Maintenance

July 24 2023

Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill

Robert JonesHome Maintenance, Information homeowners, Maintenance, prevention, Summer, tips

How to Save Money on Utilities this Summer You may be enjoying the great outdoors this summer, but your home still needs to be a cool escape from the summer heat. While blasting the A/C inside keeps your home cool, it can also be expensive. Read on for a few easy, affordable ways you can lower your energy bill this summer while ensuring your home remains comfortable. Seal windows and doors Windows and doors are the entryways to your home, so they’re the first point where cool air can escape and hot air can enter. To help reduce your energy bill, check the seals on windows and doors to ensure they’re in good shape, and re-caulk or seal any areas that may have degraded over time. Use blackout shades or heavy curtains on windows In addition to sealing windows and doors, another way to lower your energy bill is by limiting the amount of heat that enters the home. Because sunlight streaming in through a window can heat up a room, make sure that you use blackout shades or heavy curtains to limit the amount of sunlight that comes in through the windows. Use ceiling fans Ceiling fans can help […]

June 29 2023

High Humidity in the Home

Robert JonesHome Inspections, Home Maintenance, Information inspection, Maintenance, prevention, Repairs, Summer

Why Humidity is a Problem and What to do About It Living in a damp climate like the Pacific Northwest can lead to issues around the home, specifically regarding humidity. Humid air inside the home can feel heavy and uncomfortable; in some cases, it can also be unhealthy. While there may be a variety of causes for humidity in the home, there are also accessible solutions that can help, too. Read on for information about what to do when your home is feeling too humid. What are common causes of humidity in the home? During hot, muggy summer weather, humidity can enter your home if it’s not properly sealed and if your HVAC system isn’t working properly. Air leaks caused by open gaps or seams can draw humidity inside. And an HVAC system that is outdated or incorrectly sized can also lead to a humid-feeling home. A good choice for high-humidity is an air-source heat pump, which transfers heat from inside your home to the outside. Another common cause of humidity in the home can be using appliances for cooking, drying clothes, washing dishes, or taking showers. These activities add more moisture to the air and can make it uncomfortable […]

May 31 2023

Most Common Home Inspection Repairs in the Seattle Area

Robert JonesHome Inspections, Home Maintenance homebuying process, homeowners, inspection, Maintenance, Repairs, tips

Given Seattle’s climate and unique geography – wet seasons, steep hills, and an abundance of greenery — homes in our area tend to present specific issues. These issues are usually identified during home inspections, and there are repairs you may need to consider if you’re moving into a Seattle-area home. Here are some common home inspection repair issues and tips on how to resolve them. Sewer Lines Homes in the Tacoma area specifically are subject to side sewer inspections as part of the entire home inspection process. But, homes outside of Tacoma can also benefit from these inspections due to common issues related to plumbing that occur in our area, like rootbound pipes, offset joints, sagging, broken pipes, and clogs. Professional sewer cleaning services can repair rootbound pipes by using a high pressure water hose with an attached blade to cut through the roots. In extreme cases, sections of pipe may need to be replaced. Roof Issues The roof is the first point of contact that a home has with the Pacific Northwest’s infamous rain. Over time, rain breaks down debris, like leaves, and that process causes mold, which in turn wears away shingles. This leads to leaks that can […]

March 10 2023

Toilet Do’s and Don’ts

Robert JonesHome Maintenance homeowners, Maintenance, prevention, Repairs, tips

6 Tips for Toilet Maintenance Your bathroom is one of the most frequented rooms in your home, so when your toilet is on the fritz, it can cause major problems. You can avoid toilet issues like clogging and flooding, or even the dreaded running toilet, when you learn some simple toilet maintenance tips. Read on for more information about do’s and don’ts for your toilet. DO Watch What You Flush Toilets are designed to handle #1, #2, and toilet paper – nothing more. Avoid flushing thick paper products like paper towels and napkins, as well as things like floss, bandaids, or cotton balls. Some brands of tampons claim that the tampons themselves (not the applicators) can be discarded in the toilet, but the reality is that flushing tampons can stress a septic system. Flushable wipes are also commonly found in bathrooms, but those take a while to degrade, and in the meantime they can clog plumbing. Also use caution with super absorbent types of toilet paper. DO Keep a Plunger Handy Even if you’re doing your due diligence by not flushing tampons, wipes, and thick toilet paper, it’s still possible that your toilet may clog. In these cases it’s best […]

February 27 2023

7 Tips for Spring Home Maintenance

Robert JonesHome Maintenance homeowners, Maintenance, Spring, tips

After enduring a long, cold winter, your home will be ready for some springtime maintenance to prepare for the warmer months. If your home’s interior and exterior needs a bit of TLC, follow these spring home maintenance tips. Air Duct and HVAC Cleaning Spring is a beautiful season, but the allergies that come along with it can be a pain. You can help reduce the impact of indoor allergies by clearing your home of particles that irritate your sinuses. You can clean air ducts yourself by using a vacuum, a cleaning brush, a screwdriver, and some paper towels. First, loosen up the dust by turning on the “fan” function of your HVAC system to help move dust closer to the registers. Then, turn off the HVAC system. Use a screwdriver to remove vent grates and wash them. Once the vent grates are off, use your cleaning brush to knock off any debris stuck to the sides of the vent, and then vacuum the remaining dust. Finally, replace the vent grates. Seal Up Doors and Windows Cold air, snow, and ice can wreak havoc on the areas around your doors and windows, so check those seals and make sure they’re intact. […]

February 22 2023

Thermal Imaging FAQs

Robert JonesHome Inspections homebuying process, homeowners, inspection, Maintenance, thermal imaging

What is Thermal Imaging and What Qualifies an Inspector to Use It? A home inspection is an important step in the process of buying a house, or if you’re determining what repairs need to be done in your current home. Thermal imaging is a type of technology that amplifies the typical home inspection by providing detail and information about a home’s components that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Thermal imaging can help detect energy loss, moisture, hot spots, plumbing leaks, and more. Because these issues usually take a while to present themselves visually, thermal imaging can catch warning signs so you have time to complete necessary repairs. Read on to learn how thermal imaging works, why it’s important, and what qualifies a home inspector to use the technology in your next home inspection. What Is Thermal Imaging? Thermal imaging is a non-invasive technology that detects temperatures and moisture levels on surfaces like walls, ceilings, floors, and around windows and doors. As an inspector passes a camera over certain areas, it produces a color-coded “heat map” to show where a home may be losing heat through door and window cracks. Hot areas are usually indicated by yellow, red, white […]