Around the House By Andy Lekarczyk Well, let’s hope winter has finally left the building! While you’re doing your weekend shopping pick up some fuel stabilizer for your snow blower. This will save you time and aggravation next fall. You can run the unit completely out of fuel as well, but the stabilizer may be the easiest approach. Make sure after you add it into the fuel tank you operate the machine to let it circulate thru the entire fuel system. As the weather improves several of you may be looking to purchase a home or know someone looking. We have a friend searching for a home, and it is quite disturbing how many repossessed home are in our communities. If your searching for any listed home you must learn to inspect these properties. As you approach a home, look at the roof. Is the surface flat? If not, you may have rafter or roof sheathing issues. If the shingles look worn or curling you can expect to need a roof. Look at the chimney, is it masonry? Do the bricks look sound? If the furnace is a high efficient type the exhaust gas is cooler than old style furnaces. This means moisture accumulates in the chimney and makes its way into the brick, this moisture than damages the bricks. Typically in these installs, a metal chimney liner may have been installed. Look for a small metal ‘roundish” cap at the top of the chimney. If the furnace is a 90 percent or greater efficiency, the unit probably uses a PVC plastic vent and intake pipe exiting the side of the home. Look at the electric meter, are the cables entering from a pipe coming from the top of the meter or where you can see the power cables coming from a nearby utility pole? Or is the top of the meter box flat and a pipe entering from the ground below? Obviously, the first is an overhead service the second is an underground. Don’t think that an underground service connection means no power outages. Aesthetically, it may look better, but at some point down the road the feed cables are on an ‘above ground’ pole. Don’t try and open any electrical boxes or panels, simply look. On an overhead service look at the cable or pipe installed up the side of the home, if it’s a cable, does the cable’s outer jacket look sound? If a pipe, is the pipe rusty? Does it pass thru the roof? If so, can you see the boot style fitting on the roof and does it look sealed?
Finally, as you look at the overhead wiring where the house cable meets the pole wiring, are the connections taped or jacketed? Are they clear of the roof and side of the home? Are they clear of any trees in the yard? Cables that pass thru trees outside the utility easement will most likely be the homeowner’s responsibility to keep clear. This is not a homeowner solvable problem! A qualified and experienced tree trimming company will be required to clear this foliage. Several people are killed each year trying to work around trees and power lines. Look at the gutters and downspouts, do they look secure and do they drain away from the house? Is the grade around the house pitching away from the home? Look at sidewalks, driveway, and stairs. Cement is expensive. Any cracks? If downspouts were placed near the cement ways, tap on the cement surface and if they sound ‘hollow’ the sand beneath the slab has washed away. If it’s cracked, that’s why, if not it probably will be soon. In a pinch you can find a small rock and simply drop it and listen. Look at the underside of the eaves. There should be vented panels for proper air circulation. The roof should also have either a vent across the entire length of the top (which raises the cap shingles and be noticeable from the ground), or metal roof vents. This allows air to enter the eves, pass along the underside of the roof sheathing and exit at the top vent. Carry a small pair of binoculars to look at roofs. Since we’re speaking about the roof structure, try and carry a ladder on visits. There should be an attic access point inside the home. Open the hatch and with your flashlight look at the underside of the roof. Any water stains? This could indicate an active leak. Look at the nails protruding to the inside, any signs of water entering around them? Does the attic have blown in insulation? Make sure the insulation was not blown over the eve vents, this is a common mistake by do it yourselfers. Shut off your flashlight, typically you can see light coming from outside at the eve vents. A foam board should be placed at the end of the rafters to hold the insulation from the vents. Next week more info on the interior Around your ‘potentially new’ House.
Livingston County Genealogical holding next meeting on April 4 The Livingston Genealogical Society will hold its next meeting on Thursday, April 4. The meeting will take place at the First United Methodist Church, 1230 Bower Street in Howell and begins at 7 pm. This meeting is open to the public and there is no charge to attend. The topic for the evening will be “The Voyageurs of New France” with guest speaker Dakota Star. For more information please call (517) 546-2730.