Tabor Hill & Associates LLC
When I was recently asked by an experienced realtor to write an article for homeowners on why home maintenance and inspections are important, I immediately thought of another real estate agent in Ponte Vedra Beach who regularly refers us to her clients but has personally been dealing with a mold claim nightmare.
This agent owns a home that was rented out to a great tenant and few problems ever arose, until one day when a major issue became apparent. A musty smell had encompassed the house and upon further investigation, she found that the hardwood floors had a little bit of water damage. Because much of the home had carpeted rugs, the issue was not immediately noticeable.
She feared a slab leak was to blame and called us out to take a look with an infrared camera. We were immediately able to determine there was not an active slab leak, but found the damage was caused by another source. Unfortunately, a small roof leak that had gone undetected over a period of time turned into a big mess. The leak had entered the wall cavity and continued down to the foundation, causing moisture retention between the concrete and her hardwood floors.
Once the problem was found, an insurance claim was made, and then the real dilemma set in for this homeowner. The claim was denied even though she had used the same carrier for over 12 years and had no other previous claims. This claim is months into litigation and the $30,000 bill has yet to be settled.
Many small issues like the roof leak we found go unattended due to the fact they are simply unknown until they have developed into a major problem. With annual home maintenance in conjunction to inspections, you can be a proactive homeowner and possibly avoid costly repairs!
As time goes on, parts of your house will wear out, break down, malfunction and then stop working all together. Some of these issues could be preventable. Just as most people maintain their vehicle with regular professional service and annual maintenance, the same should be done routinely on your home.
The top three common areas we find the most issues with on annual inspections are:
• Roofing
• Exterior Walls (especially on stucco)
• HVAC (cooling and heating)
General lists of annual maintenance recommendations can be extensive and overwhelming for many homeowners. We are often contacted to perform annual inspections to help owners through this process. After inspecting suggestions for specific maintenance are given based on our findings, they are put into a comprehensive report with pictures for our homeowner’s clarification. Strategic seasonal maintenance schedules with the help of licensed professionals can be key to enjoying your home to the fullest.
An informed homeowner is empowered to make educated decisions that can positively impact their investment, safety, heath and more!
James Cox is a certified master inspector with Tabor Hill & Associates LLC. Visit info@TaborKHill.com for more information.
