last updated 27th October 05
by 4ecotips.com

Is yours one of them?

More than five million privately owned homes in the UK are in need of substantial improvement to bring them into line with modern housing standards. Indeed, for 99% of us our home is our biggest single investment so we need to keep an eye on it!

Deterioration creeps up slowly and before you know where you are something simple has turned into a major, costly to repair, problem. So it makes sense to pay attention to the warning signs!

Checking your home for potential problems doesn't take long. Probably a couple of hours at the most.

Look at the walls first. If they're rendered make sure none has cracked or dropped off allowing rain to penetrate. Ensure airbricks can "breath" and that flower bed or paving close to the house is six inches below damp course level and slopes away to shed water.

Damaged pointing (the mortar between the bricks) and seriously crumbling bricks should be dealt with quickly.

Next look at the roof the roof and chimney (if you've got one). You'll need to stand well back in the garden or at the front, stand on the opposite pavement and, using a pair of binoculars, gradually sweep your eye over the area.

Slipped, broken or missing tiles or slates should be replaced as a matter of urgency to prevent rain leaking onto interior ceilings and causing untold, costly damage. The pointing between ridge tiles may also need attention.

Look for broken chimney pots, and cracked or worn brickwork on the chimneystack, and check for missing pointing, and loose flashings (the lead or bitumen seal between chimney and roof). Make sure birds haven't nested in the flue when it's not been in use and that gutters a free of fallen leaves.

Check down pipes and gutters for cracks and leaks and also pipes carrying drainage water from inside the house. Look out especially for leaks behind pipes, which can go, unnoticed causing damp patches on internal walls. Also sort out dripping overflow pipes that can freeze up and cause untold interior damage.

Timber or metal windows should be checked for rot or corrosion, missing putty or flaking paint, particularly on sills. Also look for missing mastic where frames meet the surrounding wall.

Check that doors open smoothly, have adequate draught excluders and good secure locks and chains that comply with your household contents insurance requirements.

If you think there is severe damage or are at all uncertain about any aspect of you home's exterior call in an expert and a good place to start is with a local member Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. They can be relied upon to give you sound, unbiased professional advice.