Newcastle Living Magazine
Edition 7
The Four Forgetful Areas
The Four Areas You’re (Probably) Forgetting to Inspect Every Year
For any homeowner, finding out you need to replace your entire deck due to rot, or that you have issues with your foundations, is a real headache and a major hit to your wallet. Regular inspections are essential for catching any minor issues before they become big ones. Conducting routine inspections saves you time and money in the long run, helps make it easier to sell your house, and a well looked after home will be more desirable to potential buyers down the track if you decide to sell.
Set a yearly reminder in your calendar to regularly check out these four areas to ensure nothing gets missed – nip it in the bud before it blooms out of control.
1 / Get up under there
If your house is on piers, inspect underneath, and take note of the plumbing. Run the water in your sinks, showers, basins, flush your toilets, then crawl underneath and see if there are any leaks. Leaks can cause all sorts of issues, ranging from damage to timber frames to sinking piers. It’s a good idea to check this every year, as some more minor plumbing issues can be fixed rather than replaced.
“Regular inspections are essential for catching any minor issues before they become big ones.”
2 / Exteriors need love too
Do an annual check of all your exterior timber, such as decking. It is pretty easy to oil a deck once a year. This can be as simple as cleaning it thoroughly then applying the oil. If it’s not done routinely, the decking may need sanding, boards might need replacing, or more significant issues can crop up.
3 / Paint weatherboards regularly
If your house is lined with timber weatherboards, it’s a good idea to paint them roughly every five years. The condition of the paint will vary depending on which walls are exposed to the weather. For example, one wall may be exposed to the sun continuously throughout the day and be far more faded and worn, whereas the other side of the house may be in the shade and therefore in a completely different state. Some paint companies advertise their paint as having a warranty of 25 years, but this doesn’t mean you can go that long without painting.
4 / Clear the pipes
Something that is not typically part of a building inspection (but can be on request) is ensuring your stormwater pipes are clear. If your block is on a slope, the downpipes from your roof should be connected to stormwater and drained to the street. To check this out yourself, put a hose in your gutter, turn it on and go out to the road. Find the outlet in the gutter and make sure water is coming out. If it isn’t, you may have a blocked pipe which can cause gutters to overflow, which can cause damage to the home’s foundations and cause other issues.
If you aren’t willing or don’t have time to inspect and carry out these tasks yourself, you can always get a professional in. A local business Newcastle Living loves is Truspec – get in touch with Lindsay and his team to organise your home inspection, and if you mention Newcastle Living, you can receive 5 per cent off your service! Head to truspec.net.au
Contact Lindsay
Ph: 0408 681 916
truspec.net.au