Buying an Old Home? Repairs You Might Need to Complete to Make It Safe Before Moving In

Even though you got a good deal on an old house, you may still need to invest some money in repair work before you can occupy the home. Hiring the right contractors to repair all damaged or outdated parts of the home can help prevent potentially dangerous problems from happening in the future. Here are some of the most common areas where repair work needs to be done before moving into an old home.

Pipes

Old or damaged pipes are more susceptible to leaking or bursting, which could result in indoor flooding that causes major home damage. Water that leaks from pipes could also generate mold growth that makes your indoor air hazardous to breathe. In addition to resolving these problems, repairing or replacing the old pipes can keep you from drinking water that’s contaminated with corroded materials from the pipes and other impurities.

Roof

Even if you believe that the home’s roof is in good shape, there may be issues that could lead to bigger problems if they aren’t resolved before you start living in the home. Cracks, missing shingles, and other problems that could cause moisture to get into the home should be fixed as soon as possible. Contractors who specialize in roof repair work can also be hired to check the venting and flashing and address any other problems that might be discovered.

Electrical System

Electrical fires can occur if the wiring or other damaged components of the electrical system aren’t repaired. Your home may also be more prone to regular power outages if you fail to have your electrical system fixed before you start living there. The home might additionally need more electrical outlets for you to plug in all your electronics, and a qualified electrician will be able to install the new outlets safely.

Floors

Floor damage often looks unsightly and may lead to bigger problems if it isn’t taken care of in a timely manner. Bugs and other pests can get under damaged floorboards easier and cause further damage to the subfloor and other supporting structures. A damaged floor could also be unsafe to walk on because of unevenness or loose pieces that could make someone trip. The floor might need to be refinished so that the materials won’t deteriorate as quickly.

Repairing the old house from top to bottom will help create a living space that’s ideal for you and all other occupants. You can help breathe new life into the old home and make it last longer by scheduling the necessary home improvement work in advance.

Why Checking for Pest Infestation is Important During Home Renovation?

Renovating your home gives you a fantastic opportunity to implement the proper pest control measures. And doing so can save you from house-related headaches in the future. 

This is why you should include pest control work when renovating your house. This includes investigating whether your home is suffering from any pest infestation. And in case it is, you can face this issue head-on.

You would rather get rid of these pests while your house is still under construction. Otherwise, you would be spending more on breaking down a wall to see whether a family of rodents is living there.

Simply put, checking for pest infestation during a renovation allows you to maintain your property. And here's why:

1. To protect your home

Making pest control measures as part of the renovation process is there to protect your home from the threats it can pose to your household. 

Having this added protection offers a valuable return on investment in the long run. By adding this protection, you are securing your property's original and renovation structure. 

When you carry out pest control work, you're also protecting the investment you made to complete the renovation work. Doing so makes sure that your property is still in good condition and pest-free. 

To avoid any unpleasant surprises, professionals often recommend preventing pest control. This is in addition to addressing the obvious issues in your house. 

2. To find and remedy damages 

Although you might not easily spot any signs of bed bugs, termites, or rodents in your home, they can be just lurking and growing on spots that you can't see. 

Apart from doing the important task of organizing your things before the renovation, doing pest inspections allows you to detect problems early on. 

It can also give you an idea of the necessary action you might need to take before things can go out of hand and cause any significant damages. 

3. To save you from future expenses

Like we said, any pest problems can lead to financial setbacks, as the costs for the extermination and repairs may need to come from your own pocket. 

Also, most homeowners' insurance policies couldn't help you with this type of situation. That's because most property insurance doesn't cover any damages and repairs caused by pests. 

Many insurance companies often view pest infestation and any damages it may incur as a maintenance issue. Hence, they deem it as the homeowner's responsibility. 

That's the reason why this may leave a massive dent in your budget, as you might have to shell out hundreds of dollars for these types of expenses. Looking for potential pest infestations during renovation prevents that from happening. 

Apart from containing pests, it will also protect your finances in the long run. That's because you are less likely to shell out money for pest control. Although we're not saying you won't need to do such measures in the future. 

4. To preserve your property's market value

Checking for pest infestation during home renovation also preserves the value of your home. After all, it helps with early detection and treatment. 

And if you're thinking of selling off your property, you need to make sure that it's checked for any signs of pests. They should be exterminated before renovation and putting the property on sale.

That's because no one would want to buy a house full of rodents, cockroaches, and other critters. 

5. To stop the infestation

Fast-moving pests like rodents might also take advantage of your property during the renovation period. 

They might do so while the renovation is underway. For one, renovating your house exposes its various parts. This includes the cavities and crawls spaces, which rats and cockroaches are likely to infiltrate. 

Because they often go undetected, you might end up hearing rodents scampering on the wall or your floorboards once the renovation is done. 

This can be expensive as such pest control procedures will require you to break down a wall. 

6. Prevent future infestations

If your house already has pests like ants, termites, or rats, inspecting during renovation is a smart move. 

That's because, during the inspection, the pest inspector might find other areas in your home which can be prone to infestation.

Let's say the inspector finds an area in your home where you have rotten window frames. That they might tell you of the risks that it has. 

Most termites are drawn to rotten wood, meaning your window frames can be an easy target. Thus, pest control during a renovation allows you to get rid of structures that are prone to infestation. And then you can replace them with something better.

You might also want to renovate to decrease any pest infestations in the future. An excellent example would be replacing your wooden windows with vinyl ones. 

7. For your peace of mind

At the end of the day, pest control is all about ensuring that one of the most valuable assets you have (which is your home) will be protected. This includes pest infestation.

So, make sure that you don't let a pest problem go out of hand. Otherwise, you might be forced to get rid of furniture, renovate a portion of your home, or worse, let you move out of your property. 

They may be small creatures, but they can pose a significant impact on your property, as well as your overall quality of life. 

Over to You

Sure, you might be doing pest control and maintenance in your house. But doing so during a renovation is also beneficial.

Ideally, you should still have your property regularly checked for pests, once or twice every year. So, even if you still need to have your home inspected for pests, pest control measures as part of your renovation process do make a lot of sense. 

You'll gain additional protection against the damage brought about by these pests, which might happen any time. 

So, don't miss the opportunity to make necessary pest control improvements. If you do, you might regret your decision later on, especially when an issue comes up after the renovation is done. 

What Makes Roofing More or Less Effective Against High Temperatures?

When embarking on a construction project, it is imperative to consider how you select your roofing system as it plays a significant role in determining your home's comfort, energy efficiency, and longevity. For instance, if you live in extremely high temperatures, you need to settle for the best roofing system since numerous factors can alter the amount of heat absorbed into your home or reflected off. Below are some factors that can make roofing more or less effective against high temperatures.

Roofing Material

Roofing material can have a significant effect on how it responds against high temperatures. High temperatures and harsh sun are a threat to most roofing materials as they cannot endure extreme heat and tremendous amounts of sunlight. Most roofing materials tend to crack, dry out and disintegrate at exposure to intense heat, thus reducing their life span. For instance, an asphalt roof reflects only a small percentage of light that hits your home. Contrarily, a metal roof is highly reflective, and this helps it reflect heat away from your home, keeping your home at an even temperature all year round. However, every roofing option offers a varied rate of light and heat absorption.

Roofing Technology

Technology can impact the effectiveness of your roofing against high temperatures. Due to technological advancement, some roofing comes in a cool roof option while others as a standard option. At high temperatures, the cool roof option can absorb less heat and reflect more sunlight than a standard roof. Traditional technology is susceptible to cracking or warping over time at exposure to high temperatures. However, modern roofing technology is resistant to distortion that comes with harsh climatic conditions, and most of them are incredibly eco-friendly. 

Roof and Attic Construction

An overwhelming majority of homeowners emphasize roofing materials and other factors but ignore the roofing construction and the attic ventilation. However, it is undeniable that proper roof ventilation and attic construction reduce the impact of high temperatures in your home. The correct ventilation offers cooling properties of your roof's shingles, while insulation will prevent any excess heat from penetrating your attic.

It is paramount to select a roof that works best for your home. While roofing material, technology, and attic construction all can affect your home's temperature, good roofing should be able to maintain optimal home temperature and ideal comfort levels. 

Got a Plugged Pipe? How to Resolve Plumbing Issues

Plumbing issues can be a major problem, in the home or in commercial settings. It is absolutely essential that your plumbing works properly at all times, so that you can use your running water and your restrooms without any issue. If for some reason you encounter plumbing problems, there are a few different techniques that you can use in order to resolve them. Plumbing problems are no joke and you want to take care of them as soon as you possibly can. Here are three different methods that you can use in order to solve plumbing problems yourself at home or in the workplace.

Drain Snake

One of the most common plumbing problems is a drain that gets clogged. If your drain gets clogged, it will not drain down the pipe properly and the sink will fill up with water whenever you use it. This is a very tedious issue and it sometimes is very simple to solve. You will need a drain snake. A drain snake is a flexible plastic tool with ridges that can be inserted down the drain and then pulled up to remove debris in the drain. After you finagle the drain snake as far down the drain as you can, you will pull up on it and you will discover that you have pulled up a bunch of hair and debris. You can throw away this hair and debris, then run your sink so that it drains properly.

Drain Cleaners

There is another alternative to clearing up a clogged drain, which is to purchase household drain cleaning equipment. The most common brand is Drano and it uses chemicals to melt away the debris that is stuck in the pipes. You should be very careful with this type of drain cleaner, as it often cannot come into contact with your skin. It can be very dangerous and you need to be very careful when using it. Use the recommended amount of drain cleaner and flush down your drain to get rid of clogs.

Removing a Pipe

If the plumbing situation is not resolved by using drain cleaner or by using a drain snake, you may need to actually remove the pipe. You should put a large shallow bucket underneath the pipe under your sink. You should then take an adjustable wrench and carefully twist off the nut that fits one pipe to another. Whatever was causing the blockage will come out so you can secure the pipes together.

There are various different issues that you may encounter when using a plumbing system. Most of these issues can be resolved by either using a drain snake, using a drain cleaner or actually removing the pipes from one another. Each of these tasks should be done carefully and according to instruction. If you do the job right, you will find that the drain clog is solved.