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Designing, building and maintaining homes that manage moisture effectively comprise a process of good decision-making. While builders and designers provide most of the up-front decisions, such as designing the roof system and specifying the foundation drainage details, over the long term, the homeowner must understand basic moisture issues and make good decisions at the right times. Water is the number #1 cause of destruction to your home. From the rain falling down on your home, excessive moisture in walls and attic, water leaks from pipes in the wall, and drainage lines in wall and under cabinets. Therefore, it is important for an inspector to call out or recommend further evaluations and/or repairs by qualified professionals when any moisture intrusion is discovered. The exterior surfaces of your house, from the roof to the foundation, make up its envelope or “skin.” The skin is designed to shed or repel excess water. If it doesn’t, expect trouble. When roof flashing’s, windows, foundation walls, and other building components are not properly maintained, rainwater will find its way into vulnerable parts of your house.

Your House Absorbs and Releases Excess Moisture

All houses must absorb and release moisture constantly in order to maintain a healthy balance. If your house has “breathing” problems, many types of moisture problems can develop. Trapped moisture — dampness that cannot be released, for one reason or another — is one of the primary causes of fungus and mold growth in a house. Fungi can literally eat wood, causing decay, rot, and ultimately structural damage. Trapped moisture in the walls can destroy the value of your insulation and, consequently, raise heating and cooling costs. Wood that stays moist attracts carpenter ants and other insects that can accelerate structural problems. Some

The Scope and Importance of a Home Inspection

A home inspection is a professional consulting service that determines the present condition of the home’s major systems, based on a visual inspection of accessible features. It focuses on the performance of the home, rather than cosmetic, code or design issues. Inspections are often performed during a real estate transaction, but may be done anytime. A home inspector is sometimes confused with a real estate appraiser. A home inspector determines the condition of a structure, whereas an appraiser determines the value of a property. A good analogy that many people can understand is a home inspector is similar to a general medical practitioner. Example would be when inspecting a home if the inspector see’s questionable faults in the electrical distribution box (breaker box) the inspector would “recommend further evaluation by a licensed electrician”. As would a MD recommend you go see a heart specialist if you’re Doctor sees something potentially irregular with your heart. You wouldn’t ask your MD to do open heart surgery nor is he licensed to do so. Note: (e) (6) An inspector shall not accept employment to repair, replace, maintain or upgrade systems or components of property covered by the Standards of Practice under this sub chapter on which the inspector has performed an inspection under a real estate contract, lease, or exchange of real property within 12 months of the date of the inspection.                                          http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=22&pt=23&ch=535&rl=220

Home Inspection is:

• An in-field evaluation and professional opinion of the performance of the readily accessible installed systems in a home at one point in time • Primarily a visual examination • Intended to identify components that are significantly deficient, unsafe or near the end of their useful life • Documented with a

Maintenance For Your Home 8/3/2016 Maintaining a home can be costly, and older homes are even more susceptible to maintenance costs. Experts say homeowners should be ready to spend roughly 1% of the home’s value every year on maintenance and repair. Would you like to keep some of that money? I will be sending you some tips that will possibly help you do just that. My goal is to send out monthly, but if I have the time it may be twice a month. Re-key all your locks Never assume that the keys you were handed at closing are the only keys out there. Play it safe and have them all re-keyed. You can do this yourself if you are not afraid to take the locks off the door. First locate a locksmith that will re-key the lock if you bring it to them. Probably best if someone stays at home while you take the locks to locksmith. Ensure they can do it while you wait. This will save you considerable money if they do not have to make a house call. Word of warning, putting the screws back in will be the hardest part. I have done this many times myself and locating the threads that the screw has to hit is hard. Screw is long and you can’t see where it is going inside. I know you can do it! Fix a Leaky Faucet This particular type of water torture is likely due to a failed washer inside the handle. The faucet is just the messenger. To replace the washer, turn off the water supply valve under the sink. Stuff a rag in the drain so you don’t lose parts, then take the handle apart. Pop the screw cover on top, remove the screw, and pull off the