You spend so much money on your home throughout a lifetime. It’s easy to forget that the spending doesn’t stop when you buy your home. That’s a huge expense, but then you spend loads of cash getting it to look as pretty as possible, then maintaining it. Basically, you put a lot of time and money into this property, so you want it to stay in the best condition for as long as possible.
As a result, it’s your job to be on the lookout for any warning signs in and around your home. These signs will signify that you’ve got a problem lingering. Don’t worry, it’s isn’t the end of the world! The whole point of this post is to teach you to spot these signs before the problems can develop and cause you lots of drama. This should prevent the need for costly repairs, and stop your home from suffering a lot of trauma.
So, what signs do you need to keep your eyes peeled for?
Mould & mildew – dark spots on your walls/surfaces
Both mold and mildew come from the fungi family, though they’re slightly different. Both can be unsightly and cause property damage, but the difference is that mold grows under surfaces, while mildew grows on top of it. You’ll likely find mildew on the plastic parts of your windows, while mold is commonly found on the ceilings and walls in humid parts of your house.
Both of these fungi love to spawn when the conditions are warm and damp. The problem is that they can be impossible to remove when they’ve truly settled. Also, they can weaken the structures they’re attached to, causing lots of damage to your home. You’ll need to pay for professional mold or mildew removal, and then pay to repair the damaged structures. This can all be avoided if you notice the fungi early on when it can be removed by you.
Key things to look for are discoloration on your surfaces or walls – it should look black or green, and both look similar to the mold you find on food. If you spot this, use bleach to try and remove it before it settles. Also, look for areas of dampness in your home as it can be a precursor for fungi forming!
Termites – holes in wooden structures
Termites are a tiny pest that causes huge problems in your home. Most of you are probably aware of what termites do. They scuttle around your home, eating through different wooden structures. This can include furniture, wooden floors, or even wooden elements within your walls. To make matters worse, they start forming nests around your home, breeding more termites to do more damage.
It’s not hyperbole to say that a bad termite infestation can actually cause significant structural damage to your property. If undetected, nothing stops a hoard of termites from gnawing through a supportive wooden beam, potentially making a floor fall through. Or, they could weaken the structure of your furniture, making it break when you use it, possibly causing an injury.
The telltale sign of termites is seeing holes in your wooden structures. You may also see wood shavings or dust around your home, and these all point to a termite problem. As soon as you spot these things, you should call a termite inspection pest control service to deal with the problem. You can’t solve a termite problem on your own as these signs barely scratch the surface. There could be nests within your home, so an inspection must be carried out to see the true extent of the problem. From here, any decent pest control service will take action and rid these pests from your home.
Structural damage – cracks and chips in your walls
Structural damage to the walls in your home will clearly be a massive problem if left undetected. You can liken it to potholes in the road – it might start as a small crack in the road, but over time it turns into a huge hole that requires immediate attention. A similar thing happens to your home – it may look like a superficial crack or chip, but it can deepen and widen if you let it!
Therefore, you could be in a situation where your walls start caving in or crumbling. Deep cracks cause so much structural weakness, so the walls have to work much harder to hold up your property. It’s just not a good situation to be in – why take the risk? Be vigilant and constantly check the inside and outside of your home for any signs of cracks or chips in the walls.
If you spot them, get them seen right away. It’s probably best to call an expert in, just so they can assess the damage. The good news is, minor chips and cracks can be solved by filling them in and restoring the structural strength to the wall. This saves you from needing to fully knockdown and replace a wall, which is a lot of hard work – and costly!
Roofing issues – loose roof tiles and gaps in the roof
The last warning sign is on your roof, and it tells you that you have some roofing issues. If there are problems with the roof, your whole house will suffer. You lose too much energy, meaning your bills are higher. Not only that, but the possibility of a roof caving in and damaging the rest of your house is high.
Head up to your attic during the day, looking for any beams of light coming through the roof. This will show there are holes that need to be filled. Likewise, look around the exterior of your home for any signs of tiles that have come loose and fallen off the roof.
If any of these problems are spotted, calling some roofing experts to help you devise a long-lasting solution. The idea is that you can make some quick roofing repairs, rather than needing to pay for a brand new roof installation!
Please keep your eyes peeled for all of these warning signs if you want your home to stay beautiful for longer. Spotting any problems before they properly manifest is the easiest way to handle them.
Kori
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