As Autumn is about to reach us here in Southern Ontario, as a homeowner you’ll need to be prepared. The season will bring a lot of change with it which means you’ll need to make sure your home is as prepared as you are.
Ideally, you should take a look at different aspects of your home, so you can get ahead of any small problems before they become major ones. The good news is you can check most of your home without having to hire a professional. You simply need to know where to start looking and what to be on the lookout for.
If and when you do spot something that might be troublesome you might want to call a local foundation repair company so they can help you. Before you do that, however, you’ll need to do a few checks. These checks include:
Checking for Mold
It’s vital that you check your home for mold. While mold might not seem so troublesome now, it can cause a lot of problems. Left alone, mold can affect your breathing so it’s vital that you have a look for some and, if found, you do something about it.
Here’s where you should look for mold in your home:
• In the corners of ceilings
• Around the ceiling lights
• Around the ceiling vents
• Bathroom walls and ceilings
• Pipes located in the laundry room
• Pipes located in the bathroom
• Pipes located in the kitchen
• Crawl spaces under the pier
• Crawl spaces under a beam’s foundations
If you plan to check some if not all of the above areas please make sure you have sufficient light. Take a flashlight with you and don’t be afraid to wear protective gear. You might need to protect your head and your hands.
Take a few photographs of any mold you come across so you know where it’s located. Another benefit of taking photographs is that once you’ve treated the mold you can see how it has improved over time.
If you spot mold try to deal with it right away. It can indicate that you have excess moisture in the home. This moisture could cause issues to your foundation. You, therefore, should have your foundation checked just to make sure.
Please note, homes that have been constructed with pier foundations and beam foundation are more likely to get mildew and mold problems. You should, therefore, make sure you check these areas for mold at least twice a year. Check once before the autumn begins and once again when the winter ends.
Your Drainage, Downspouts, and Gutters
During the autumn months, you’re likely to see a lot more rain than you will at other times of the year. This is why it’s important you check all of your drainage systems, your downspouts, and your gutters. If they become clogged up it’s likely that your issues will become worse. Clogged up drainage, downspouts, and gutters could cause rain to make its way into your home. To avoid this, you should check them at least once a year.
Make sure you remove any twigs and leaves as they can soon start to accumulate. Checking your gutters is also vital as it helps to keep the foundation of your home working as well as it should be. Please make sure that you also check your downspouts and your guttering. They should not point down towards the bottom of your home. This is because they could send a lot of moisture down there. As a preventative measure, you might want to consider installing a surface drainage system or a French drain. This is because they can help to keep the excess moisture away from your home.
Your Garden
Did you know that the placement of plants in your garden could affect your home’s foundation? You may, therefore, wish to make sure that there are no plants or roots that are located a little too close to the foundation. If you find any, it is important that you cut them back as soon as you can, particularly before the winter comes.
You might also want to check any pathways leading up to your home. Do they slope down towards the base of your home? If they do, chances are they’ll be sending water that way.
The Grade Around the Property
Many people fail to check the grade that’s around their property. However, it can have a huge effect on your home if it is not dealt with. You need to take a look at the soil around the whole of the property. Like the pathways, does it slope down towards your house? Or does it move away from it?
If it looks like the soil moves moisture towards your home you’ll need to direct it away. Ideally, the grade level should slope away from the house. This will ensure that large amounts of water are not sent into your home.
Please do not attempt to carry out any preventative work or repairs unless you have a lot of experience. It’s absolutely vital that any work carried out on your home is done correctly. This is to ensure that your home is sufficiently looked after. A home that’s well-looked after is a lot less likely to cause problems for you. Get the jobs done properly so you have peace of mind.
If you would like to speak with our team to discuss the foundation of your home, please feel free to call us or fill out the contact form below.