Month: December 2020

Living in Florida we do not have to do as much to prevent home and property damage from the freezing temperatures and snow. But we should understand even the mild colds here in the south do cause damage. One of the most over looked items is caulking and painting, addressing cracks in masonry, stucco, and sidings. Even the best built homes will eventually develop some minor cracking in the stucco and siding from temperature changes. The temperatures also effect caulking as well. This is a place where homeowners should do an annual inspection and inspect every part of the exterior of the home, spending a small amount of time and a few dollars on a quality caulk early on will save larger costly problems in the future.

Also any kind of air leakage causes condensation and increased energy costs. In newer and tighter constructed homes, minor condensation often causes mold issues and damaged materials. This is exacerbated by showering and cooking without running your cooking vent and bath ventilation. You can’t discuss ventilation without attention to dryer ventilation. When was the last time you removed the filter from you kitchen range / cooktop and cleaned it, and cleaned your dryer ventilation. Many people waste hundreds of dollars a year, due to clogged up dryer ventilation as well as the possible fire possibilities.

Anytime is a great time to address these issues to prevent damage, excessive electric bills, and even our personal wellbeing by living in a home mold free and has good quality air to breath. Maybe starting out every New Year having spent a little time and money will truly bring in a happy new year.

Here in sunny Florida, summer is about as bad as it can get for a home. The sunshine takes a tremendous toll on many of the exterior materials. Heat and humidity can cause expansion,opening cracks and allowing moisture to enter the walls of the home that can cause extensive damage, including but not limited to mold. This can become a major health risk. Older generations often don’t think too much about this as they grew up never having a problem in homes that were built to standards much lower than today’s. However truly things are much different today.

The building codes in place today require homes to be much more air tight – part of the final ininspection requirement is a new air blower tests to determine the quality of the seal on the home. The test measures how many times the air in a home would change in an hour (must be at least three and no more than seven). So obviously the requirements for building a home have changes in the recent past. The energy efficient designs and practices save us on electrical costs, but can negatively affect the air quality inside our homes if we are not careful.

As summer heats up there are several things we as home owners can do to protect our families and our investment.

1. It All About the Caulk – Make a small investment in a good quality tub of caulk and spend a few minutes inspecting the exterior of your home – regardless of age. The seals on exterior doors do become compacted and are easily replaced.

2. Check Your Sprinkler Settings – Often damage is caused by improper sprinkler systems constantly wetting the exterior of a home. This is not only an invitation to moisture damage and mold, but also an invitation to termites because it provides everything they need.

3. Always use Bath and Range Vents – The humidity increase is staggering when hot showers steam up bathrooms and pots boil in a home. There is little escape for this moisture which causes the temperature in the home to feel hotter, and provides air born molds and bacteria the perfect incubator to grow.