The worst enemy of masonry work is water. If water gets into cracks in the masonry work, it will start breaking it apart almost immediately. With changing temperatures the water will expand and contract, causing further damage and burrowing deeper in. This is why it is important to seal up the masonry. This needs to be reapplied every so often as it wears off. You also need to ensure that there is proper grading and drainage near the masonry to keep water away. If water is allowed to pool up where it doesn’t belong, it can do some serious damage in a short time.

While masonry can do a lot to improve the curb appeal of your home, this is only the case when it is in good repair.

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Mold grows best in damp, dark, poorly ventilated areas, so you should try your best to minimize this around your home. Mold spores are everywhere, but unless you provide them with a good place to grow, they won’t start to spread in your home.

In some areas of your home, it might be necessary to install some type of ventilation to improve the odds of keeping mold at bay. If there are any leaks in your home, you should get them taken care of as soon as possible as well, since they could provide the water needed for mold to grow.

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When the market is “hot”, many people do whatever they can to get into a home. There may be 5 or more people bidding on the same house as you – and this can be very stressful. It is even more stressful if you are under pressure to get into a home. For instance, if your current home is under contract, your current lease is up, or you are starting a job in the area and there are no rentals available. All of this can add the pressure on when buying a home.

Buyers tend to do whatever they can to make their offer look better to the seller to make them choose theirs. One of the things we see some buyers do is waive the home inspection though – which is a really scary thought. What is the issue with that? According to most statistics, more homes than not have issues that are found during the home inspection. So imagine paying extra for your home, waiving your inspection, finding these issues later on, and having to fix them. It makes that house extra expensive.

So whatever you do – do not skip the home inspeciton. It is one of your most important protections during the buying process.

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It’s probably one of the first things on people’s minds when they are buying a home and getting a home inspection – the roof. How old is it? Is it leaking? Is it in good condition? These are just some of the many questions a home inspector gets when looking at a home’s roof.

But your roof is not a simple thing. In fact, it is a “roof system”. In other words, there are many parts working together to accomplish its function. Its function is obviously to keep the outside on the outside, and the inside dry and safe.

Some of the components that make up your roofing system are your roofing shingles, underlayment underneath the shingles, ice and snow shield (depending on where you are and your roofing type and slope), flashing, gutters, and more.

All of these parts work together to keep the roof working and performing its function. If you are buying a home, then you are right to care about the condition of the roof. Hiring the right home inspector is the first and best step you can take in this regard.

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To avoid this happening to you, it is good to learn from what others have experienced and do what you can to make your home less likely to be targeted by burglars.

First, you should never make your home look empty. If you are going on vacation you should have someone care for the day-to-day tasks that show that a home is lived in. Some will even have a friend stay at their home while they are gone.

Having an alarm system is a deterrent for many burglars, so having it clearly advertised can help. Since most break-ins happen at the front door, you should have a sturdy, solid front door with a dead bolt lock that can’t be accessed from a nearby window.

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Having your ducts inspected by a professional can let you know if you have this issue. Using thermal imaging will really highlight areas where there are temperatures that are outside the norm.

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A Trombe wall has a large thermal mass, meaning that it will keep its heat long after the sun has stopped beating on it. The absorption of heat is usually intensified by painting the outside of the wall a dark color covered by glazing to allow it to retain the heat better.

During the colder hours of the day, the heat will then radiate into your home. This is a cheap method for normalizing the temperature inside without having to spend money.

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Bird droppings can cause a lot of damage. They are acidic and can eat away at your home and driveway. They can also spread disease, so if you have a lot of birds around your home, you might want to try to limit the opportunities they have to use your home as a bathroom. If they find somewhere to perch that is located over your driveway, you will soon start seeing the droppings piling up.

Birds can also make it difficult for you to plant new grass. Grass seed is delicious for a bird, and simply spreading it on your lawn is just going to create a huge buffet for the birds. To avoid this, you can put hay or burlap over the area you have sown to prevent access.

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If you want to do something about the situation, there are several ways you can lower your water consumption. The biggest thing to do is to upgrade old appliances and fixtures that waste a lot of water.

The difference between an old toilet that uses 5 times more water than a modern toilet is huge, especially considering how it is being used several times each day.

Aerators on your faucets will also help lower water usage while they still are just as effective.

If you want to take it a step further, it helps to be aware of times when you might be wasting water, such as letting it run in the shower while soaping up or doing dishes under running water. Being aware of how you use water can make a big difference.

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