Some areas in your home are more at risk for problems than others. Read on to learn our top 10 home trouble spots and what you should watch out for.
#1 Tub & Shower
Symptoms: Failed caulking, grout, or soft flooring
Risks: Rooted flooring, structural damage
Costs: $5,000+
Recommended Action:
Inspect caulking and crawl area; re-caulk, grout, and seal as needed
#2 Roof
Symptoms: Curled or missing shingles, roof debris, or moss
Risks: Roof leaks; water damage to floors, walls
Costs: $15,000+
Recommended Action:
Inspect and clean roof, flashing, and skylights; remove debris quarterly
#3 Gutters & Downspouts
Symptoms: Debris, leaky seams, or inadequate drainage
Risks: Damage to foundation, siding, gutters, and eaves
Costs: $1,000-$75,000
Recommended Action:
Inspect and clean gutters, downspouts, and drainage quarterly
#4 Water Heater
Symptoms: Rust, dirty water, leaks, or lack of heat
Risks: Water heater bursts, house floods, and floor damage
Costs: $5,000-$15,000
Recommended Action:
Inspect, clean, and flush water heater annually; replace anode rod
#5 Doors & Windows
Symptoms: Leaks, gaps or cracks in caulk, wood damage
Risks: Walls, windows, trim, siding need replacement
Costs: $5,000-$15,000
Recommended Action:
Inspect flashing, caulking, paint and weatherstripping annually
#6 Furnace
Symptoms: Soot at vents and doors; broken flues and ducting; high utility bills
Risks: Carbon monoxide poisoning
Costs: $200+
Recommended Action:
Test, inspect, and service furnace and filters, test for toxic gas emissions annually
#7 Deck
Symptoms: Splitting, rot, weathering, lifting nails, splinters, or loose railings
Risks: Deck failure, premature replacement, and safety hazards
Costs: $6,000+
Recommended Action:
Inspect, clean, seal wood annually, reset nails, and replace boards
#8 Garage door
Symptoms: Loose hardware, noise, faulty reverser or spring malfunction; jerkiness
Risks: Personal injury, damage to car, or failure of door opener
Costs: $750+
Recommended Action:
Inspect, test, lubricate, tighten, and adjust hardware of door and reverser annually
#9 Sinks
Symptoms: Leaks under sinks, clogs, and rusted traps; faulty shut-off valves
Risks: Damage to cabinets, walls, floors, and rot
Costs: $600+
Recommended Action:
Inspect, test and service plumbing annually
#10 Attic & Crawl Space
Symptoms: Insufficient ventilation, moisture, mildew, rodents, insects, and foundation cracks
Risks: Hidden rot, foundation damage, and structural damage
Costs: $5,000
Recommended Action:
Inspect spaces and foundation; ensure adequate ventilation
RMS Can Help
Our preventative home maintenance contracts inspect these areas of your home and more, looking for small issues before they develop into major problems. Want to learn more? Contact our team today!
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