Home Maintenance Tips for Brookline Homes

Before buying a home it’s always good to look for a few ‘key’ items that can spell trouble. One item that can cause concern is a faulty foundation. How do you tell if the foundation is faulty? If there is a crawl space look underneath the house. Are the parallel timbers reinforced by horizontal studs?

These horizontal support studs should be installed to allow for support if an earthquake should occur. Red flags of concern should be raised if there are cracks or chips in the foundation.

Another problem is if the foundation is resting on unsupported cinders or rocks (lifting a house for a new foundation can cost up to $20,000).

Another area of concern about foundations is the threat of termite invasion. Look for wood paneling that is directly up against dirt.

This connection is a gateway for subterrainian termites. The fix for this problem is relatively easy. The dirt must be dug up and a layer of protective concrete should be used as filler.

Still, if home design will not allow for concrete to be poured other measures should be used to replace the abutting dirt. Danny Lipford, explains a little more about foundation problems.

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