Roof-Drainage Maintenance: Part 2 of 3

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Gutter Materials

Galvanized steel gutters are the most common type of gutters. If they’re painted, it may be difficult to tell steel gutters from aluminum just by looking, but you should be able to tell the difference by tapping on them with your finger or by using a magnet (aluminum will not react). They’re durable but not invulnerable to damage, which can include dents from hail or windblown debris and separation due to age or improper installation. Metal gutters are subject to corrosion, especially if debris has been allowed to accumulate. Debris holds moisture next to the metal, so watch for corrosion in gutters that have tree branches hanging over them. Corrosion often starts at the seams.

gutteringcopper

Copper gutters generally last a long time compared to steel and vinyl, but they’re the most expensive type and, therefore, less common. Vinyl gutters are comparatively inexpensive and can be made to match different colors and styles. However, depending on their quality, they can be fragile, and you may find them broken or disconnected at vulnerable points in the system. They can be repaired using special adhesives, but replacement may be necessary if damage is severe or extensive.

Gutter Installation
Problems with installation range from improperly sloped gutters to gutters that are loose or poorly attached. You may be able to identify improper slope by observing standing water in the gutter, or the accumulation of sediment in portions of the gutter away from the downspouts. You can check the slope from the ground by looking at the margins between the gutter and roof or the gutter and fascia. On homes with steeper roofs, the gutters may need to be installed using standoffs to help ensure that runoff doesn’t overshoot them. In areas that experience snowfall, it’s not unusual to find gutters bent from sliding snow, especially on homes with metal roofs.

 

Scott Price, CPI, #1532
Certified Home Inspector
Home Run Inspections
405-905-9175
homeruninspections@icloud.com
We cover all of the bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Guthrie, Cashion, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Chickasha, Midwest City/Del City, Bethany, El Reno, Shawnee, Harrah, and more.

Schedule Inspections Online at:
www.Home-RunInspections.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/homeruninspections
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Roof-Drainage Maintenance: Part 1 of 3

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downspout1

Spring rains are just around the corner here in the south of the US.  It’s time to give a little extra attention to your roofs drainage system to ensure it is doing it’s job-taking water away from your home and foundation.

Next time you are outside your home with some good daylight, take a look at the surfaces you can see from the ground.  Make sure there are no trees or branches withing 5 feet of your roofs surface.  Also look for any debris that may have accumulated over the winter.  If you see either, make a plan to remove both safely as soon as possible.  A little money spent now on a handyman could save you big bucks down the road.

roofdebris

Guttering is one of the best ways to channel water where you want it to go.  While cleaning out the gutters may not be everyone’s favorite home-maintenance task, gutters filled with debris will not drain properly. Ice dams can form in freezing weather, which can essentially shut down your roof’s entire drainage system, possibly forcing unwanted moisture in through your roof and attic. Also, if runoff from the roof is allowed to discharge too close to the home’s foundation, either because of neglected gutter maintenance or even improper system installation, serious structural problems can develop that can compromise the stability of the entire home. That’s why it’s essential that you monitor and maintain your roof-drainage system.

The most common roof-drainage system in residential construction is gutters hung from the roof edge attached to downspouts. The gutters may be open or covered on top, with seams, or seamless. The gutters should be connected to downspouts that direct water away from the home’s foundation. The downspout may lead down to a concrete splash block that prevents water from draining directly into the soil next to the foundation.

The gutter problems you discover may be related to the materials from which the gutters are made, the quality of the installation, environmental conditions, or a combination of all three.

Check back for more information on keeping the water away from your home!

Scott Price, CPI, #1532
Certified Home Inspector
Home Run Inspections
405-905-9175
homeruninspections@icloud.com
We cover all of the bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Guthrie, Cashion, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Chickasha, Midwest City/Del City, Bethany, El Reno, Shawnee, Harrah, and more.

Schedule Inspections Online at:
www.Home-RunInspections.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/homeruninspections
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HomeRunInspect2

http://www.home-runinspections.com/

#springcleaning #homemaintenance #guttercleaning

Overhead Garage Door Maintenance: Part 3

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Garage-Door-Parts-Diagram

Now that we have the main spring taken care of, lets address the other moving parts.

Stand inside the garage and close the garage door, paying attention to all the various moving parts — springs, rollers and hinges. Note the movement of the door parts and those on the overhead track system, as well as the garage door opening system, if there is one.

Wipe away cobwebs, dust, grime and buildup on the door hinges, springs and other moving hardware. Climb a step stool, if necessary, to wipe away buildup or obstructions on the track system overhead, as well as on the rollers on the garage door track.

Squirt small amounts of silicone spray or a couple of drops of oil into the moving parts on the garage door itself, such as the hinges, roller pin, roller mount brackets, and springs, and cable drums. Open the door halfway and repeat the process. Open and close the door a few times to encourage the oil to lubricate moving areas. Spray additional lubricant if needed. Wipe away lubricant that drips using a clean rag.

Place the step stool under one of the tracks if you cannot comfortably reach or see the inner track area overhead. Open the garage door and spray silicone lubricant into the centers of the rollers that ride on the track on each side. Next apply some silicon lubricant to the center “J” track to keep it moving smoothly.  Close and open the door several times to allow the lubricant to flow. Wipe away any drips to prevent collections of dirt and dust.

Your garage door should now be ready for many more months of smooth operation!

As with any home maintenance, always think safety.  Safety glasses are recommended as well as following safety warnings on step stools and ladders used. Refer to any owners manual you have on your Overhead Garage Door for specific maintenance tips.

Scott Price, CPI, #1532

Certified Home Inspector
Home Run Inspections
405-905-9175
homeruninspections@icloud.com
We cover all of the bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Guthrie, Cashion, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Chickasha, Midwest City/Del City, Bethany, El Reno, Shawnee, Harrah, and more.

Schedule Inspections Online at:
www.Home-RunInspections.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/homeruninspections
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HomeRunInspect2

http://www.home-runinspections.com/

#home maintenance  #spring home maintenance  #preventive maintenance

Overhead Garage Door Maintenance: Part 2

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torsionspring

In Overhead Garage Door Maintenance: Part 1,  I talked about the real workhorse of your garage door, the spring or springs.  A common cause of garage door spring failure is rust.   A buildup of rust increases coil friction on the moving spring. Combine that with the corrosive damage of the rust itself, and you have everything you need for early torsion spring or extension spring failure. A little quick and easy preventive maintenance on your part can keep rust at bay and increase the life of your garage door springs. Every three months or so, spray on some silicone based lubricant, or add a few drops light machine oil (10, 20 or 30 weight),  or better yet some 3 in 1 oil. This keeps the spring lubricated and prevents harmful rust buildup.

You may be thinking why not WD-40? WD-40 is essentially kerosene and a carrier/spray. Nice for cleaning metal, loosening things up, etc., like a penetrating oil, but NO long-term lubricant properties.  The “WD” in WD40 stands for “Water Dispersant”, which is what WD-40 primarily is, not a lubricant.

Did you know that your garage door springs will let you know when they’ve about reached the breaking point? It sounds crazy but it’s true – if you know what to look for. This is a great preventive maintenance tip to add to your spring cleaning to-do list.

To test the balance of your garage door, with the garage door closed pull the red-handled emergency release cord(its a good practice to check this once a year and make sure other family members know how it operates). This disconnects the door from the opener, allowing you to open your door by hand. While raising and lowering the door a few times, listen carefully for any squeaking noises. This is the sound of hinges that need to be lubricated. Your garage door hinges will generally need to be lubricated once a year.

The next step is to lower your door all the way down, then raise it to about two feet off the ground and let go. Good springs will prevent gravity from pulling down the weight of the door. Did your door stay in place with little downward slide? If yes, your springs are still working fine. But if the door feels very heavy and sags, your springs are showing their age and starting to wear. Contact your garage door contractor for a thorough inspection. Remember these springs are dangerous and repairs are best left to the professionals.

A little lubricant will do wonders in keeping the springs operating smoothly!

Scott Price, CPI, #1532
Certified Home Inspector
Home Run Inspections
405-905-9175
homeruninspections@icloud.com
We cover all of the bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Guthrie, Cashion, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Chickasha, Midwest City/Del City, Bethany, El Reno, Shawnee, Harrah, and more.

Schedule Inspections Online at:
www.Home-RunInspections.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/homeruninspections
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HomeRunInspect2

http://www.home-runinspections.com/

Overhead Garage Door Maintenance: Part 1

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garagedoorremote

 

Remember when you were a kid and you came and went through the front door?  Well, times have changed. Now so many of us come and go through the garage thanks to an often forgotten about convenience know as the Overhead Garage Door Opener. Like us, and everything else in your home, it too has a life span(8-12 years).

Your overhead door is comprised of several different components including the motor, torsion or extension springs, rollers, roller brackets, and hinges that work in harmony to provide us access to our abode with a touch of a button.  These components need regular maintenance to continue operating smoothly.

Contrary to what most people believe, the garage door motor does not lift the heavy garage door. Most of the actual heavy lifting comes from the springs that are connected to the torsion system. The electric power only controls how far and how hard the garage door actually opens and closes. There is a trolley on the garage door opener rail that connects to the garage door itself by way of a “J” bar. It is called a J bar because it looks like the letter “J”. The trolley is pulled along by a chain, screw, or belt that the motor turns and operates.

Torsion springs simply wear out over time. How much time? Ten thousand seems to be the magic number – that’s the number of cycles the average spring will last. One cycle equals your garage door being opened and then closed. Going to work in the morning, then home again at night adds up to two cycles a day. That’s not so bad if you’re a bachelor hermit.

On the other hand, if your “significant other” runs errands during the day, if you have teenagers in and out of the garage, or if you have younger kids opening and closing the garage door to get their bikes and sporting equipment – you’re going to burn through ten thousand cycles a lot faster. An active family could easily use up ten thousand cycles in as little as a year.

Please catch Overhead Garage Door Maintenance: Part 2, to learn what you can do to extend the life of this important component of your home, avoid the hassle of a premature repair bill, and keep your family safe!

Scott Price, CPI, #1532
Certified Home Inspector
Home Run Inspections
405-905-9175
homeruninspections@icloud.com
We cover all of the bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Guthrie, Cashion, Yukon, Moore, Norman, Chickasha, Midwest City/Del City, Bethany, El Reno, Shawnee, Harrah, and more.

Schedule Inspections Online at:
www.Home-RunInspections.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/homeruninspections
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HomeRunInspect2

http://www.home-runinspections.com/