Tuesday, July 9, 2019

3 Things Every New Homeowner Should Do

Buying a house for the first time feels surreal. Finally, you have a place of your own and you will probably stay here for a long time, if not for the rest of your life. It’s important that you take good care of it so your home stays safe. Follow the tips below:

 

Find the main water shutoff valve
Water from a burst or broken plumbing pipe can spew dozens of gallons into your home’s interior in a matter of minutes, soaking everything in sight — including drywall, flooring, and valuables. In fact, water damage is one of the most common of all household insurance claims.

Quick-twitch reaction is needed to stave off a major bummer. Before disaster hits, find your water shutoff valve, which will be located where a water main enters your house. Make sure everyone knows where it’s located and how to close the valve. A little penetrating oil on the valve stem makes sure it’ll work when you need it to. Source: HouseLogic

Keep a home maintenance checklist
One of the new expenses that accompany home ownership is making repairs. There’s no landlord to call if your roof is leaking or your toilet is clogged. To look at the positive side, there’s also no rent increase notice taped to your door on a random Friday afternoon. While you should exercise restraint in purchasing the nonessentials, you shouldn’t neglect any problem that puts you in danger or could get worse over time. Delay can turn a relatively small problem into a much larger and costlier one. Source: Investopedia

Update the locks and have spare keys
One of the first things many homeowners do is change the locks on their new home. You don’t need to be particularly handy to install new door hardware, and a set of basic doorknobs and locks for your front and back door will only set you back $20-$80 or so. It may seem unnecessary, but there’s no way to know whether there are copies of your old key floating around, and who might have them if so. Investing a bit of money and time today can protect you from burglary down the road.

While you’re at it, get an extra copy of your key made and leave it with someone you trust, so you don’t have to shell out $100 to a locksmith when you inevitably lock yourself out. Source: TheSimpleDollar

There are many damages you can definitely repair on you own, but there are some that are better left to the professionals. Give us a call so we can help you out!

 

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114



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Thursday, July 4, 2019

What To Do With Water Stains on Ceilings

It’s frustrating to see a brown spot when you look up at the ceiling. What’s even worse is that it’s not just an aesthetic problem, it can also be a sign of a bigger issue. Find out how to deal with water stains below:

Find out what caused it
It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out from what area of the home the water is coming. Whether it’s the roof or an upstairs bathroom, whatever is above the ceiling is usually the source of your moisture problem. If you can’t identify a possible water source above the ceiling stain, you may have a leaky pipe. It’s also not uncommon for water to run along rafters or piping before dropping onto your ceiling, obfuscating the true source of the problem.

Old caulking is a common source of water seepage. Piping or a shower pan that has come into disrepair is also a possibility. Bad piping can mean you have a leak or it can mean your pipe is sweating from inadequate insulation. You may also need to figure out whether your pipes are old and need to be replaced or, if other circumstances, like hard water, is causing premature damage to your pipes. Source: HomeAdvisor

Check the roof
If the roof is to blame, find and repair crumbling shingles, compromised flashing (the weatherproofing material installed on the roof), or weakened seals around roof vents, all of which can give way to leaks. If you cannot patch the leak in the roof, you may need to replace it. Source: BobVila

After fixing the damage
Prepare what you need
Move any furniture and spread the drop cloth on the floor under the stained ceiling. Wear protective eye goggles and gloves because you will be applying chemicals to the ceiling.

Use bleach mixture to remove stain
Mix a solution of half bleach and half water, and then apply this with a sponge over the stains. This will lighten the stain and remove any mildew. Use clean water from your spray bottle to rinse away as much of the bleach mixture as possible.

Finish with paint
Blot the ceiling as dry as you can with the cleaning rags, and allow it to air dry the rest of the way. Then brush on a coat of stain killing primer or mildew resistant primer and allow this to dry. Paint the ceiling area with one or two coats of matching paint. Source: DoItYourself

Prevent damages from getting worse while making sure that the pesky water spots will never come back by letting us do the work. We offer free estimates! Call us now!

 

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114



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