Gone with the wind...

Winds are a strong force of nature, proof of that we all received today with this incredible weather. All my neighbors including myself lost quite a few shingles to the gusting winds that were blowing strongly today.

What should you do in an emergency situation like today and what should you do as part of your regular maintenance activities?

In an emergency situation like today:

Conduct a visual inspection of your roof, try to evaluate the damages. Call roofing companies and be aware of things to ask:

A.         Ask if they are fully insured

B.         Ask when should you expect them to come and repair the damages? In a day like today, unless the wind stopped don’t expect the roofer to fix the damages today, it is not safe! Look for a concrete time frame; remember that as a home owner you have also responsibility for people’s life on your property.

C.         Ask each company you call for an estimate of the work needed, is there any minimum charge (which would probably apply in this case) but more importantly what would be the maximum you would be expected to pay.

D.         Be patient, it can be frustrating to get quotes. Don’t delay if you noticed damage to your shingles. Try to fix it as soon as possible to eliminate and reduce any further damages that may happen.

As part of your regular maintenance activities:

•          Conduct a visual inspection of your roof every season. It only takes a few minutes and it is fairly easy to detect missing shingles by taking a look from across the street or backyard.

•          Respond to obvious signs of leakage as soon as you detect them. Avoid even more costly repairs should the problem develops.

•          A roof tune-up - hire the services of a professional to conduct an annual roof tune-up. That will take care of missing shingles, deteriorating or missing caulking around vents, flashings, nails, skylight, chimneys and mechanical damage.

•          Trim tree branches that may brush against the shingles and contribute to material deterioration. Trees over or near your roof also assist small animals in accessing your roof space.

Hope this helps, stay safe…

What does grading really mean?

Did you know? One of the common problems found in inspected homes is improper lot grading and drainage systems. Whether you are planning to stay put, sell or buy a new property, one of the things to look for is that the perimeter around the home is graded away from the foundation wall to help direct the water from rainfall/melting snow away, to help prevent water seeping/leaking through the foundation resulting in water damage to the interior.

What does grading really mean?

The ground around your house needs to slope in such a way that storm water (rain) runoff flows away from the house rather than towards the foundation.
Improper slope can result in problems with wet basements and crawlspaces, damage to foundations and sometimes damage to siding material.
When the lot grading is flat or slopes toward the building, improvements to the grading are necessary. 

What causes changes in lot grading?

· Inappropriate landscaping work
· Erosion of garden soils by rain, often resulting from missing, leaking or overflowing gutters and downspouts.
· The compaction of backfill. Even if the backfill is well compacted, the soil close to the building may settle through the years. Although initially the finished grade had provided good drainage, this settling backfill can create an improper slope. 

Your job as a home owner? 

Check your lot grading and drainage system such as your evetroughs and downspouts on a regular basis.  Seasonal maintenance is the best way to notice changes as they occur. It is much easier and cheaper to deal with them right away, rather than to deal with their consequences.

My Tips to You

Get out there, there's a lot you can do:

• Walk around your property at least twice a year. In the spring and in the fall. Try to detect any changes to your lot grading. The rule of thumb is that the lot should slope away 1 inch every 6 feet, so if standing 6 feet away from the foundation wall, the grade should be 1 inch lower at that point.
• You may need to consider improving the grading. This often involves the addition of soil. Resodding may be needed as well. Remember that dirt cannot be piled against siding.
• Any granular or mulching materials are not considered proper solutions; water can still seep through, especially if the soil under is sloped towards the foundation - this would just hide the problem not fix it.
• Clean gutters and downspouts on a regular basis to allow for optimal water flow. Make sure that the downspouts extend at least 6 feet away from the foundation to prevent any water damages to the foundation.

A 10 “Prep your home for spring“ tips

1. Evaluate and inspect the home’s exterior.
Prepare a list of items that need to be repaired after winter damages. Create a plan that best suits your needs and budget to repair or replace identified items.
One of the top priorities should be to direct water away from the foundation wall as much as possible. It is especially true during thawing season. Make sure that the lot grading is correct and is sloping away from your foundation wall. The rule of thumb is that the lot should slope away 1 inch for every 6 feet.

2. Make sure your sump pump is operating properly and that the drainage pipe is properly connected and not blocked. It is also a good idea to install a second pump and battery in case of a power outage.

3. Conduct a visual inspection of your roof every season. It only takes a few minutes and it is fairly easy to detect missing shingles by taking a look from across the street or backyard.
Respond to obvious signs of leakage as soon as you detect them. Avoid even more costly repairs should the problem develops.

4. Clean the gutters and downspouts. Make sure they are intact, connected and extended at least 6 feet away from the foundation to prevent any water damage to structure and foundation.

5. Reconnect all garden / garage hoses to their faucets and turn on all the faucets’ inside valves (usually located in the basement) after winter time.

6. Check that exterior caulking and paint are intact, apply or replace as needed. In addition remember to reinstate all window screens to windows.

7. Humidifier maintenance: Close the humidifier damper and clean or replace the filter. The humidifier damper should stay closed during summertime so that conditioned air will not be drawn back to the humidifier and cause ice build-up.

8. After using wood fire places in winter time it is a good idea to have it inspected by a WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) certified person and cleaned before next use. Often it is better to do so in summer time and prepare ahead of time and not wait for last minute when it is a busy season.
As for gas fireplaces, you may want to shut off the pilot light during summertime. Remember that if you want to clean the fireplace's glass, use a specific cleanser, any other cleaning agent may cause stains on the glass and damage its appearance.

9. Check that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working condition.

10. Turn back on the breaker of the air conditioning on the electrical panel during summertime at least 24 hour before the first use.