Have you walked around your home lately and checked to make sure the ground and flower bed elevations around the foundation of the home are correct. You should never have the ground or flower bed mulch in direct contact with any untreated building materials. You should also have proper clearance around crawlspace vents to allow for ventilation but not allow water to penetrate. Doing this simple step every spring, along with having the crawlspace and home annually inspected for moisture and wood destroying pests can help in preventing possible future moisture issues.

With summer just around the corner a lot of us have outside projects planned.  Before you start any project that may require digging in the ground, no matter how small the project, call 811.  They will send a technician to your property at no charge and mark the existing underground utility lines.  This free service is one that every home owner should be aware of.

To find out more visit www.call811.com.

If your home has a gas furnace, an interior gas water heater, gas logs or any other gas appliance you should have a carbon monoxide detector.  Once installed it should be checked as often as the smoke detectors are checked.  If you have any questions concerning if you need one and where to put it, please feel free to contact us.

Do you know where the main water cut-off is for your home?  With cold weather here, every home owner should know the location of their main water cut-off just in case one of those plumbing pipes freeze and burst.  You could have one located inside the home or in the crawlspace of the home.  Every home will have one at the water meter if on a public water system or at the bladder tank if it on a well system.  Make sure you take the time to locate yours in case of an emergency.  Also, take the time to check all plumbing pipes and make sure they are properly insulated to prevent freezing and rupturing of the pipes.

With the cold air arriving and winter not far behind, now is the time to inspect the plumbing vent boots on your roof.  These are usually first to go on a roof.  You will be looking for any cracks on the boot and any separation from the vent pipe and the boot.  This can be done by observing from the ground with a pair of binoculars or by carefully getting on the roof to view them.  You can also view them from the attic to see if any daylight is visible around the vent pipes.  With winter coming and the chance of snow with it, the chance of a roof leak from a cracked plumbing boot increases.  Since snow accumulates on top of the boots, it is more likely for them to leak as the snow melts.  So take 5 minutes and inspect your roof’s plumbing vent boots.

Have you heard anyone talk about mold in homes and wondered where you should look at your own home for mold?  If so, the link below will highlight several of the key areas that mold can grow.

http://moldstoppersofgrandstrand.com/where-is-mold

If you do find mold in your home, remember that certified professionals should handle the removal of it.

If you have noticed that your dryer just isn’t drying the same way it use to, try cleaning the dryer vent duct.  If the dryer vent duct has not been cleaned and has heavy lint build-up that could be effecting the dryer.  You should clean you dryer vent duct every year.  Not only will this help your dryer run at its peak but it will also help to prevent a leading cause of house fires.  Dryer vent fires account for over 15,000 house fires each year.  70% of these could have been avoided by simple maintenance of the dryer vent. 

For more information: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/tfrs/v7i1.pdf

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.

You can’t see radon. And you can’t smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.

Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

To find out more visit : http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/hmbyguid.html

If your home has pressboard siding, make sure you schedule time this summer to inspect the siding completely for exposed nail heads, un-caulked joints and spots of deterioration. Keeping pressboard siding caulked and painted properly will help extend the life of the product dramatically.

Have you checked your crawlspace vents or access door lately to make sure they all open and shut properly and seal the opening closed? Torn screens on crawlspace vents and gaps around the vents and access door are ways that critters use to get into your crawlspace. Once in the crawlspace the uninvited guest may destroy insulation, air ducts, etc. Keeping them from getting in the crawlspace is the best solution. So take the time to walk around the house and just make sure everything is correct. This could save you a lot of hassle and money down the road.