Category: News

Inspection Insights: High Humidity in the Home

Posted on June 30, 2017 by - News

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A high relative humidity in your home encourages mold growth and dust mites, can make your house smell musty, and can potentially damage your home and your possessions. In simplest terms, “relative humidity” refers to the amount of dampness in the air. This Pillar To Post® Info Series offers suggestions for addressing high humidity.

Control Humidity at the Source

Whole House High Humidity

Lack of ventilation - Newer homes are “tight”, meaning well-sealed, restricting ventilation. Without fresh air circulation, humidity builds up inside your home (only an issue during heating season when the windows are closed).

Oversized central air conditioner - Central air conditioning is an excellent dehumidifier. An oversized central air conditioner, however, has on-cycles that are too short to effectively remove humidity.

Caution - A gas-fired appliance not venting properly may cause high humidity. If you have any doubt, immediately contact a qualified heating contractor to investigate.

Localized High Humidity

Overcooling - If an area, such as a basement, gets too much cold air supply, may create condensation and a high humidity problem. Adjusting the supply registers prior to the cooling season may help.

Clothes dryer discharging into house - This situation creates a huge source of moisture concentrated in a small area. Clothes dryers should discharge to the exterior even in winter. Verify that the discharge pipe is clear and connected properly at the back of the dryer.

Bathroom fans - Showers and baths add a great deal of moisture. Install an exhaust fan.

Basement dampness - Before you crank on a dehumidifier, find the moisture culprit and reduce or eliminate it at its source.

Crawlspace dampness - Put a sheet of plastic covered in sand or gravel over a dirt floor crawlspace to keep the dampness down.

Dehumidifier - A dehumidifier may be your only way to control moisture in a damp area. A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air and drains the liquid into a reservoir or drain. If the room is colder than 65 °F (18 °C) the dehumidifier may ice up. In this case, shut off the unit until it has defrosted then turn it back on. You may also have to increase the temperature of the space. Some units will operate down to about 42 °F (6 °C) and automatically defrost when they ice up.

The Power of Lemonade

Posted on June 30, 2017 by - News

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Load up on lemons if you’re searching for a powerful, friendly environmentally cleaner that can tackle virtually any household chore!

 

Just a few ways to make your home naturally sparkle:

  • Lemon juice is great at absorbing stains on countertops.
  • Soak carpet stains for 20 minutes then rinse and blot.
  • Mix lemon juice with baking soda to create a scouring paste.
  • Heat a bowl of water with sliced lemons in the microwave for a few minutes before wiping it down.

Lemons are an excellent alternative to toxic cleansers plus they’ll fill your home with a refreshing citrus scent!

Pre-sale Tips to Use Now

Posted on June 22, 2017 by - News

Many home sellers often overlook easy and relatively inexpensive fixes that not only increase visual appeal, but may also add to a home’s selling price. While major remodeling is costly and may not address the needs and tastes of prospective buyers, these repair and maintenance suggestions have universal appeal and may help a home sell more quickly – and for a better price.

INTERIOR

  • Bathrooms and the kitchen must get a deep cleaning. Sellers should consider a cleaning company that offers “move in / move out” cleaning services to do the job.
  • If kitchen cabinet exteriors are in bad shape, refacing may be an option. Far less expensive than new cabinetry, refacing can give old and worn cabinets new life and can visually renew a kitchen. Alternatively, many cabinet materials can also be painted, for an updated look without costing a lot.
  • Consider replacing kitchen or bathroom counters with a neutral colored laminate surface if the current material is badly worn or stained. This gives the room a fresh appearance and, most importantly, prevents potential buyers from focusing on an eyesore.
  • Fresh paint on the walls and ceilings will do wonders for all rooms in the house. Stick to neutral tones so that buyers aren’t distracted by colors that make a statement. They’ll be able to imagine themselves and their furniture in the space much more easily.
  • If carpet now covers up hardwood floors, consider having it removed to expose the hardwood flooring. Hardwood floors are desirable, so they should be shown off. If carpet is to remain, it should be thoroughly cleaned.

EXTERIOR

  • If the home’s exterior needs painting, get it done. Buyers notice if paint is faded and peeling. If the paint is in good shape overall, renew the doors and trim with a fresh coat.
  • Clean the windows inside and out so they sparkle. It’s amazing what a difference this can make in a home’s appearance. Hiring a professional window cleaning company is the easiest and safest way to get the job done on a multi-story home.
  • Clear clutter from the yard, keep the lawn mowed, and trim any overgrown shrubs that detract from the home’s appearance. The home should look well maintained even at first glance.
  • Place pots of bright, colorful flowers along an entry path and near the doors to add a cheery, welcoming touch.

Homeowners should save major remodeling projects – and the budget required – for their new home, not the one they are about to sell. But implementing some of the steps above can increase the appeal to prospective buyers without a huge investment in time or money.

Getting top dollar for your seller: 5 best places to renovate

Posted on May 31, 2017 by - News

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The places in every home where you should be paying attention if you're hoping to sell

With the prime spring selling season gearing up, your clients may be wondering which parts of their home can give them the best return on investment if they choose to renovate.

Here are the five key renovation strategies that are time-tested, require minimal effort and provide options for every budget. They are designed to get sellers the best bang for their buck and top dollar for your listing.

1. Flooring

Every single person in a household will touch the floor every day in varying degrees, whether it’s the bedroom, living room or kitchen. It comes as no surprise that upgrading the flooring is a key feature that will go a long way to capture a buyer’s attention.

Here are some key tips:

  • Remove outdated carpets (or at the very least, if that is not possible, ensure the carpets are professionally steam cleaned, looking fresh with no stains, rips or tears).
  • Replace old carpets with either laminate flooring, hardwood flooring or ceramic tiles.
  • It’s been proven buyers view non-carpeted flooring more positively, as it’s easier to clean and helps with family members who have allergies.

2. Fixtures and hardware

These may seem small on the surface, but can make quite a difference. Fixtures and hardware include items such as door knobs, handles on doors and closets, entrances and exits, cabinet hardware, bathroom and lighting fixtures, etc.

They are easy to replace, fairly inexpensive, come in many color and design options, and provide great options for anyone on a budget. The best part is that the seller gets a great return on investment for not a lot of money. These are simple and cheap, but definitely a worthwhile improvement to any home.

On the other hand, if fixtures and hardware have not been replaced, it can really date a property and make it appear as if it has not been maintained.

Just remember, everyone has to either touch a door or walk through it!

3. Bathrooms

Without a doubt, any money you spend on upgrading a bathroom will be worth the effort, as it’s considered the second-most-important room in the house.

Key upgrades include:

  • New tile and grout (floors and shower)
  • New faucet and hardware
  • New coat of paint on walls or cabinets
  • Upgrading or replacing cabinets (this can including swiping out new hardware and sanding down old cabinets and repainting them or replacing them completely)

4. Kitchen

This is the most valuable room in the house — if homeowners only have one place where they can opt to do renovations, the kitchen is a sure-fire bet to pay off.

You don’t need to spend a fortune in order to make it look spectacular.

Here are some simple add-ons or improvements:

  • Add in a new deluxe faucet
  • Change out cabinet door hardware with new handles or knobs
  • Upgrade or purchase new appliances (fridge, range and hood, dishwasher, etc.) with a clean look that complements each piece, giving the kitchen a cohesive design
  • Add new lighting
  • Create a backsplash to help jazz up appearance and functionality
  • Rebuild standard cabinetry at half the price (as opposed to custom cabinets or using expensive materials)

5. Add an income-suite

Depending on the city or municipality, if the neighborhood allows for income suites, sellers could potentially add 150 percent to 160 percent of equity into their home by putting in an extra suite.

This allows an owner to also potentially receive additional income through a tenant that can help pay off the mortgage or as an additional investment. Depending on the specific market or city, demand for double unit homes can rise by more than 25 percent.

Research the market area of the home — if the town or city is growing, it means more people will move into that city. Also, check if the government and other institutions are planning on investing into that market; for example, are they planning to build hospitals, schools, universities, new transit system, etc.? This may signal that as the community grows, there will be a greater demand for housing, tenant opportunities and increased equity for homes who can support the upsurge.

For more information, please contact the nationwide experts at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors — www.pillartopost.com/hereforyou

Article originally published on INMAN.com: INMAN.com