Ours is a watery planet. With some notable exceptions, the third rock from the sun is generally covered in oceans, rivers, and lakes. Those places that rise above the water table usually get plenty of water in the form of rain to keep the flora green and growing. In our little corner of Oz, we depend upon water for not just drinking and bathing, but also for recreation. How can it be, then, that water is one of the top mischief-makers in the world of real estate and Sydney home staging?
Water, when left to its own devices, can spoil houses and devour your profit.
Like fire, which is a very good thing when carefully contained and well-managed; water can create big problems for homeowners. A roof that leaks, a tap that drips, clogged gutters, and/or a water heating unit that has seen better days are all poised to subtract significant money from your bank account. Without frequent inspections and regular maintenance, water damage is simply waiting in the wings to surprise you with costly repair bills. Here is a short list of places to look for potential problems.
Roofs and Gutters: Start your inspection at the top of your house and work your way down. Check the areas around roof openings; such as chimneys, exhaust flues and skylights, where leaks are most likely to happen. Get into your attic and look closely at the beams and joists near those openings. Dark spots indicate leakage and should be dealt with immediately.
Gutters clogged with debris can cause water to back up and seep under the roof. This can cause roof and wall damage. Tell-tale streaks or stains from the gutter down the exterior of your home signal a place where the gutters have been spilling over.
Paint: When water can get under your home’s exterior paint, it can get to the structure beneath. Be on the look-out for cracked or peeling paint. Scrape, prime, and repaint it yourself or call in a professional. (Your Sydney home staging expert will have a list of painting experts to help you make sure there are no red-flags to alert prospective buyers to problems under the surface.)
Cracked Foundations: Inspect your home’s foundations regularly for splits and cracks. Almost immediately after they are poured, concrete foundations start to settle, creating tiny cracks and fissures. When water finds its way into these little spaces trouble can follow. (We all know what happens to rocks in the bottom of a stream bed – they wear away in time.) To the ultimate home wrecker, the termite, there’s nothing quite as wonderful as such an entrance to your home’s underside.
Porches and Decks: Watch for signs of roof leaks on porches or covered decks as well. Clean and seal wooden decks against water damage regularly – a good coat of sealant each summer will keep your deck looking new for years.
Caulking: The silicone caulking that prevents water from seeping into the walls and floors behind the sinks, tubs, and other fixtures, should be inspected regularly to be certain no breaches of the seal have occurred. If water can seep in, mould can follow quickly in damp bathrooms. This leads to rotting wood in the framing and subflooring. Taking the time to replace old or shrunken caulking requires only a few tools and inexpensive materials whereas replacing a rotten floor is a much more expensive and an inconvenient project.
Leaky Fittings: Water service lines and/or drain lines, when not tightly connected, can become significant sources of water damage for all the same reasons mentioned about caulking. Taps can also create their own kind of havoc. Even the littlest drip can impact your water bill over time, so fix drips quickly.
It is a wise homeowner who takes steps to ensure that water is kept securely in the places we put it. Avoiding water damage simply requires being watchful and making repairs quickly when the need arises. Sydney home staging professionals report that a property that appears to be well-maintained instantly appeals to prospective buyers and almost always results in a faster sale. And, because such a home promises no big or costly surprises later on, the offers on such a home are more substantial as a result. Your vigilance will pay off
