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Maybe you've noticed a warped floor, standing water in the yard, or mold on the walls. Don't just grab some cleaning tools and hope a good scrub or clean will solve your problems. These signs of a bigger issue shouldn't be ignored.
Is your house more than 50 years old? If you have a radiator or steam heat, there's a chance you have asbestos pipe insulation, too. Wondering how you can tell? Your pipes will look as if they've been wrapped in plaster. If that's the case, call a professional. Removing asbestos is not something you should ever do yourself.
An estimated 6,000 people are injured each year due to deck collapse, so make sure your deck is sturdy. Check that it's attached with lag bolts or screw bolts and not just nailed to the siding. If you're not up to the task of making your deck safe (or it just needs to come down), call a contractor.
Your exterior paint and interior paint present different problems when they peel. For interiors, older homes could have lead-based paint, which means a professional should be called. One good indicator: See if the paint is peeling off in rough squares. If so, you probably have lead-based paint.
Exterior paint is a less fraught situation, but requires some work. Scrape down the wood, then apply primer. Don't repaint until it's dry. This will require patience, but you won't have to do it again for decades.
Don't waste water! Check under your sink to make sure nothing's leaking, even if the faucet isn't dripping. Catching a leak will not only save you from paying for water you aren't using, it will save your cabinets (and whatever you have inside them) from water damage.
If your roof looks like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss story, take note. While it could mean the materials in your roof have dried out — an ugly but mostly cosmetic problem — it could also mean that something is broken, rotten, or a connection has come loose. In that case, you should call a pro for help.
This sounds like a scary movie come to life, but if a stair railing in your house does more than wiggle, it needs to be fixed ASAP. You can tighten the railing’s attachment to the wall yourself if the railing isn't too long, but otherwise, call a professional.
If you notice that a sink in a bathroom you don't often use is smelly, it could just be that the water in the U-shaped pipe under the sink has dried out. Try pouring a quart of water down the sink and leave the room for a few hours. If that works, pour a teaspoon of vegetable oil down the drain to keep the water from evaporating in the future. If that doesn't solve the problem, a plumber can check to see if your vent pipe has become blocked by something.
Because most basements are cooler than the rest of the house, warm air coming from inside can condense on your pipes. This can lead to annoying dripping, but also mold. Make sure vents to the outdoors are closed. Foam pipe insulation will help, too.
Yes, ivy can look elegant, but it can also trap moisture, rot wood, and attract rats (really). Mold can also become a problem depending on where you live. Vines can even splinter and weaken brick mortar. Have to have ivy? Either trim it back so it doesn't get into windows or gutters, or (better yet) put it on a trellis, not your house.
Don't let a slow drain become a bigger problem. If yours is gurgling or draining slowly, you might be able to fix this problem on your own. If the cause is a blockage, use a snake ($5 from Amazon) or a plunger to get things moving again. If you can't get at the problem, call a plumber.
We don't mean the usual sounds of an HVAC unit humming away. Be worried about banging, thumping, or squealing. Strange (and loud) sounds suggest a problem with the air conditioner's belts, blower motor, or compressor. For any of these, call an HVAC technician.
If your roof has a damaged shingle, that means moisture can get under the shingles, which can lead to bigger problems. If you can put in a few shingles, this is an easy fix that will head off major headaches (and expenses) later.
After a heavy rain, you may notice puddles that aren't disappearing in your yard. After a few days, that's a problem. Whether you have poor drainage or uneven grading, if the water is near your home's foundation you can bet moisture is finding its way into your basement. Consider a French drain or re-grading your yard.
Sure, floors settle, but if yours is looking warped, check your basement or crawlspace to find out if there's a bigger problem. A leaking toilet can cause water to seep into the subfloor. Or worse, if someone removed a structural support, you might have to do a bigger repair.
While you can expect mold in moist areas like the bathroom, if you spot it on your living room walls, call a professional. An independent inspector certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the American Council for Accredited Certification can tell you whether you can clean it up yourself or whether it's best left to professionals.
If you see droppings, it's time to close any gaps in your house — and then exterminate the invaders. Check exhaust vents, ducts, and garage doors (and anything else that provides access to your house) and look for signs of chewing, poop, or nesting. Rats can be especially tough to get rid of, so you may want to call an exterminator.
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