idea of the scope of any repair projects you have discovered.

Moving around the house again, inspect your doors and windows for proper operation and sufficient caulking around window trim. Re-caulking as necessary is a wise annual ritual to avoid costly energy loss. Spray a silicone lubricant or equivalent on door hinges and window tracks to ensure smooth movement.

Last on your exterior inspection list is the roof. Look for missing, loose or cracked shingles and irregular water drainage (evidence of water forming ``streams'' in specific parts of the roof). Such irregularity indicates that water is not draining properly into the gutters and is a problem best handled by a professional roofer.

Moving inside, clipboard still in hand, check your furnace filter; if it's dirty, clean or replace it. Check it throughout the spring and summer at least once a month, when traffic from children and pets tends to be heavier. A wide investment, an electrostatically charged replacement filter, is a low-cost way to improve the quality of indoor air.

Check all exposed pipes for leaks and corrosion. Also, inspect all faucets for drips, including pipework under all sinks. Moving up to the attic, check for water infiltration via visible stains which indicate a leaking roof.

Taking a few hours out of your weekend to perform a detailed spring inspection can prevent a small repair from becoming a major problem -- and expense.