I get it.  There are some things that break or go wrong in your house that you look at and say “Ehhhhhhh, whatever.” and a lot of times that's ok...

However, here are 5 things you should not ignore about your house…

  • Foundation cracks.  Some are harmless, others can be trouble.  The problem is you really don’t know. If you see a crack or cracks in your foundation, call a professional.  They may recommend immediate work that needs to be done or they may recommend that you keep an eye on them yourself.

It is possible that you may not even see the cracks themselves.  You can see however, some signs that your foundation may have issues – cracks in your drywall, floors buckling, and sticking doors are just a few.

Sound familiar?  Call a professional.

  • Mold and mildew.  Beware of mold.  It can get nasty and out of control if you don’t control it first.  Consumer Reports says that all the home mold kits they tested had significant flaws.  Like what?  Like how about this – every home mold test will report positive for mold.  Period.  They will because there is mold in the air in every home.

Does that mean mold is a problem in your house?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  You probably need a better, more thorough inspection though.

But wait Dave, it’s winter and the humidity is dropping.  My mold is going away.

True but…  Your mold is just going dormant.  It will be back stronger than ever when the humidity is back.

  • Pest infestations.  Termites can go through a house in about 3 years if left unabated, rats can carry disease, no-one wants to see a roach scurry for cover when they turn on a light.

Disease and house damage should be enough reason to look for help.  You won’t take down a serious critter problem by yourself.

Hire a professional exterminator and keep them out once and for all.

  • Roof leaks.  Leaky roofing leads to excess moisture in the house.  Moisture in the house leads to ruined walls, floors, personal stuff and eventually will lead to mold.

If your roof is older than 8 years old have it looked at every year by a professional.  Check it out yourself if you like from time to time – stick your head up in the attic during or after a big rain storm.

Oh, while you are up there, see that stuff that looks like insulation….

  • Runaway rainwater.  The easiest way for water into your basement is through your foundation.  Clogged gutters allow water to go right to the foundation.  See the connection here? 

Just FYI – your downspouts need to carry the water from your gutters 10 ft. away from your house.  (Heck – 5 ft. is code – do you even have that?)

Keeping the rain water away goes a long way in your fight against leaky basements, crawlspaces, and foundation issues, not to mention erosion that can cause sinking patios and troubles with your deck supports.