Owning a home comes with maintenance responsibilities. Everyone expects a certain amount of wear and tear, and while some problems can be put off to be fixed, some are urgent and need repairing immediately in order to avoid significant damage. It’s understandable if you want to try and ignore the issues because of budgetary restrictions, as some of these repairs listed in this article are quite costly. However, if ignored, they can build up or affect other aspects of your home, especially if they’re structural, electrical, or involve water, and cause a catastrophe that could cost you a small fortune to correct.
The following common home issues will not go away or get fixed on their own if you leave them, so it’s in your best interest, and sometimes even in your and your family’s safety, to correct them immediately.
Cracks in the foundation
One of the pricier home improvement projects, foundation repair can scare a lot of homeowners away from tackling the issue right away. If you notice cracks in the exterior brick traveling up the wall, or buckling or gapping near the foundation, you could have a serious problem on your hands. Fixing your foundation is critical: if you don’t, the best-case scenario is you get water leakage after the winter months, and the worst-case scenario is, well, your home sinks or collapses. If you ever plan on selling your home, your foundation needs to be in tip-top condition. Getting your foundation looked at and repaired as soon as possible will prevent the issue from getting worse, so don’t ignore this problem.
Missing roof shingles
Roof shingles can disappear after storms, heavy winds, or can simply deteriorate over time. If you notice your roof is missing shingles, or if shingles are starting to crack, it is probably time to repair or replace your roof. Roof repairs and replacements are another expensive endeavors, but definitely a home repair that shouldn’t be shied away from. Leaky roofs can lead to severe water damage in your attic as well as mold growth and build-up of mildew.
If you can catch a minor problem before it turns into a major problem, you can save yourself some money by repairing a problem area rather than having to replace the whole roof. Search for “roofers in my area” anytime to get advice and quotes on your roof fixed before the situation deteriorates.
Pest infestations
No matter how small the pest is, an infestation is an infestation and needs to be dealt with promptly. Whether it’s termites, bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, birds, squirrels, or raccoons, they can do serious harm to your home’s walls, roof, or siding. It’s worse than just being kept up at night from the scurrying noises. The damage they can do can be extensive if you ignore the problem and let them be. If animals are looking for food, they can chew through walls and come into your home in their search. If bugs are running rampant, they could be compromising the structure of your home by eating away at beams and studs. If you see droppings, rotting wood, or sawdust piles, it’s time to call an exterminator. The longer you wait, the worse it will get, so nip it in the bud as quickly as possible.
Leaky faucets or pipes
Having water leaking from taps, sinks, showerheads, and bathtub faucets is one issue (since you can see it, it’s easier to deal with) but having leaky pipes behind the walls is a whole other story.
Ignoring leaky faucets can lead to unnecessarily high water bills each month and lots of wasted water, so do your best to fix these as quick as you can to avoid them turning into more major issues. However, if you have a leaky pipe somewhere that you aren’t aware of, for example behind a wall or under the floor, water could be leaking into your walls and floors and causing mold and mildew. Not only is it damaging the integrity of your home, but mold is incredibly unhealthy for people to be living with and breathing in every day. Your best course of action is to get a plumber in as soon as possible and try to catch the problem before it escalates into something more damaging and costly.
Dimming lights
Your lights dim or flickers when you plug in or turn on another appliance, you could have a significant hazard at your hands. This is a warning sign that an electrical fire could start. Do not ignore this problem or write it off as a weird occurrence. Get an electrician into your home immediately to determine whether you need to repair the fuse box or rewire your home. The cost of rewiring your home can be pricey, but the risk of an electrical fire is much, much worse.
If your home encounters the above issues, it’s vital you don’t simply ignore them. Instead, you need to actively work to repair and improve each one to ensure they don’t cause further, more severe problems to your property. From pest infestations to flickering or dimming lights, fix these issues and you can rest easy in your home knowing it’s a safe place to live.