Homeowners: 5 Easy Do-It-Yourself Home Maintenance Projects

RISMEDIA, May 22, 2010—As we find ourselves in the midst of National Home Improvement month, HouseMaster, one of the first and largest home inspection franchisors in North America provides homeowners with simple tips on how to maintain and update their homes with fixes they can inexpensively do on their own.

“One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is letting small problems turn into big ones,” said Kathleen Kuhn, President of HouseMaster. “Home maintenance is crucial since a home is typically the largest investment an average person makes in their lifetime. Proper home maintenance can alleviate the need for large and often costly repairs.”

HouseMaster provides homeowners with the following tips that can all be completed for under $25 and can save homeowners thousands down the road.

Be aware of termite damage. Homeowners who diligently check their property and foundation can alleviate serious termite problems. Before selling or purchasing a home, look closely for any signs such as “mud tubes” or wood damage. Also, moving wood piles and debris away from the home can eliminate termite problems.

When it rains, it pours. One of the most common places for water damage is in a bathroom. When grout breaks down, water can easily get behind the tiles and cause them to come loose. An easy solution to this is to re-grout, caulk and use sealant on bathroom tile and surrounding fixtures. In other cases where water penetration is affecting the foundation of a house, a splash block is a cost efficient solution to direct water away from the foundation.

Clean the gutters. Stained siding under a gutter indicates overflowing, which can cause structural damage. In addition, overgrown vegetation on gutters can cause clogging or potential carpenter ant or termite issues. Trimming vegetation away from the house and cleaning gutters offers many advantages and minimizes the risk for potential costly repairs in the future.

Replace or seal worn or lifting roof flashings. Flashings deteriorate over time and can allow water penetration resulting in expensive damage to the underlying roof structure. For under $25 you can replace roof flashings or apply sealant to the problem area.

Seal your deck. If not properly maintained, decks are very susceptible to the effects of weather exposure. Once wood becomes rotted, it is more likely to be infested by termites, carpenter ants, etc. Applying deck sealant is an inexpensive way to protect your deck and prevent future damage.

For more information, visit www.housemaster.com.