by mwonfor | Jan 18, 2019 | Community, Home Maintenance, Homeowners, Seasonal
Why Home Improvement Ideas for Winter Make Sense
Improving your home regularly is a great way to increase property value. Improvement projects can increase energy efficiency, improve aesthetics, and make it easier to sell later. When you slack off during the winter months and put home improvements on hold, you are missing out on days that otherwise could be used productively. These are some of the best home improvement ideas for winter to consider competing in the next few months.
1. Re-Painting Interior Walls and Trim
Painting walls and trim is often viewed as a cosmetic or decorative activity that does little to improve value. However, periodically painting the walls and trim can protect against and repair some types of damage. This can improve desirability when you attempt to sell your home. When selecting paint colors for interior walls and trim, choose neutral hues that have a broad appeal unless you intend to paint again before you list your home for sale.
2. Adding Insulation to the Attic
As you consider home improvement ideas for winter, energy efficiency should be a focal point. Insulation in your attic plays a vital role because it traps climate-controlled air indoors where you want it instead of letting the warm air rise up through the roof. Your home may need more insulation if it was constructed with low-quality materials initially or if the existing insulation has deteriorated. Consulting with an expert is a smart way to determine if new insulation would be beneficial to your home.
3. Upgrading Flooring
Installing new flooring is a project that can have a big impact on your home. It can improve property value and appeal and reduce cleaning and maintenance tasks. This project can be completed at any time of year, but since it keeps you inside, it’s one of our favorite home improvement ideas for winter. Rip up the carpet and refinish the hardwood underneath, or install an affordable linoleum or vinyl flooring option.
4. Replacing or Adding Backsplash
If your kitchen or bathrooms are looking outdated, replacing the backsplash is an easy way to modernize the style. If you don’t have backsplash already, adding it will upgrade the aesthetic of your home. A do-it-yourself home improvement enthusiast may be able to complete a tile installation project in an afternoon.
Look at your home’s current needs and your budget before deciding which of these home improvement ideas for winter may work well for your home.
American Home Inspection Services provides home inspections and related services to Southeast Michigan. Contact us to request an appointment.
by mwonfor | Dec 21, 2018 | Community, Home Inspection, Home Maintenance, Homeowners
January is National Radon Action Month, so take some time to familiarize yourself with the risks of radon in the home and how to best protect your family.
What is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas that naturally forms underneath the ground. Radon is found throughout the United States and any home is at risk of having unsafe levels inside. After radon forms in rocks and soil, it floats upwards into the atmosphere, or in some cases, into buildings. When it gets inside a building and is not ventilated out, the levels of radon build and the risks of radon become a problem.
Why is Radon Dangerous?
Radon is dangerous to breathe because it has been known to cause lung cancer. In fact, an estimated 21,000 deaths a year are the result of radon-induced lung cancer. Radon is especially unhealthy for children to breathe because their lungs are smaller. Some studies have also shown a positive correlation between indoor radon exposure and childhood leukemia. When combined with cigarette smoking, the risks of radon in the home are even more pronounced.
How Do You Detect Radon?
Because radon is invisible and has no smell, it is impossible to know how much radon is in an indoor space without a radon test. While there is the option to buy a cheap DIY testing kit and administer the test yourself, poor quality materials and user error can make these tests inaccurate. Instead, hire a trained professional with superior testing equipment to perform the test.
Protect Your Family From the Risks of Radon
The risks of radon in your home are too serious to ignore. January is National Radon Action Month and a great time to test the levels of radon in your home so that you know that your air is safe to breathe. If your home tests at 4 picocuries/liter or higher, you should hire a radon mitigation company to lower the levels.
Click here to learn about other ways to reduce radon levels in the home.
American Home Inspection Services provides Southeast Michigan with professional radon testing and home inspection services. Contact us to book our services.
by mwonfor | Nov 19, 2018 | Community, Home Inspection, Home Maintenance, Homeowners
Preventing Plumbing Leaks at Home to Avoid a Hassle
It is in your best interest as a homeowner to keep your plumbing system in good shape. By taking precautions to prevent plumbing leaks, you are more likely to avoid a plumbing emergency. Plumbing leaks tend to happen more in winter because of freezing temperatures. Try these four methods for preventing plumbing leaks at home so you don’t have to deal with a water interruption, damage, and an expensive plumber’s bill.
1. Insulate Exposed Plumbing
When a pipe freezes the frozen water expands and can cause the pipe to burst. To prevent the damage that a burst pipe can cause, use foam pipe insulation on all plumbing that is outdoors, in the crawlspace, or in an unheated basement. Wrapping your exterior faucets and disconnecting garden hoses will also protect your pipes from the cold.
2. Inspect Appliance Hoses
The hoses on appliances like your washing machine, dishwasher, and fridge don’t last forever. It is common to neglect these hoses until they spring a leak. Check these hoses for cracks, moisture, or if they just feel brittle. Installing replacement hoses before they fail is an easy and inexpensive home maintenance task.
3. Check the Water Pressure
Excessive water pressure puts stress on plumbing pipes and can wear on them over time. You can adjust the water pressure in your home yourself. It is recommended to keep your water pressure in the ballpark of 40-45 psi. to improve the life of your plumbing system and prevent plumbing leaks at home. Never let your water pressure go above 60 psi.
4. Install a Water Softener
Some cities’ municipal water supply is rich with minerals, or “hard”. While this may have health benefits, it is not healthy for your pipes. A precaution for preventing plumbing leaks at home is to install a water softening system to remove some of the mineral content. These systems can be purchased at home improvement stores and installed by a handy homeowner.
American Home Inspection Services serves Southeast Michigan with home inspection services. Contact us to schedule an inspection.
by mwonfor | Oct 19, 2018 | Community, Home Inspection, Home Maintenance, Homeowners
Clean water is a limited resource and many are increasingly aware of this due to the water problems Flint has experienced in recent years. While this alone may be enough to encourage you to find ways to save water at home, you may also want to reduce water consumption in an effort to save money on your utility bills. If you are serious about conserving water, consider making a few home improvements to get impressive results.
Find New Ways to Save Water at Home
If you are like many others who have been interested in reducing water consumption, you may have tried to save water at home by adjusting bathroom habits. For example, you may now turn off the water while you brush your teeth and limit your time in the shower each day.
When you and everyone in your home makes these adjustments you can save a substantial amount of water over the course of a year. However, you may now be looking for a new way to save water at home so that you can enjoy even better results. If you are ready to save more water, consider making these home improvements in the near future.
1. Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures
The amount of water that you use is directly related to the pressure or flow of the water in most cases. Consider that you may turn the water faucet on more forcefully when you need to wash your hands and you may blast the water at full force when you are showering.
Low-flow plumbing features use aeration to deliver a powerful stream of water as desired, but less water is used in the process. Aerated faucets can be installed in all of your sinks and showerheads. A similar design is available for toilets. You can potentially save hundreds of gallons of water each week by upgrading your fixtures to be more efficient.
2. Rainwater Collection and Storage Features
When you are looking for ways to save water at home, it is important to consider how you can maximize rainwater. Without a rainwater collection and storage system, the potential for using rain is lost.
For example, the lawn and vegetation may receive ample rain during a shower, but all of the rain that falls onto your roof and through your gutters runs off into your driveway or landscaping. Try connecting your gutter system to a rainwater storage tank so you can collect this runoff to use around your lawn and gardens. By taking this step, you can eliminate the need to draw water from the public water supply to keep your lawn or garden hydrated.
3. Upgrade Your Appliances
Your dishwasher, washing machine, toilet, and hot water heater make up a lot of your water consumption. You can upgrade your dishwasher and washing machine to WaterSense and ENERGY STAR® certified models that use less water to do the same job. A tankless hot water heater is another upgrade to consider. Because a tankless hot water heater heats water on-demand, you can draw hot water when needed.
You can see that there are numerous improvements that you can make to save water at home on a regular basis. Consider starting with one improvement to begin conserving water, and you can gradually make additional improvements for further conservation.
American Home Inspection Services provides home inspection services for Southeast Michigan, including water testing and well inspections. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
by mwonfor | Sep 20, 2018 | Community, Home Inspection, Home Maintenance, Homeowners, Seasonal
Summer has come and gone and fall is nearly upon us. The kids are back in school, so pack away all the camping, swimming, and other fun summer gear and make sure your home is ready for the first of many cooler days. Use the following 8 tips to help you prepare your home for fall and the coming winter. Doing so will protect you and your home, save you money, and help your home look better next spring.
1. Fertilize the Lawn to Prepare Your Home For Fall
Protecting your lawn over the winter will help it grow more lush and green the following spring. The hot summer stresses grass. Help refortify your lawn with a good dose of fertilizer now. Not only will you enjoy an attractive lawn next year, but your neighbors will also appreciate your efforts.
2. Drain Outdoor Faucets and Sprinklers
Don’t turn your patio, walkway, or driveway into a skating rink overnight. Before that first freeze comes unexpectedly, turn off and drain outdoor water faucets, hoses, and sprinklers. Then you can take steps to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting when the temperatures drop to very cold for long periods.
3. Drain and Store Gardening Equipment
Around mid-October, or earlier if you live far north, mow your lawn for the last time of the year. After that, drain the tanks of your lawn mower, weed eater, and other lawn equipment. If you don’t, unused gas will lead to gunk and other harmful buildups that may ruin your equipment, leaving you to replace it in the spring. Now is a good time to sharpen mower blades.
4. Clean the Gutters
Cleaning the gutters is an important task to prepare your home for fall. Clogged gutters can eventually lead to a damaged foundation and a host of other problems. Grab a ladder and someone to help you to make this task easier. If your house is one story, there are leaf blower attachments available that will help get the job done. If needed, hire professionals to clean the gutters.
5. Get Your HVAC Serviced
Your AC has worked hard all summer and now’s a good time to prepare it for a long winter’s rest. Clean the coils, filters, and air ducts, or you can hire someone to do it for you. Once clean and dry, cover the unit to protect it from debris and ice. Switch thermostats from cooling to heating. Prepare your furnace for its first use this season by cleaning the combustion chamber, inspecting the flue pipe, and changing the filters. Help your heating system function more efficiently by checking for leaks around windows and doors. Use weather stripping and caulking to seal any areas that aren’t airtight.
6. Check and Clean the Chimney
Checking your chimney is an important safety tip to prepare your home for fall. The last thing you want is for smoke, soot, or carbon monoxide to fill the room. Even gas fireplaces need chimneys inspected for bird or squirrel nests blocking the flue. Chimney pipes need to be free of cracks so smoke won’t enter the room. Inspecting and cleaning chimneys is best left to the professionals.
7. Inspect the Roof
Conduct a complete inspection of your roof, or hire a professional home inspector if you are not comfortable. Look for loose, missing, or curled shingles, and wind damage. Stop problems that may turn into leaks through the wind, rain, and snow of winter. Check gutters for loose shingle granules, which may be a sign you need a new roof.
8. Get Ice Melter and Snow Shovels Ready
The first cold, snowy spell can be a surprise, leaving customers scrambling for supplies at the last minute. Beat the crowds and get ice and snow-clearing supplies and equipment ready now to prepare your home for fall. You may even consider investing in a snow blower so that you can avoid strenuous snow shoveling. You will likely save money by buying them when they are not in such high demand.
In Michigan, it can turn from fall to winter very quickly. Be sure to check out our post about preparing your home for winter.
American Home Inspection Services serves Southeast Michigan with home inspection services. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
by mwonfor | Aug 20, 2018 | Community, Home Inspection, Home Maintenance, Homeowners, Mold Inspection
Look Out For These Signs of Mold
People do many things to make sure their homes are clean, safe, and healthy for their families. A big threat to a healthy home is mold growth. To know for certain whether there is mold in your home, you need to hire a professional to conduct a mold inspection. The home inspector will often perform air, surface, and bulk mold tests to compile conclusive results. It is important, however, for homeowners to know the signs of mold in their home. To identify the signs of mold, here are some of the things to check out.
1. Mold Smell
One of the major signs of mold in your home is its smell. If mold is in the house, the smell will be a bit damp and sometimes musty. If you smell anything that indicates the presence of mold in your home, call a professional home inspector who specializes in mold. Ignoring this sign could cause more damages to your home.
2. Presence of Water In Your Home
When you have broken pipes, leaks, or your sewer line bursts, your home is likely to experience water damage. This is a major problem in flood-prone areas. Water damage is often followed by the growth of mold in your home because of the damp conditions. As a result, you should always act fast when you notice water intrusion in your home. If you can’t clean the water out by yourself, you should consult home restoration professionals in your area.
3. Health Problems
When you experience health problems like allergies in your home, this could be a sign of mold. When hypersensitive individuals inhale mold spores, they may experience breathing problems due to the blockage of the airways. Some of the symptoms may be sneezing, a running nose, coughing, watery eyes, and dry, itchy skin.
Mold as an allergen has also been associated with asthma since it causes the above symptoms in addition to wheezing, shortness of breath, and a tight chest. If you do not clean out the mold in your home and seek immediate medical attention, these health problems may worsen.
4. Water Leaks
Water leaks may come from the roof, cracks in the wall, windows, doors, and other openings throughout your home. When water leaks within your home, you may notice mold growth or it may be hidden behind walls and not visible. This is where the services of a home inspector come in handy.
5. Previous Flooding
For people who reside in flood-prone areas, the probability of mold growing in your home after it has flooded is high. The problem will be worse when you stay for long without cleaning your home. This is because water damage is always accompanied by mold damage. After flooding in your home, you should take time to seek professional services from mold remediation specialists. The specialists will inspect all the visible and hidden parts of your home to assess the damage.
6. Visible Mold Growth
When you begin to smell mold, you’ll likely also see mold growth in your home. Note that even the smallest spot of mold could grow and cause damage to your home and negatively impact your health. This means that you need to contact a professional mold cleaning agent to restore your home.
American Home Inspection Services serves Southeastern Michigan with home inspection services, including mold inspections. Contact us if you have concerns about the signs of mold in your home.
