I'm always amazed at how water seems to find every little nook and cranny and can point out any area of our home that may be in need of some attention.
We had an appraisal done on a home this week and the appraiser noted there was some discoloration on the ceiling around the fireplace chimney and asked us if we knew if it was leaking. Fortunately, the homeseller had discovered the leak some time ago and replaced the flashing material around the chimney but had not painted the ceiling yet.
Flashing is the metal material that is typically placed around the chimney to keep out water and is often an area of the roof that fails.
The rain may have helped you find a few areas in your home that need some attention. Here is a list of some of the more popular areas that may need you.
1. Roof. You may not have water coming through your ceiling yet, but if your roof is getting older you may have some water leaking into your attic space and hitting your insulation.
2. Vents. On most roofs there are different vents that stick out of it. These areas tend to be areas that fail much like the flashing around the chimney. If you can see inside where these stick through see if any water is coming in.
3. Basement walls. With the amount of rain we've had recently the ground is getting pretty saturated. Check your basement walls and floors for cracks and other areas that may be allowing water to come in.
4. Sump Pump. Sump Pumps are there to remove water from under a home and get it back outside. During times like this is when they work harder than ever. Check the backup battery and the float. You'll be sorry if your pump quits on you.
5. Gutters. Gutters and downspouts are extremely important in getting water away from the foundation of your home. You should be seeing if they are draining properly. If not take a few minutes to get them clean.
6. Landscaping. Alright, this is not technically something on the home, but good landscaping can make a world of difference in how much water is coming toward your home. See where the water is puddling. Is it flowing away from your foundation or toward it?
7. Window wells. If you have a basement, how good is the seal around your basement window wells? Are you seeing leaks? You may need to replace them.
8. Crawl space. How much water is getting under your home? Is your crawl space dry? You may need to add a sump pump, add drainage tile, or work on your landscaping as mentioned above.
That's a short list of areas that you may need to check on during this rainy season. Some of the problems can be fixed with either caulk or tar. Some need just old fashioned elbow grease and some unfortuneately, may need a professional to take care of. In any case, it is well worth it. The longer you allow a water problem, the worse it gets and the more it ends up costing. A little now goes a long way.
Questions or comments?
Just ask!
Thanks,
Scott
Scott Williams
scott@realtyfive.com
888.766.8627
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