All Decked Out

An outside deck can become unsightly it a few years ifleR on its own. Among the problems that can affect outdoor wood, besides rot and insects, are discoloration, caused by mildew, dirt and fungi; and splitting and warping caused by water and sun.

Regular cleaning and maintenance can reduce these problems and extend the life of a deck. The general rule of thumb is to clean and seal a deck at least every two to three years. Generally, any dirtied or deteriorated wood should be sanded and cleaned with a detergent before sealing. Newer or cleaner wood can skip this step of the process.

New construction should be sealed when the wood is adequately dried. This period can range from immediately to several months. Decks constructed from double-treated wood (that is, wood factory treated with a water repellant and a preservative) generally do not need sealing for 18 months to two years.

Experts recommend that decks be sealed in two steps: Sealer should first be applied at a rate of 200 square feet per gallon. After the first application drys for 24-48 hours, the second coat should be applied at 300 square feet per gallon. If, during the sealer application, the deck appears sticky (meaning that you put too much sealer on) wipe off the stickiness immediately with paint thinner.

Keep in mind that ordinary sealers will help protect the deck against the elements and splitting, warping and other water damage, but will not protect the original color. Other treatments are available to maintain a deck's color.

When sealing or preserving a deck, always wear protective eye covering, rubber gloves and a respirator mask, since many sealers contain strong solvents. Make sure to follow all application instructions very carefully.

If you are in doubt as to whether a deck needs to be sealed, a good test is to sprinkle water on the wood. If the water soaks in, the wood needs sealing. Water will form beads on the surface of wood that has active sealer.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600

It's Time for a Spring Check-up!

Poor maintenance is one of the leading discoveries of a home inspection. A home that is not kept in peak condition probably will not sell as fast, or at the optimal price. Also, a poorly maintained home is just not a comfortable place in which to live. Consider the following checklist for a spring clean-up this and every spring.

Foundations,Foundation walls, steps, walkways, retaining walls, patios, driveways, garage floors, etc, for cracking, heaving or crumbling.
Chimneys, rusted chimney caps or loose or missing mortar.
Roofs and Cutters
Shingles that are blistered, missing, loose or damaged.
Leaking, misaligned or damaged gutters, downspouts, hangers, gutter guards and strainers.
Flashing around roof stacks, skylights, chimneys
Animal nests found in louvers, chimneys and vents.
Exterior Walls Paint flaking or failure.
Cracks, looseness, missing or broken mortar in masonry walls.
Shrubbery that has grown against the house.
Interior Open crawl vents toward the end of spring (if applicable.)
Ripped or broken louver screens or open attic louvers.
Water stains, leaks, dampness and condensation under roof (especially in attics and around chimneys.)
Replace the batteries in the smoke detector.

When addressing each of these maintenance items, we suggest you use the services of an insured and licensed contractor for your safety and overall value.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600

Wet Basement Help

There is no such thing as an entirely waterproofed basement! Prolonged rain, combined with poorly draining soils, can result in water seepage into basements and ground-level living areas. Water seepage occurs when water saturates the soil to a certain depth forming pressure against a basement's or foundation's walls. If one understands some basic causes of a wet basement and a few of the basic cures, then some worries can be put aside!

Signs of A Wet Basement

The most obvious sign of a wet basement, of course, is actual water in the basement. However, there are other indicators of water problems caused by direct leakage, seepage and condensation. Ask yourself these questions when looking at a house:

Is rust present on steel posts and on the base of heating equipment?
Are wood posts, paneling or wood partitions stained or discolored?
Is there evidence of insects?
Are there cracks or bulges in the foundation walls?
Is efflorescence contained on the foundation walls?
Are the floor tiles, carpeting or objects on the floor damaged or mildewed?

Keeping The Water Out

Some simple and inexpensive remedies can often eliminate water problems and Wet Basements and the need for costly and complex work! Routine maintenance and care may turn a wet and dismal situation into a dry and comfortable room.

Outside Tips ...

Use clay-based soil to create a slope away from the home at a descent of approximately one inch per linear foot. One common cause of water problems is poor grading or the use of an improper backfill such as topsoil, mulch or wood chips.
Gutters should be cleaned at least each spring and fall. Gutters should also slope properly toward the downspouts, avoiding water backup and spillover.
Redo or abandon underground drain pipes that are not draining properly. Test these pipes by flushing them with water from a garden hose. Extend downspouts eight feet from a house if there is a basement and four feet if there is only a crawl space.
Window wells need to be cleaned and maintained periodically. Plastic dome covers can help to keep water and waste from accumulating against a basement window. Also; window wells should be at least four inches above a positive slope that moves away from a home.
Flower beds need to slope away from a house to prevent settling water.
Remove all debris that can hold water away from the house.
Check to see that any automatic sprinkler system is not spraying too much water against the house's foundation.
Walkways, patios, driveways, etc. need to slope away from a house's foundation walls by one-quarter inch per linear foot.
Seal cracks between foundation walls and outside surfaces.

Inside Tips ...

Use a dehumidifier to reduce hunudity.
Below-grade level bathroom and laundry room exhaust should vent to the outside to prevent moisture buildup.
Minor cracks in foundation walls and joints should be sealed with a flexible caulking material.
Dirt crawl spaces can be covered with a sheet of 6 mil polyethylene plastic to reduce ground moisture.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600

Playground Safety

Here are some things to look for to make a safer backyard play area:

Play Area Ground. Loose-fill materials such as hardwood chips, wood mulch, pea gravel, and sand are all acceptable "fallbreakers"' as are certain synthetic surfaces. Grass, soil, and hard-packed dirt fail to provide adequate protecton. Seventy-five percent of all playground injuries are caused by falls, so this is one of the most important considerations.

Sharp Edges. Check structures for sharp edges and comers. Screws and bolt ends should be capped. Cothing caught in equipment can cause strangulation, so look anything that may a hook or snag, especally at the top of slides

Connections. Ensure that S-type hooks on swings are completely pinched shut. Also watch for rings or other spaces between five and ten inches in diameter where a child's head or limbs could be trapped.

Protective Barriers. Install guardrails or protective barriers on all raised surfaces (platforms, bridges and ramps) to prevent falls Any elevated equipment induding slides should not be more than seven feet high for school-age children or six feet high for pre-schoolers.

FreeArea. Allow for an open space free of equipment and obstacles that extends for several feet in all directions around anything children can climb.

Swings. Seats should be made of soft materials such as rubber or canvas and set apart from over equipment. Allow at least two feet between swings and thirty inches between swing and support structure to provide proper clearance.

Deterioration. Inspect for signs of aging and corrosion such as rust and chipped paint on metal components; loose splinters, large vertical cracks, and decay on wood; and splitting and cracking in plastic. Also look for deterioration where the components are anchored to the ground-any problems there may cause instability.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600

Whole House Fan Usage

A whole-house exhaust fan in the ceiling draws air from the house, forcing it into the attic and out through the roof and attic vents. A fan should only be used to draw relatively cooler and / or dryer outside air into the house. If it is operated simultaneously with air conditioning it will exhaust the cooled and dehumidified air from the house and replace it with warm, humid air from the outside. A valid use might be to purge accumulated super-heated air from a house that has been closed up-perhaps during a work day or vacation-prior to activating the central cooling system. In order to operate safely and effectively, the roof and attic vents may need to be enlarged so that their cumulative free area equals the area of the fan orifice.

The following guidelines should be followed when using a whole-house fan:

Use it only when the outside air is not higher in temperature than the intenor space being ventilated.
Open only the windows where ventilation is presently needed: the living room during the cooler evening hours, the bedroom at night or the kitdhen/breakfast area early in the morning.
Do not use the whole-house exhaust fan in conjunction with a heating or cooling system, or while a fireplace is burning.
Consider building a safety grille around the exposed fan mechanism in the attic to help prevent accidental injury from rotating blades and other moving parts.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600

Pool Pointers

It's time to talk about back yard pool safety. In addition to the often tragically ignored advice to constantly watch children playing in or near the pool, here are a few more safety tips:

Pools should be equipped with a fence and locking gates.
Designate items that can be used for pool rescue and locate them nearby.
Clearly mark the drop-off between the shallow end and the deep end by painting a wide black line on the pool's bottom or by installing a floating rope.
Do not store favorite toys near the pool - children will follow them into the pool if they fall in.

Stoffer Inspections, L.C. (785) 766-0600