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Resources
For Your New Home
Some common problems, and simple solutions
for your home maintenance.
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Problem:
Settlement cracks through mortar joints and multicolored
brick.
Solution: We've all seen
gray colored caulk smeared into settlement cracks in brick
veneer walls - the repair is almost always more noticeable
than the crack itself. Multicolored brick seems impossible
to repair without creating an eyesore, but there is an
easy solution. You can find sanded caulk in the flooring
department of the hardware giants, and it comes in dozens
of colors. It's not cheap, but it has the grain of mortar,
is flexible and will move with the seasonal movement of
the crack, and with a little patience can blend with the
multiple colors of the brick and mortar.
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Problem:
Slab Corner Pops.
Solution: Though unsightly,
corner pops in slab foundations do not necessarily
represent a structural concern. Often these failures are
the result of the intense summer heat causing expansion
and contraction of the brick veneer wall above. When you
find a cracked corner on your slab foundation, we recommend
sealing the crack, then monitoring the crack over the
change in seasons. This not only gives you a good perspective
on the amount of seasonal movement your home experiences,
but it will prevent the loss of the corner as shown in
this image.
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Problem:
Hidden issues in bathroom/kitchen remodel.
Solution: A common mistake
made by homeowners and contractors alike involves covering
up existing moisture and infestation problems while remodeling
a bathroom or kitchen. Moisture damage is always a concern
in "wet rooms" and termites will often find
their way up through gaps near plumbing rough-ins in the
slab beneath these areas. All drywall in a bathroom or
kitchen should be removed, inspections made, then replaced,
during a remodel. Think about it - you want to find those
small leaks or minor pest issues before you close up the
stud walls for another 40 years! You don't want problems
to surface after you've spent a small fortune on wall/shower/backsplash
tile, painting, etc.
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Problem:
Dishwasher not draining.
Solution: If you've purchased
a recently remodeled home with what appears to be a new
dishwasher that empties into a new garbage disposal, start
there. Remove the dishwasher drain hose from the garbage
disposal and make sure the knock-out plug was removed
before attaching the drain hose. This happens more than
you can imagine. Regardless of the age of your dishwasher,
NEVER use detergent packets! The packets often burst rather
than disolve. This not only leaves detergent stains on
the interior, but the plastic packets often clog up your
dishwasher's drain outlet. |
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