Home Maintenance in the Ohio Valley is Critical!

Learn the areas of Kentuckiana Properties that are influenced by local conditions

Working as a home inspector, I’ve come to find that a home is so much more than just a structure that one lives in. A home is an intricate system composed of other systems that brings many things together to create a habitable, safe, and comfortable place to lay your head.

As an inspector, I see many different types of homes. One thing always remains the same for all homes, no matter the age.Maintenance is key.

The Cost of Neglect

It’s easy to make the decision to fix things that may disrupt the livability, comfort, and safety of the home. These items may be electrical hazards, plumbing back ups, major settling of the structure, termite damage, or hail damage to the roof.

It’s a little more difficult to make the call about smaller things that may not seem to be causing immediate issues. Often, this looks like proper water drainage away from the structure, crawlspace care, regular painting of exposed wood on the exterior, draining and cleaning water heaters, and hvac items such as regular maintenance and changing filters.

Challenges of Kentuckiana Homes

There are a few things to keep in mind specific to this area. For example, the heavy clay soil or “Louisville clay”, in addition to our frequent rain storms, can put tremendous pressure on foundations, which is only made worse by clogged gutters and poor grading near foundations. The outcome can become an expensive headache for local home owners, resulting in cracked walls & wet basements, or bowing crawlspace walls. So keep your gutters clear of debris and check the grading of the soil near your home.

Termites are also an ongoing issue for homeowners in the area. Relatively mild winters and damp springs can cause termites to swarm exposing homes to their infiltration. It’s best to consistently check the exterior of a home for holes or tubes leading up to exposed wood and to treat any area regularly.

Our local storms also bring dreaded hail storms and gusty winds that create havoc on roofs. A small ding on a roof tile can lead to a leak if you’re not careful. A good way to protect your home is with aFortified Roof,which can withstand winds of up to 130 mph and significantly sized hail.

Finally, being in a valley brings challenges as far as our pollen count, which is why seasonal allergies are so prevalent. Changing the filter in your HVAC system regularly can go long way towards bringing down the dust, mold, and pollen count in a dwelling.

Be Prepared

This collection of items can build up over time and come together to create some bigger issues that can be costly. It’s understandable that some things fall through the cracks.

Not every homeowner is on the lookout for these things, may not know about home maintenance, or are simply busy people. The main key is to be aware and cut out some time for these items, they may save your wallet in the long run!

Noah

Home Inspector with Guardian Pro