In the 1930’s, the term “public enemy” was widely used in the United States to describe people who were seen as extremely dangerous to society. The term had been used for centuries to describe pirates and outlaws. And then there were some who achieved the distinction of being “Public Enemy Number One.” Since 1950, the list of public enemies is now known as the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.”
Your home has many enemies and has one that is public enemy number one that is extremely dangerous to your home. It tries to kill and destroy your home in many places, and happens in many difficult places to see. It’s relentless in its attack on your home. You can keep it from entering your home, and you must be determined and diligent in your home maintenance to prevent it from rotting and decaying your significant home investment. It’s like “pay me now or pay me later” … pay now to keep your home in good shape or pay more later to repair it. You can protect yourself against it!
Public enemy #1 to your home is MOISTURE. Any kind of moisture … anywhere. From rain to leaking pipes or fixtures to condensation, moisture and dampness will destroy parts of your home quickly and provide an unwanted environment for deterioration and decay, insects of all kinds, rodents, mold and mildew, and much more.
Some moisture gets in from the outside, and some moisture is created on the inside. Where it’s trying to get in from the outside, you need to do everything you can to make sure the exterior “skin” of your home is successfully shedding water away at every possible penetration point. Where moisture is building up on the inside of walls, plumbing lines, attic, and anywhere else that is concealed, the environment must be maintained to keep it clean and enable the moisture buildup to dry out as quickly as possible.
Your air conditioner is one of the biggest creators and evacuators of moisture in your home. Did you know that the evaporator core will create more than a gallon of water an hour when it’s operating and conditioning the air inside your home?! Where is that water going? You must make sure the plumbing and other equipment designed to get rid of and maintain that moisture is clean and working properly.
In recent months, we’ve certainly experienced a lot of rains. I’ll bet some of you reading this have had had some frustrating experiences and stories from water that leaked into your home. A simple and slow drip drip drip can be extremely costly in time, inconvenience, and money. Points of moisture penetration are one of the key things that professional real estate inspectors look for when inspecting a house or building.
Take some time to look at all your roof and flashing details, mechanical equipment, plumbing, and every nook and cranny to look for anything that needs to be repaired, cleaned, updated, and maintained. Or call a professional inspector to come and do all the dirty work for you.
Protect yourself from your home’s public enemy #1, and stay dry my friends!
