Home Inspections: General Exterior
When we do general home inspections, we obviously inspect all areas of the home. What I would like to do over several blogs is take an area that we inspect, tell you what we generally find but more importantly, give you information to help prevent it or fix it once discovered.
Today, we will deal with the general exterior of the home:
Safety Concerns:
Homeowners should examine the exterior of the house annually. The homeowner should check for broken steps or loose bricks on steps or sidewalks. Check for unlevel sidewalks that could present a tripping hazard. Any weak handrails or guardrails should be repaired. If there are ballusters (vertical rails), they should be no more than 4" apart. This is to prevent a small child from passing in between them.
Cleaning of Siding:
Most siding is designed to be self cleaning with rain. However, rain does not get up under the soffit or in other sheltered areas. Hosing these areas with a garden hose once a year will remove dust and a little scrubbing will get most of the rest. If necessary, a biodegradable cleaner (such as Simple Green) may be used to help scrub the really tough dirt. Mold first appears as tiny gray spots that resemble paint flecks and develops into dark, splotchy areas. Remove mold with a fungicide that will not bleach or fade the siding unless the siding is white or very light, in which case, liquid laundry bleach is best (diluted 1 part bleach to three parts water). Do not clean masonry with muriatic acid without testing; sometimes it causes discoloration months later. Professional siding cleaners can be called upon for cleaning efflorescence from masonry siding and for other cleaning chores that are too difficult for the homeowner.
Glazing Compound Failure:
Most single -pane windows use glazing compound(such as window putty) to seal the window glass to the sash. Eventually, the glazing compound loses its elasticity and can no longer adjust to the expansion and contraction of the sash and glazing. Cracks can appear, water enters and further deterioration follows quickly. It is recommended that bad glazing be removed and replaced with new compound. Many homeowners find that an electric hot-air gun is useful in helping to soften the old putty but the heat does break the glass sometimes. Be sure that glazing points, little metal retainers that are pressed into wood sashes, are used to securely fasten the glass. Any bare wood should be primed with exterior wood primer before replacing new compound, and the compound should be painted when finished. The paint should extend onto the surface of the glazing about 1/8" to provide a weather seal.
Ironwork Deteriorating:
Ironwork must be protected from the elements or it will deteriorate. Surfaces must be kept painted. Supports that are set into concrete are especially vulnerable for they must withstand moisture drawn through the concrete by capillary action. The point of support must be carefully caulked to prevent water from standing in puddles around the support. Once ironwork set in concrete begins to rust, the rust itself will allow water into the metal/concrete joint. The force created by this expansion can break concrete. It is recommended that ironwork be painted often to prevent this from occurring.
Vegetation:
Vegetation should not be on or near your house. Vegetation can encourage mold or moldew as well as interior rot and termites. The weight of vegetation can also dislodge siding. Vines can penetrate the mortar on brick veneer siding. It is recommended that vegetation not be closer than one foot to the house
Please check back for our series of articles on maintaining your home.