Rain is a Wonderful Test
January 17, 2010
For homeowners, this week of rain and the anticipation of more rain is a wonderful opportunity.
In our era of full disclosure when you offer your property for sale, knowing that your roof is water tight, that your drainage is adequate, that your gutters are doing the job for which they were designed is a great benefit.
This week's rain should allow you to discover any problems. One of the issues that crops up when a home is sold after an extensive dry spell is a leak in the roof. A seller may not know that there is a leak if we have not had substantial rain for many months or even years. The house is sold and a rain such as this week's occurs and a stain appears on the ceiling. Oops, big trouble. A buyer may feel that the seller knew the roof was leaking and wants the seller to pay for the repair. Not a good situation. So this week, check your ceilings and walls for signs of water intrusion. If you have access to your attic area, shine a flashlight and see if there may be spots appearing on the beams. All roofs can leak. The wind may blow shingles off, a tile may slip. Taking care of the problem ASAP will prevent other damage.
Drainage is another issue that can become a headache. Over time, the foundation plantings may allow soil to pile up higher than the sill of the foundation, thus permitting moisture to intrude. This week do you see puddles of water standing in areas of your yard. Is your yard squishy in spots? Diagnose the cause and make the necessary correction.
I have mentioned cleaning gutters as a good winter chore. Now you will find out whether they are being blocked by leaves and debris. With all the wind that we have had recently, the gutters may again have become filled with leaves.
Not only is having a rain good for alleviating a water shortage, it is a great help in maintaining the integrity of our property.
For homeowners, this week of rain and the anticipation of more rain is a wonderful opportunity.
In our era of full disclosure when you offer your property for sale, knowing that your roof is water tight, that your drainage is adequate, that your gutters are doing the job for which they were designed is a great benefit.
This week's rain should allow you to discover any problems. One of the issues that crops up when a home is sold after an extensive dry spell is a leak in the roof. A seller may not know that there is a leak if we have not had substantial rain for many months or even years. The house is sold and a rain such as this week's occurs and a stain appears on the ceiling. Oops, big trouble. A buyer may feel that the seller knew the roof was leaking and wants the seller to pay for the repair. Not a good situation. So this week, check your ceilings and walls for signs of water intrusion. If you have access to your attic area, shine a flashlight and see if there may be spots appearing on the beams. All roofs can leak. The wind may blow shingles off, a tile may slip. Taking care of the problem ASAP will prevent other damage.
Drainage is another issue that can become a headache. Over time, the foundation plantings may allow soil to pile up higher than the sill of the foundation, thus permitting moisture to intrude. This week do you see puddles of water standing in areas of your yard. Is your yard squishy in spots? Diagnose the cause and make the necessary correction.
I have mentioned cleaning gutters as a good winter chore. Now you will find out whether they are being blocked by leaves and debris. With all the wind that we have had recently, the gutters may again have become filled with leaves.
Not only is having a rain good for alleviating a water shortage, it is a great help in maintaining the integrity of our property.
posted by shirley harry at 8:07 AM
1 Comments:
Rain gutters should be kept free of snow, ice, water, leaves, and debris, be it winters, summer, spring, or fall. The easiest way to keep them squeaky clean is with the brand new Gutter Clutter Buster attachment tool for your wet/dry vac. It fits most standard, round, 2.5" wet/dry vac hose and literally "vacuums" out gutters while you stay firmly and safely on the ground. Check it out on their webpage and see for yourself how easy and safe it is to clean even second story rain gutters, faster than ever before when using a ladder, blower, or water wand. I did and I thrilled with my new, Made In the USA, tool. You will be too!
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