Region-specific House Maintenance Tips

Spring is coming, the traditional time for home maintenance checks, so how would you like to know the weak spots in your area? Whilst many home maintenance problems are universally familiar, some problems can be even more troublesome in certain areas. This was recently highlighted in a report by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).

Recently, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) published a list of maintenance problems outlining the ones that they found peculiar to each different area in the United States. The problems become region-specific according to the climate as well as according to the geographic environment and local fauna.

For instance, if you are lucky enough to live in the warm climes of the Southeast of USA, you will find that the sun and the heat will mean that parts of your home will deteriorate much more quickly than in cooler climates.

Roofs in particular get the sun beating down on them all the time and the warranty on the roof you bought may not apply to the extremes of the south.

While roofs have a normal 30 year life, ASHI warns that in the warm south this could be only 15 years, due to sun and heat deterioration. Most warranties are based on a roof's life expectancy in the average American climate.

Termites can also cause problems in the Southeast; subterranean and flying dry rot termites are common in houses more than 20 years old, warns ASHI.

The Southwest also has problems; roofs are once again mentioned and also vinyl windows and vinyl siding may not last as long as normal. The Southwest region also carries a warning from the ASHI to beware of water build-up under the foundation which could cause pressure on the house structures.

Of course, living in a damper climate does not mean you get off scot free. For instance residents in the Northwest are warned of wetness in their basements and crawl spaces as well as their exterior flashing.

Another concern for this area is the fear that heavy rainfalls could encourage any land settlements if your home is built on a slope. The ASHI recommend a report from a geographical engineer to allay fears about this.

The possible problems on the Northeast could be partly due to the historical nature of many of the homes. According to the ASHI they are often found to be 'under-framed' and this could be due to the original age of the structures.

The 'under sizing' is caused either by the wooden beams being spaced too far apart or by using timbers that are considered to be undersized for today's standards. They also put a warning out about chimneys, saying that condensation can form in them and cause early deterioration of the flue.

Midwest homes may have problems with their plumbing, due to the tradition of water heaters frequently serving as a furnace as well as a water heater. The only other problems that are listed are water intrusion in the basement and wood rot in the siding and trim. The Midwest gets off fairly lightly compared to the rest of the country.

Well as spring is on the way and you wondered how to get out there and enjoy the sunshine.... hopefully, you now know what to look for!