Owning real estate in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, or Hampton Roads can be rewarding.
Along with real estate ownership there is responsibility of maintaining your investment. Most of us schedule an annual personal physical with our family doctor.
When you consider the amount of time your family spends at home, it makes total sense to give your home an annual physical as well.
HouseMaster has prepared a list of some basic healthy house issues to assist you in performing your real estate’s physical. Set aside some time for your home or condo to review the following:
Our weather in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Hampton Roads dictates some special
equipment for our home or condo.
What do Humidifiers/Dehumidifiers accomplish? Home humidifiers add moisture to house
air and are typically needed when a warm air heating system is operational. Home dehumidifiers
remove moisture from the air and are typically used in basements or crawlspace areas.
They can protect your real estate investment by removing moisture.
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- Both of these moisture control devices should be checked regularly during usage
periods. - Check to make sure there is no leakage or overflowing of water onto the heating system
and all drain lines properly dispose of the water. - Some dehumidifiers have to be manually emptied. If this is inconvenient,
replace with a unit with an automatic shut-off or drain. - They should be thoroughly cleaned before or after seasonal use, and as needed otherwise.
Remove any slime buildup with a water/bleach solution or use the cleaning
agents recommended by the manufacturer.
- Both of these moisture control devices should be checked regularly during usage
Home and condo Alarms/Detectors.
Check all safety and security alarms regularly; replace older alarms (after five years or as otherwise recommended by the manufacturer):
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- Smoke/Fire
Alarms. These are your family’s first line of defense/warning in the
event of a fire/smoke emergency. Change the batteries in all of your
smoke/fire alarms at least annually. Set a regular date when all are
changed each year. - CO Monitors.
Carbon Monoxide is odorless and colorless. A CO detector is the only way
to identify elevated levels of CO in your home before physical injury
occurs. If you don’t have CO monitors protecting your home from this
toxic gas, you should act immediately and install them in strategic
locations near the sleeping areas and other points recommended by the
manufacturer or local officials. Check that presently installed units are
operational. - Radon Testing.
Check with your local municipal building department and inquire if radon
gas is a community health threat. If it is, you should test your home for
the presence of this invisible, odorless gas. - Security
Systems. All too often homeowners disengage their security alarm to avoid nuisance calls.
This puts them at a security risk. If this is the case in your home,
check with an alarm company to see if other options are better suited for
your family.
- Smoke/Fire
- EMERGENCY PREPARATION. Within your home or condo, prepare these essential items for routine activities or emergencies:
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- First Aid Kit
- Family Contact
List - Home Equipment
Maintenance Information - Babysitter
Information - Emergency
Evacuation Kit - Medical, real
estate, and Financial Records
Remember, these tips are only general guidelines. Since each situation is different, contact a professional if you have questions about a specific issue. More home safety and maintenance information is available
online at www.housemaster.com.
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© HMA Franchise Systems, Inc.
