Homes are probably one of the biggest assets most americans have. Guarding it against disasters is not only important but necessary. Moldy basements, leaky roofs, foundation problems, and scams concerning your home are dangers that you have to protect yourself against, and take care of them when they arise. Follow the articles below for more news concerning your home.
When severe weather strikes, make sure your home is ready
Our homes provide shelter from the extremes of Michiana weather, but only if we take steps to protect them, too.
Living in northern Indiana, our homes are hammered each year by frigid polar vortexes, straight-line winds, “thunder-snow,” sudden downpours and the occasional tornado.
Spring is when the weather is at its most unpredictable. The ground saturates with April rains, only for it all to freeze when winter makes an unwelcome return 12 hours later.
Our houses provide shelter from these all-too-common extremes, but only if homeowners take steps to protect their homes, as well. Taking preventative measures can save thousands when it comes to the potential cost of fixing water damage and mold.
FLOODING AND MOISTURE PREVENTIONDampness, water seepage and flooding inside the basement or crawlspace is the most common problem homeowners run into during the spring, said Jared McQueen, president and owner of A&M Home Services in South Bend and Lakeville.
Mold habits die hard, so here’s what to do
Q. Is there any kind of professional certification for people who claim to locate and remove mold in private houses? I asked the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, but they didn’t know.
Our house (which was built in 1973) has had a moldy smell in the summer for as long as we’ve lived here (almost 16 years). I’ve cleaned everything in sight, but that didn’t help. I think there is something inside the walls. There are people who claim to be able to find and fix these problems, but I’d like to be sure they really know what they’re doing before I pay them a lot of money.
A. There is no official organization in Massachusetts that I’m aware of. There is the National Association of Mold Professionals (www.moldpro.org), which is a nonprofit that develops and promotes the mold inspection and remediation industry. The association has been around a long time and has a reputation for developing best practice-training and public mold education.
The 9 Biggest Home Repair Scams
From watered-down house paint to unnecessary termite treatments.
From time to time we bring you posts from our partners that may not be new but contain advice that bears repeating. Look for these classics on the weekends.
I’ve had numerous people come to my house offering “great deals” on home repair services over the years.
One hustler knocked on my door recently. This was our exchange:
“Good afternoon, sir! I’m with Speedy’s Chimney Sweep. When was the last time your chimney was inspected?”
“Hmmm … good question,” I said, scratching my chin and looking towards the heavens. “I think it was about 85 years ago.”
