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Media Release |
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The Money is in the Maintenance - what you do today will make you money tomorrow
Thursday, 28 April 2011 14:32
by Maureen Letter
West Australian State Manager Archicentre When the decision to sell a home is made the time has come to present it to the market in the best light and it is usually the time when home owners, who have not maintained the property correctly and in a timely manner, get a few home truths.
Maureen Letter
The best way to get a better price for your home is simple - fix the faults and avoid building faults becoming deal-breakers!
From experience and carrying out thousands of pre-purchase inspections and architects advice reports on housing, Archicentre recommends home owners give their home a regular overall inside and outside maintenance check and attend to a problem before it gets worse.
If you think small cracks, mould and odd smells in the house are not major problems with the structure of your home then think again. It could mean water damage, destructive pests or deterioration so it is best to detect the problem and repair it before the damage advances.
The action you take today will save you money tomorrow by being less costly to fix and also stopping the 'repair domino impact' where a small leak not fixed could lead to the need to replace or repair plaster board, replace a plaster ceiling or lead to a dangerous electrical fault. Maintaining the Roof Space Your roof frame and ceiling rafters can warp and deflect over time and usually there is little chance of a serious problem developing. But, by re-roofing with a material heavier than the original covering you can do serious damage unless the roof framing is strengthened. If you notice unusual smells when examining the roof this could indicate the intrusion of animals or water. Animals can cause damage such as stained ceilings and chewed wiring so remove them as soon as possible and get an electrical safety check once the pests are gone. Make sure your roof insulation is appropriate for your climate, spread evenly throughout the roof space and kept well clear of downlights, electrical transformers and other heat generating devices. Uneven or inadequate insulation can lead to heat leakage or uneven heat gain and increased energy bills. Electrical hot spots can be a serious fire hazard. Most plaster walls will crack in time, but provided your footings and foundations are sound, often all that is required is to patch cracks when re-painting to improve appearances.
Maintaining Ceilings and Walls
However, recurring cracks may indicate a structural problem and warrant further investigation.
Condensation and roof leaks may eventually cause the walls and ceilings in old homes to bulge as the plaster, fixings or framing deteriorates. If the bulging plaster sounds hollow when tapped, re-plastering or new plasterboard may be required.
If your house is brick, check the walls regularly for rising damp, which is caused by a breakdown of the damp-proof course, brought on by damp external conditions and often made worse by inadequate sub-floor ventilation.
Take care that you don't create external garden conditions that give rise to rising damp by covering sub-floor vents, or laying beds hard up against walls above the damp-proof course. You should aim to maintain a reasonable circulation of air in the house, to prevent stale air, excessive humidity and condensation, all of which may affect your health and cause materials to deteriorate. Items such as stoves, clothes dryers and showers should all be well vented to the outside of the house. Long periods of stagnant, moist conditions in your house will encourage mould. Chloride-based cleaners will scrub most of it off, followed by an application of fungicidal paint for future protection. Maintaining the interior of your home can be as simple as opening windows and doors to let fresh air flow through. Maintaining Services Have gas leaks fixed immediately. Check the colour of your cook top's gas flame for signs of contamination and danger - natural gas should burn blue. If in doubt get your appliance or supply line checked by a qualified service person. Fuses that blow with increasing regularity indicate a wiring problem and should be attended to immediately. In older homes, blowing fuses may indicate a wiring system coming to the end of its working life. Blown fuses may also occur after the replacement of light fittings, or after recent renovations and extensions, because older wiring can disintegrate when touched and older systems may not have sufficient capacity for additional outlets, light fittings and appliances. Do not attempt any re-wiring work yourself. Always contact a licensed electrician. Maintaining tiled wet areas Bathrooms and laundries and kitchen sinks are naturally wet areas. Check for cracked or drummy tiles and loose or missing grout in showers, bath surrounds and splashbacks. Water penetrating behind tiles will encourage the development of timber rot to the wall framing or timber pest infestation. In brick homes often the first sign of water leaking through tiles in showers is the condition of plaster on the other side of the shower wall – frequently in a bedroom or wardrobe. The plaster becomes damp and “bubbles”. The wall must be left to dry completely once the leaking tiles have been fixed before any repair can be undertaken to the plaster. Water resistant structural flooring can deteriorate rapidly with serious loss of structural stability under prolonged exposure to water. Repair all leaks quickly to avoid further deterioration. Maintaining the Sub-Floor It is important to remove debris from the sub-floor to help with ventilation, which is vital in controlling sub-floor dampness. Damp sub-floors often make the house smell musty and mouldy. Black mould may appear on walls, and sometimes white "beards" of mould may appear under the house. Stumps, bearers and joists will rot much faster when subjected to mould and damp conditions. Damp sub-floor conditions can also attract destructive timber pests. Homes that contain timber stumps as part of their sub-floor structure will eventually be subject to stump rot. Stumps deteriorate first just below ground level, and the best way to extend their life is to keep the ground dry. Ensure that open perps in the external brick walls are not covered by brick paving or garden beds as these openings, when covered, give perfect access for termites into the wall cavity and hence the rest of the home. Also examine the sub-floor for signs of termites. They build mud tunnels under concrete slabs, over stumps and base walls to get to the house. The first line of defence for both termites and borers is to keep the sub-floor as dry and as well ventilated as possible and remove any loose timber off-cuts or builder's waste as this provides tasty fodder for hungry termites. One sign of borer damage is the gritty dust residue they leave behind. If you find or suspect a termite infestation, contact a pest controller without delay. Media Enquiries:
Maintaining Living Conditions inside the House
Cold water systems in older homes can deteriorate very rapidly. If cold water pressure drops significantly, it is worthwhile having a plumber replace the main supply pipe.
Hot water units have a limited life and can fail without warning. External units deteriorate more rapidly with exposure to the elements and may require replacement every 7 - 10 years. Temperature control valves may require replacement at even shorter intervals depending on the manufacturer's recommendations.
The life of storage hot water systems can be extended if the sacrificial anode in the tank is checked regularly by a plumber and changed when required. This anode is made of softer metal than the tank and impurities in the water will attack and ‘eat’ the anode before they attack the main tank. By changing this anode when required the life of the tank can be significantly extended.
Current regulations require an impervious finish to all surfaces that are exposed to water, from shower bases and walls, bath surrounds and basin or sink splashbacks. Ceramic tiles fulfill this function well as long as certain features are maintained. Ensure adequate waterproof seals around shower screens, fixtures and shower bases.
Termites - sub-floor bearer damage (Coptotermes species)
Do not attempt to remove or disturb the nest or mud-tubes yourself as this will disperse the colony and make control even more difficult.
Archicentre publishes a cost guide for home owners to provide an indication of costs of renovation and repairs at www.archicentre.com.au
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Archicentre - Mobile: 0417 329 201