Fall is the time to give your house its annual physical before winter's
harsh weather sets in. Use this detailed checklist (provided by the writers of
This Old House) as a guide while you
look around for leaks, cracks, breaks, wear, and every other conceivable
problem that can develop over the year. Then make a repair list to keep up on
the maintenance of your home during the coming months.
INTERIOR (COMMON AREAS)
• Now that summer's humidity is gone, check doors for
swollen spots and sticking.
• Look for loose hinges and doorknobs.
• Check the floor for popped nails, loose boards,
loose tiles, and springy spots that could be a sign of joist trouble.
• Look at ceilings for stains, which could indicate a
roof or plumbing leak.
• Make sure ceilings and floors aren't sagging or
cracked in new places, which might mean a bigger problem causing a shift in the
house. Look above doors for cracks.
• Check walls for popped screws and nails on drywall
or new cracks in plaster.
• Point a flashlight into the fireplace and up the
chimney, checking for loose bricks, cracks, signs of animal nests, or excess
soot that could spark a chimney fire.
• Make sure the damper operates properly.
• Check around ceiling fans to be sure they're well
secured to the ceiling and not working their way loose with all the summer use.
• Jiggle the stair balustrade to test its sturdiness,
and take note where balusters and banisters have come loose.
• Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and
replace batteries immediately if something doesn't work.
KITCHEN
• Look at all the cabinet doors and drawers to make
sure they open and close properly. Check for loose hinges or sticking drawer
slides.
• Try all the stove burners to be sure they turn on
quickly and properly, without sparking or bursts of flame. Make sure gas stoves
give off an even blue flame.
• Check the oven door gasket for signs of wear and
tear.
• Turn on a gas broiler to make sure it lights
properly.
• Make sure the gas shutoff valve is working. It
should be able to turn until it’s completely perpendicular to the pipe.
• Open the dishwasher and spin and lift the washer
arm by hand to make sure it isn't stuck. Check that nothing has dislodged the
drain hose; it should arc up to prevent backwash from the drain into the
dishwasher.
• Test the drainage of the sink and look for signs of
leaks on the faucet.
• Turn on the disposer and listen for signs of
obstructions or problems with the motor.
• Look for signs of leaking under and around the
dishwasher.
• Make sure water filters have been changed recently.
PLUMBING (BATHROOMS and LAUNDRY)
• Look for signs of leaks in all exposed pipes, and
in areas where pipes run through the walls or foundation.
• Look for signs of corrosion, which could indicate a
problem with the water, or with the pipe itself. Watch for green stains around
brass and copper fittings and on shutoff valves, a sign of either corrosion or
electrolysis caused by mismatched metals. This will cause leaks and bad
connections if left uncorrected.
• Check the water pressure. Low pressure could mean a
problem with the line, or just sediment buildup in the faucet aerator or shower
head.
• Check drains for speed of drainage; a slow drain
may have a clog or a blocked vent pipe. Look for a full swirling drain;
bubbling drains are a sign of a problem.
• Flush the toilets to make sure they operate
properly. Open their tanks and look for worn or missing parts. Then wait around
for a few minutes to see if the toilet runs after a pause, a sign of a slow leak.
• Look inside the burner chamber of the water heater
for rust flakes. Check the flame; it should be an even blue, with no yellow. A
yellow flame indicates soot or a problem with the gas-air mixture, meaning the
jets need cleaning.
• Drain the water heater to remove sediment that has
settled to the bottom. Sometimes leaks in faucets are caused by hard water
wearing out the washers.
• Watch out for cracked tiles in the shower area or
around sinks. Tap on tiles looking for loose or hollow ones, which could be
masking rotted backerboard behind them.
• Check on the state of the tub and shower caulking
to see if it’s time to replace it.
• Look for evidence of mildew where water has a
chance to stand for longer periods.
• Manipulate the toilet base to be sure it doesn't
rock, which might mean a leak has damaged the floor around it.
• Look for cracks on the toilet tank or bowl or on
sinks.
• Slide shower doors do check for sticking, rust, or
obstructions. Examine the gaskets around the door glass for gaps and tears.
• Turn on the shower and bath faucets and check for
leaks around handles and valves. Are they easy to use, or harder to turn on and
off? Check set screws around escutcheon plates.
• Unscrew the shower head and look for collected
sediment in it that could be lowering the water pressure.
• Examine vent fans for obstructions or dust. Turn
them on: If it sounds really loud, the bearings may be worn out or a flapper
may have gotten stuck.
• Check washer hoses for signs of aging (cracks or
brittleness) or leaks.
• Check dryer vents for tears. Vacuum or brush out
lint in hose and around lint screen inside unit. Look for link around the floor
or on the wall, indicating a clog in the vent hose.
ELECTRICAL
• Open the panel and look for new scorch marks around
breakers or fuses. Also, check outlets for scorch marks, which could be a sign
of loose and sparking wires.
• Look for loose outlet covers, receptacles, and
loose boxes, which may have to be refastened to the studs while the power is
turned off.
• Test all GFCI outlets by plugging in a lamp and
then hitting the test and reset buttons to see if it turns the light off and
then on again.
• Go around with an electrical tester (or lamp) to
make sure all outlets work.
• Check trees around the house to be sure they're not
threatening wires.
HEATING
• Take a flashlight into the furnace flue and look
for a buildup of soot or rust. Tap on it to see what falls; rust is a sign of
condensation, which is caused by an inefficient furnace. Have a pro service the
system regardless of what you find.
• Make a solution of dishwashing soap and water, then
brush it on ductwork joints-wherever there are leaks you’ll see bubbles in the
soap.
• Check registers and vents for loose or missing covers
and screws.
• Check around radiators for leaks, or damaged
floors, which could be a sign of a leak or an incorrect pitch toward the
return.
• Look for overall deterioration, rust, loose parts,
and other signs of a failing system.
DOORS AND WINDOWS
• Examine weatherstripping around exterior doors and
windows for tears and wear.
• Look for cracks in window glass and glazing around
panes.
• Check the action of the windows for sticking
points.
• Look for peeling paint and other signs of wear on
window frames and stools, usually in the bottom corners. Check that weep holes
in the sill outside haven't been caulked over, inhibiting drainage.
• Take a look at thresholds for cracks that could let
water reach the sill.
ATTIC
• Look around the attic space during daylight hours,
with the lights turned off. Look for holes in the roofing that let light in.
• Keep an eye out for signs of animal activity or
entry points for animals.
• Check around vents for gaps. Look at fan motors for
frayed wiring or loose screws.
• Feel around insulation for damp spots where leaks
might be occurring. Look for missing or torn insulation, which could be a sign
of animal activity.
• Examine joists and rafters for structural damage.
GARAGE
• Check the action of the garage door and look for
dents in the tracks or cracks in the door.
• Make sure tool storage and hanging rakes and
shovels don't create a falling or tripping hazard.
EXTERIOR
• Check for cracks in asphalt or concrete on
driveway, sidewalks, and paths. These can be a tripping hazard, and can invite
water that will do more damage during the colder months.
• Make sure retaining walls have no bulges or loose
areas. One heavy rain or snowfall, and you could have a mud slide on your
hands. Make sure the weep holes built into the wall are clear.
• Examine porches and decks for sagging ceilings,
loose rails or boards, and damaged steps. Check to make sure the posts are
still firmly in the ground and not loose, or worse yet, rotted completely out
of the footing.
• Inspect all fences, gates, and stone walls for
leaning and loose parts, which could fall or blow off during a storm.
• Look for stains on the siding, which could be a
sign of a water problem or a roof issue.
• Look for signs of insect or bird nests in soffits,
eaves, or attic vents. If you see signs of animal waste in a certain area, look
around for the possible nest or culprit.
• Take note of where paint is peeling, brick mortar
is missing, or stucco is cracking on the house's siding.
• Look for leaning on the chimney. Check that the
flashing is in good condition, and not peeling up or missing.
• Check gutters and downspouts for debris or improper
pitch, especially during a rain storm. Look for stains on the soffit, which
could be a sign of a leak.
• Examine the foundation for cracks and bulges.
• Take a look at the sill, checking for rot and
insects. Look for raised mud channels, which indicate the presence of termites.
Use a sharp knife or other probe to see how much the wood gives.
• Make sure the grade of the ground around the
foundation slopes away from the house.
• Look at the roofing. Are there cracks, missing
shingles, or crumbling pieces? Check asphalt for dry, blistering, alligatoring,
or curling shingles; wood for rot and splits; slate and tile for broken pieces;
and flat roofs for holes. Be especially vigilant under trees, where falling
branches or jumping animals could have done damage. Once the leaves have
fallen, look more closely at where branches touch the house.
• Examine the flashing and vent/chimney caps for
missing or damaged parts. Look for rust.
• Look for moss and other debris on the roof.
Now, take a look around your home and see where improvements need to be
made. Should you need assistance with any of your home improvement projects,
contact us at (412)965-9361 or ck@ckremodeling.com for a free consultation and
estimate. Please visit our website for more information and direct access to
our online portfolio. Also, we encourage you to follow us on
all of our social media sites to keep up to date with our latest activities.
While it's clear we enjoy building products, we also enjoy building
relationships; so we respectfully "follow back" every person or small
business that chooses to follow us on our social media sites.
Happy Fall!
Charles Kirby, Owner of C.K. Remodeling & Design
