Any condition paired with the word rot can understandably incite fear. As with any household condition that you encounter for the first time, dry rot can be less frightening when you learn what it is and where you’re most likely to find it. Dry rot occurs after moisture and fungus build-up on timber. Dry rot is rarely visible or exposed. It usually looks inside walls and underneath the floors and roofing.

Signs to watch for are as follows:

• Bubbling or blistering paint.
• Discolored, water stain, cracking, or splitting wood.
• Wood that feels soft when you touch it.

Since moisture is a key element there are places you want to inspect in your home that is susceptible to dry rot. Here is a list of areas to examine:

• Caulking.When it’s used to steal joints on indoor and outdoor surfaces.
• Decks and doors
• The floor surrounding the base of your tubs and showers
• Porches and skylights
• Roof near the edges where gutters are attached
• Trim on the exterior of your home
• Windows 
• Wood that rests on the concrete foundation or around the base of your home.

The post How to Identify Rotting Wood appeared first on Smiths Creek MI Home Inspections.

The real estate market is hot and home inventory is low. Homebuyers are not taking the time to get the inspection after they go under contract. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of buying a new home but home inspections are a critical part of the home buying process and can save lots of time and money in the long run.

Appraisals and inspections are not the same things. Appraisals will not provide you with a detailed look at a property or uncover deep-rooted problems and potential pitfalls.

There are some great reasons to have a home inspection before you buy here or just a couple:

• The power of negotiation. One of the advantages of having a home inspection performed before you buy is the power it might give you to negotiate a lower price. Information gathered during the home inspection will give you bargaining power to talk down the price.
• Get the seller to make repairs. You can negotiate a lower price by including clauses in the contract that require the seller to make repairs. This is done before any money is exchanged. If the seller is unwilling to make the repairs, estimate the cost and ask them to take the amount of the total. Solid facts about the quality and condition of the home can give you valuable bargaining power.

These are two very strong and powerful reasons to get a potential home inspected before you buy.

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Great summer entertaining all summer long with a DIY outdoor kitchen plan. Plans include space for a grill, refrigerator, sinks, and even pizza ovens. With the outdoor kitchen space, you’ll find that your indoor kitchen will barely be used. It’s a great place for family and friends to gather and share a meal outside.

There are a few different types of approaches here are just a few:

• The patio turned into an outside kitchenette. With the additions of cabinets, concrete, counters, a sink, and maybe a built-in grill and refrigerator you will love your outdoor kitchen space.
• DIY outdoor kitchen on a deck. You can build a cinder block and brick pizza oven, a built-in grill, cabinets, and even build a place for a big green egg. You can tackle this plan over a weekend.
• Backyard wood fire pizza oven. A popular item for an outdoor kitchen is a wood fire pizza oven. Most ovens are built with a cedar block base and then shaped with a wooden frame and brick dome.
• An outdoor serving cart can create a space for outdoor serving. You can sit the cart outside beside your grill and have extra pep space. Or you can use it as a bar cart on the deck.
• Patio storage cabinets. Purchase base cabinets and make the construction part easy.  A cement board and tile on top of the cabinets will make them a great place to serve a crowd buffet style.

There are lots of DIY outdoor kitchen cabinet ideas online. Check them out and create your own custom space.

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Carpenter ants are an ant species that are known for damaging the wood. They like to burrow through dead or rotting wood and create tunnel ways or easily traveling from their nests to various sources of protein and sugar.

When left untreated carpenter ant infestation can become quite severe as they spend a great deal of time developing largeness within the inner work some of which structures.

If you have an infestation of carpenter ants you must act fast to control them and their population.

Check the areas outdoors that hold moisture like fences doorframes window frames sheds and gazebos. Indoors check near window frames doorframes under sinks and whenever wood structures have high moisture content present.

You’re looking for signs of carpenter ants like the appearance of big black or red ants 14 trails. Discarded wings or wind carpenter ants will look like small sawdust piles.

To get rid of the ants you need to apply products both indoors and outdoors for total control. There are several products that can be used to get rid of ants. Diatomaceous earth is a natural non-toxic option for treating carpenter ants.

Prevention is key to keeping your home free of these ants. Start by trimming back vegetation away from the property. Remove wood yard debris and woodpiles or rotting wood. 

The next time you see ants take these precautions to heart to avoid an infestation.

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The crawlspace in our home is not one most homeowners want to visit. However, the crawlspace in our home should never be neglected. Why you might ask? Well, the problems in the crawlspace can have an effect on the entire home. There are elements in the crawlspace that you just don’t want there.

For example mold in mildew can occur if there is an excess of water and moisture in your crawlspace. This can quickly spread throughout the whole house and put your health at risk.

Damage to the insulation in your home will occur if moisture and water are in the crawlspace. The structure of the house is also jeopardized. And termites and other pests will be attracted to the moisture.

It’s also an easy entrance for mice, rodents, and other pests. Because of the low level of this area, these pests can find their way into the crawlspace. And they can cause damage to different elements of the home. Damage to the wiring, insulation, and plumbing.

Some of the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC problems that you have could be originating in the crawlspace. Getting a crawlspace inspection is critical in order to avoid these potential issues.

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The main thing to keep in mind when fixing a scratch is to always sand in the direction of the grain in the wood. You also want to clean the surface well between each step of the process.

So what do you do? Well, first you sand it down well with either sandpaper or steel wool depending on how deep the scratch is. After that, you can use wood filler to build it back up. After it dries, you sand it until the floor surface is smooth, and then you can finish it all off by applying polyurethane. Your floor will look as new with just a little bit of work.

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Take kickout flashing for example. Looking at it, you might think that it’s a piece of flashing that has come loose or got bent somehow. This has caused some homeowners to remove it, but it actually serves a vital purpose in protecting your home from water intrusion. Kickout flashing is there to push water out and away from sensitive areas of your home, but when it is removed, water can get into cracks and crevices and then leak into your home.

If you notice that your kickout flashing is missing, getting it replaced as soon as possible will protect your home.

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One reason why some choose this material is that it is made from recycled materials, which is good for the environment. There are different materials that are used for making it, but a couple of common ones are cork dust and sawdust. This is mixed with linseed oil and pine resin to make a hard material that can be used for your floors.

While it isn’t hard to maintain a linoleum floor, you should make sure to avoid strong chemicals, whether acidic or alkaline, since these can eat away at the floor and damage it. Even water isn’t great if you use too much, since standing puddles can do damage. The best method for everyday cleaning is using a broom or a vacuum.

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