As you already know, The Zachos Team specializes in construction knowledge to help our clients find peace of mind when buying and selling their home. In light of that, we’re starting a new blog series to help consumers know exactly what to look for when it comes down to home inspection and construction.
Today we’re starting with one of the most common problems homeowners face: water damage.
The Issue
Water is a killer for properties.
Picture this: you’ve spent thousands of dollars on a retaining wall that keeps your house steady and level. Day in and day out, as rainstorms and water drainage come and go, the wall becomes weaker and weaker when it isn’t set up properly. Until one day, the wall decides it’s had enough.
And pretty soon, you’ve got a blowout on your hands.
Not identifying drainage issues when they come can lead to the following negative outcomes:
- Standing water damage: When water sits in one place for too long, it can lead to cracking surfaces, moldy drywall, and stagnant, smelly puddles; not what you want to see in a clean, happy home.
- Instability in your structure: The aforementioned cracking surfaces can also create foundational issues, instability, and other unsatisfactory conditions like moisture that can be hard to recover from.
- Thousands of dollars in damage: And of course, when these things happen, it will almost certainly cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in damages that you’ll need to fix up yourself.
What to Look For
But thankfully, all of this can be prevented.
When the foundation is set and the pieces are in place, it’s going to be hard to undo everything to make sure it was done right. But as a buyer, you have the luxury of keeping an eye out for signs that a home might not be in the best condition to handle water runoff. And as a seller, you can make external adjustments to ensure that your house is in great shape for your next inspection.
And in both cases, you’re going to get more than your money’s worth in the long run.
Here’s a few things to look out for to prevent lasting water damage:
- Gutters: The biggest water issues can actually be caused by one of the cheapest things on your house: gutters. Check to make sure your gutters aren’t filled with debris, and consider using gutter guards to help with that. But also make sure the downspouts of the gutters are properly draining away from the house. You’ll want to get water away from the structure as quickly as possible.
- Downhill slopes: Similarly, you can use downward slopes to naturally direct water away from the house. When pouring concrete, it’s a good idea for contractors to do this at an angle, so water will flow away naturally. When the house is on a hill, most of that work will happen naturally, but for homes located in flatter areas, you might have to get creative with how you direct water away from the home.
- Dirt and pinestraw: Always make sure dirt slopes are configured to drain water away from the structure as well. You might have to get extra dirt to fill in areas to make sure it flows away properly, as these spots can erode over time. If you see a home with pinestraw bunched up against the sides, be wary; this might make the land appear level, but the dirt underneath can slope down, leading to water flowing right into your walls.
Results
If you keep an eye out for these simple things, you’ll be in better shape than most other buyers and sellers on the market.
You can condense these tips down into one golden rule: drive water away as fast as possible. With this costly mistake under control, you can focus on improving other things around the home as well. Avoiding these drainage issues will save you endless amounts of time and money in the long run.
And then you can focus on other things, like connecting with other buyers and sellers interested in your property.
If you have any additional questions about water issues and how to spot them, The Zachos Team would love to be your eyes and ears when it comes to damage prevention. Give us a call today and we’ll be happy to talk you through it.
Written by Paul Zachos III