6 Signs Your Old Home Desperately Needs a Good Foundation Repair

As a homeowner, it is crucial to keep an eye on the condition of your house. One of the most important parts of your house is its foundation. The foundation holds the entire structure together and is responsible for distributing the weight of your house evenly. 

Over time, the foundation of your house may weaken due to several reasons. If you have an old home, it is possible that your foundation may need repair. 

This blog post will discuss six signs that show your old home desperately needs a good foundation repair.

Cracks in Walls and Floors

One of the most visible signs that your foundation is in trouble is cracks in walls and floors. If you notice cracks that are longer than 1/16 inches wide, you should call a foundation repair expert, like those at Anglin's Foundation Repair, immediately. 

These cracks may occur due to settling or shifting of the foundation caused by soil movement or water damage.

Uneven Floors

If the floors of your house are uneven, it is another sign that your foundation needs repair. This may happen due to soil expansion and contraction that can cause the foundation to move up and down. 

In addition, you may observe doors and windows that don't close properly, which can be an indication of foundation issues.

Sagging Roofline

Another sign that your foundation needs repair is a sagging roofline. If you notice that your roofline is no longer straight, this means that the foundation is uneven and the roof is no longer sitting on a sturdy base. This can be dangerous and can lead to significant damage if not fixed immediately.

Gaps Between Walls and Ceiling

If you see a gap between the walls and the ceiling, it is another sign that your foundation has weakened. This may happen due to soil movement or settling of the foundation. This gap can lead to water damage or pests entering your home.

Cracks in the Chimney

If your chimney starts to crack, it should be a warning sign that your foundation has shifted. This is especially true if the cracks are present around the base of the chimney. 

It is crucial to fix the foundation before repairing the chimney to prevent the issue from recurring.

Basement Water Damage

Water damage in the basement is another sign that your foundation needs repair. Moisture buildup below the house can cause cracks and damage to the foundation. It can also lead to mold growth and pest infestation.

Final Thoughts

Your home is one of the most significant investments in your life, and it is crucial to keep it in top shape. Foundation repair is an essential part of maintaining the integrity of your home. 

If you see any signs of foundation collapse, you should call an expert immediately. Early intervention can prevent significant and costly damage to your home. 

So, keep an eye out for these six signs to ensure the foundation of your old home is in good condition.

Reasons to Inspect Your Old Home's Pipes Each Year

If you live in an older home, then you should consider having your pipes professionally inspected at least once a year. Those inspections take very little time to complete, and they are going to greatly reduce your risk of common plumbing issues that could wreak havoc on your home.

Quickly Find Leaks

Anyone who owns an older home should expect to deal with at least a few plumbing leaks, and that type of damage can quickly spiral out of control and cause a wide variety of problems. 

In addition to destroying nearby materials, a plumbing leak could also waste thousands of gallons of water yearly. For leaks in older homes, a plumber might suggest cured in place pipe lining installation services that will quickly seal multiple cracks and openings at once.

Prevent Pest Infestations

Whenever there is standing water or a slow leak in a home, the risk of a pest infestation skyrockets. Many bugs and rodents will immediately leave a home if they can’t find a consistent source of water from the plumbing system. Taking care of leaks as quickly as possible will prevent a major infestation that spreads all across your property.

Avoid Mold Growth

Many homeowners don’t realize just how dangerous a mold outbreak can be, and that issue is very common in older homes. As soon as mold finds a dark and wet environment, it will begin to release spores that spread to other rooms and all along the pipes. 

When a mold outbreak isn’t taken care of right away, it could have a big impact on your family’s health and comfort. If you find a mold outbreak, you should contact a mold remediation company to explore your options for removing the spores.

Catch Minor Damage Early On

Finally, those who have an older home should schedule annual plumbing inspections so that they can catch minor damage before it becomes a serious headache. 

No matter how well you maintain your pipes, the damage will occur over the years. Your plumber can carefully inspect the inside and outside of the pipes and give you a thorough report on potential problems you might run into in the future.

Changing out faucets and other basic maintenance can typically be completed by the average homeowner, but most repairs should be left to a licensed plumber. 

Those professionals have extensive training and the specialized tools that are needed to complete plumbing jobs quickly and safely.

4 Ways Electrical Rewiring Can Save You Money

Having a home rewired may sound like a big project with little rewards, but that is not the case. Rewiring can provide a number of important benefits that will save you money. 

Over time, the upgrade can pay its own way in those savings. If your home's wiring is getting old, consider having it redone for these reasons and many others.

Avoiding Repair Bills

Old wiring malfunctions frequently. It trips breakers for no obvious reason, leaves outlets inoperative, and generally does strange things. 

Each of those issues will call for a visit from an electrician, who is likely to tell you that your best choice of electrical services is to rewire the house. 

Listen to that good advice. If the electrician is actually suggesting something that will eliminate those repair calls, it must be a good idea.

Protecting Appliances

When your furnace or other heavy appliance kicks on, you probably see a brief "brown-down". It may not seem like a big deal, but that dip in power can be very damaging to sensitive appliances. 

Televisions, computers, and many other high-dollar items in your home can suffer significant damage when their power supply drops like that. A rewired home will provide enough power to prevent those troughs and the damage they can cause.

Preventing Fires

This is probably the most obvious reason to rewire. Old wiring may do more than malfunction. It can overheat, break, or otherwise suffer physical damage that leads to a fire in your home. 

The risk to your belongings, house, and family is too great to ignore. If you're having electrical problems or just have old wiring, rewiring it could save lives.

Upgrading Equipment

Older homes were built long before anybody dreamed that everybody would have four cell phones, two big-screen TVs, miles of Christmas lights, and countless other electrical items in the home. 

Heavy power users like swimming pool pumps and outdoor kitchens are also relatively new to homes. With an undersized electrical service and outdated wiring, your home cannot handle additional money-saving upgrades like additional lighting or central heat and air. Rewiring will make it possible to save money elsewhere.

Sometimes people get overwhelmed at the thought of rewiring. They worry about the cost and hassle involved in the project, even though they know how good the outcome will be. 

Do yourself a favor and find out just how affordable and convenient it can be. Your project will pay dividends for decades to come.

Home Repair Budget: How to Save for Needed Expenses

Maintaining a home is often expensive. From repairing the roof to trimming the trees, there are all sorts of jobs that require professional assistance. In order to keep up with all this necessary work, you need to account for home maintenance in your budget. Here’s how you can save up for essential home repairs.

Create a Separate Account

It’s often easier to save money for a specific purpose when you set it aside in its own account. That way, you’re not as tempted to dip into your savings for other purposes. 

Try making a “home improvement” account, and put a certain portion of every paycheck into it. This physical separation of your savings will help you maintain a sense of discipline.

Eliminate Wasteful Spending

If you’re going to save up for home repairs, then you’ll need to eliminate all those needless expenses that chip away at your monthly earnings. To really bring your budgeting game to the next level, write down all your typical expenses. 

This will give you a chance to understand where your money is actually going. You’ll probably be shocked by how much of your weekly paycheck goes toward frivolous purchases. 

If you really want to pay for necessary home repairs, you’ll need to change your lifestyle and cut out these wasteful expenses.

Separate Necessary Repairs From Optional Upgrades

When you’re working on a tight budget, then you need to differentiate between home improvement projects you’d like to do and home repairs that are absolutely necessary. 

After your shingles have been damaged by a storm, an appointment with an interior designer isn’t nearly as important as a visit from residential roofers. Responsible homeownership calls for getting your priorities in order.

Plan Your Projects in Advance

It’s tough to maintain a healthy budget when you’re constantly flying by the seat of your pants. Home repairs are often expensive, so it’s easier for your budget to absorb them when you prepare for them in advance. 

Plot out potential projects for the coming year, and plan your monthly budget around these foreseen expenses. This foresight will also save you money in the long term since it’s almost always cheaper to prevent an issue than to solve it after it occurs.

No matter how nice your home is, it’s going to require repairs. Take the steps above to make sure you can afford to maintain your home.

4 Home Winterization Steps to Complete to Avoid Costly Damage

Heating a home is just one part of the process you might go through as winter approaches. Many people like to do some work to winterize houses against the cold. Using a few of these simple tips, you might be able to save energy, spend less on heating, and avoid costly repairs due to winter damage.

Stop Frozen Pipes

The pipes running throughout a house can freeze during very cold periods. In most cases, this will cause a rupture somewhere between the point of freezing and your faucet. Ice in the pipes will expand and build pressure inside the space. 

Contractors usually place pipes in areas that are already insulated if the home is in a colder climate. Houses in warmer areas may not have this protection, and it is possible the pipes will need it during some winters. You can place caulking or insulation around the basement area of the home, and pipe sleeves can help seal any gaps that you see around the tubes.

Check Your Boiler

A boiler is a major appliance that helps to keep you toasty during the cold season. It will heat the water that you might use to make sure you can stay warm when you need a quick shower. They typically form hot steam that goes to radiators throughout older homes as well. 

Any issue you might have with this appliance can rob you of hot water or general warmth in the home. You can work with a qualified expert in boiler repair and related services to give your appliances the inspections they might need before winter hits.

Use Weather Strips

Don't forget about the small spaces that surround the doors and windows in your home. Weatherstripping involves you covering joints in the doors or the casing surrounding your windows. 

These covers are designed to keep heat in and rain, snow, and other elements out of the house. In addition to purchasing and installing the strips, you may want to consider adding storm windows or doors to the home.

Inspect the Attic

There are several things you can do to weatherize your home on the floors you occupy. However, the primary source of heat loss in most houses in the attic. If you don't do a proper inspection of this area, the time and effort you spend elsewhere in the home might go to waste. 

Always do a sweep of the place to make sure it has enough insulation for maximum heat retention. You can take steps to correct any gaps before the cold comes. After that, it is a good idea to look at the roof and find any damage to repair.

Subfreezing temperatures can have disastrous effects on different parts of a home. If a house is not insulated properly, the issues that arise could be a major hit to your wallet. 

In addition to this problem, no one wants to be stuck without a decent, heated shelter for any length of time in the dead of winter. If you do winterize your windows, consider adding thermal curtains to the mix for even more heat retention.

4 Reasons a New Roof is a Wise Investment

If you’re like most people, you’re not particularly concerned with the roof over your head—until it starts leaking. Placing pots on your floors to catch water is not fun, and water damage is quite costly. Don’t ignore your roof until an emergency occurs. The time to check your roof for damage, and even replace your roof is now.

Even if your roof hasn’t sprung a leak, you might be wondering why you would reach out to roofing contractors to replace your roof. Just because there aren’t any active leaks in your roof doesn’t mean there isn’t damage which can be compounded in the event of a storm or other natural disaster. 

Preventative actions are much more cost-effective than trying to recuperate from the unexpected. In this article, we will discuss four ways a new roof can save you money in the long term. Keep reading to learn more.

A Good Return on Your Investment

It’s important not to balk at hiring roofing contractors to replace your roof. In fact, your return on investment is approximately 70 percent. Therefore, replacing your roof is not as costly as you imagine. In addition, if you ever plan on selling your home, a new roof will help to increase your home’s overall value. 

As a result, you will profit from your wise investment. Moreover, a new and high-quality roof can have a lifespan of up to 30 years with continued maintenance. By then, you will have certainly realized the return on your investment.

Cut Down on Energy Costs

Invariably, energy costs skyrocket during the excruciatingly hot summers and bitterly cold winters. Thus, energy-efficient homes are on-trend right now. Again, if you are planning to sell your home, it helps to have marketable components such as a new, energy-saving roof. 

No one wants to pay an astronomical utility bill every month. Further, energy bills are not going to go down on their own. Not only will a new roof help to cut down on energy costs, but it will also enhance the temperature and comfort of your home.

Add to your curb appeal

Many homeowners view their houses as an investment. The objective is to invest in a good home, with a solid infrastructure, in the hopes it will rise in value. In fact, the easiest way to increase your net worth is by investing in the right home. 

As a result, a new roof can become a major boon to the curb appeal of your home. If this is a starter home or a flip, the roof can make a significant difference in the value of your home.

Create a safe environment

The longer you wait to replace a damaged roof, the more dangerous and unstable it becomes. For instance, it would be much more expensive to have to leave your home due to a damaged roof than to replace it before an emergency happens. 

If your roof were to cave in, imagine the damage it would cause to your furnishings and infrastructure. What if this happened during a storm? Water would start flooding your home causing countless issues and expenses whether or not you have insurance. A new roof offers a safe environment, and peace of mind during natural disasters.

5 Things You Should Do for Your Home This Summer

Summer is almost upon the world, which means it's time to ensure that your home is ready for the higher temperatures. Even if this summer may have fewer get-togethers where you live because of quarantining measures, that's no excuse to not keep your home properly taken care of.

After all, if you ignore simple maintenance tasks, you may wind up with bigger problems down the road. There are, of course, countless things you'll want to check in on before temperatures start to rise, but here are five of the most important things to do for your home this summer.

1. Tune-up your air conditioner.

If you're planning on spending time indoors to stay cool, you're definitely going to want to make sure that your HVAC system works. Many times, people wait until it's too late to get an appointment scheduled to have their HVAC serviced and wind up suffering through several days of hot, humid weather inside and out thanks to the rush of people trying to get appointments. 

Get ahead of the spike in demand and schedule your HVAC appointment now to make sure your AC's ready to go when the days get hotter.

2. Safeguard your pool.

If you're planning on swimming this summer, you'll want to make sure to perform a variety of maintenance tasks, from checking the levels of chlorine and other chemicals to cleaning out any debris that may be in there after last season. One of the most important aspects of any pool is the accessories that help keep it safe, especially if you have pets or young children at home. 

If you don't have the proper kind of pool fencing or cover, a pool fence company can help you fix your problem and create a safer outdoor space for all. Sadly, swimming pool deaths are common during summer months, so make sure to invest in a fence that keeps your backyard safe this summer.

3. Inspect your roof and your home's exterior.

The winter weather can cause all kinds of problems for your home's exterior. From damaging the roof due to heavy snow or hail to cracks in your home's siding, it's always a good idea to do a perimeter check of your house each spring or during the start of summer. 

Having this routine can help you catch problems before they become much irreparable, allowing you to nip them in the bud—rather than having to deal with a full-on roofing replacement (or worse!) later on.

4. Clean all windows and screens.

Cleaning your windows is a good idea since it keeps your house looking nice and lets you see the outdoors much better. Summer is a time when many animals come out and flowers begin to bloom, and you don't want to be looking outside through a smudged or dirty window.

If you've got window screens, you'll want to clear them of leaves, cobwebs, or any other detritus, too, since they can obstruct your view or aggravate your allergies if blown indoors when your windows are open on warm days.

5. Inspect your outdoor plumbing.

If you've got a hose spigot and plan on gardening, make sure to test it out to make sure no pipes froze and cracked over the winter. Getting this taken care of sooner than later can be especially important if you use your hose to fill up your pool or water your lawn with a sprinkler. 

Again, nobody wants to be stuck waiting for an appointment with a service professional when the weather truly gets hot, so do yourself a favor and double-check that everything is in good working order ahead of time.

4 Financial Benefits of Finishing Your Basement

When your home has an unfinished basement, you should know that there are financial benefits from renovating the basement so that it is more usable. Here is how experts believe that a finished basement can improve your financial situation.

Renting a Basement Apartment to a Tenant

If you create an entire apartment in your home’s basement, then you can rent the space to a tenant, helping to improve your financial situation each month. You must remember to create a usable space according to the local building codes for apartment rentals. 

In addition to having a bathroom and a kitchen, you may need to add a separate entranceway to the basement apartment along with making sure that there are fire exits available. You should determine how much you can charge for the apartment by checking the listings for similar rentals in your area.

Short-term Rental Income

Today, it is possible to offer short-term rentals to tourists. This is an excellent way to earn additional income if you live in a region where tourists are looking for places to stay. 



If you live in a city where it is difficult to find hotel rooms during major events, such as regional festivals, then you can offer the short-term rental basement to tourists only a few times a year. Again, you must determine what the local regulations are concerning short-term rentals to travelers.

Paying for Your Home Faster

If you finish your home’s basement, including basement waterproofing, then you can use the income from renting out the space to pay off your mortgage faster. Paying for your mortgage faster will improve your home equity, and this means that you will have a higher credit rating, making it easier to apply for other types of loans. 

You might not think that this is important, but when you want to apply for a vehicle loan or a student loan, having higher equity in a home can reduce your interest rates.

Improving the Resale Value of a Home

When your boss wants to transfer you to a job in another state, having a home with a finished basement makes it easier to sell the property. In addition, you can get more money from the sale of the house because it has an extra livable space. When you hire a real estate agent, make sure that the individual understands that the basement has bedrooms along with a bathroom and a kitchen.

Last, if your family is expanding, then renovating a basement to create space for teenagers or other relatives is less expensive than moving to an entirely new home.

4 Small Home Fixes That Become Big Expenses If Left Untreated

Are you taking proper care of your home to avoid needing expensive repairs? Owning a home is a big financial responsibility, but you must also make sure that the materials and equipment of the building are in the best condition.

Small Holes in the Siding or Roof

If your home’s roof or siding has tiny holes, then mice, wasps or other pests can squeeze through the openings to infest the building. 

After vermin enters the roof or the siding of a building, the pests can cause damage from body waste, consuming drywall or building nests for young. 

Filling the small holes is simple with liquid caulking, and you can do this on your own or you can hire a handyman to perform the chore. Make sure to inspect your home’s exterior at least twice a year to find the holes that you can cover or fill.

Replacing a Home’s Air Conditioner

It is essential to have an air conditioner in your home, but if you forget to care for this equipment, then you could have a big expense later. Changing the filter in air conditioners is an easy process, but it is amazing how many homeowners fail to complete this chore each month. 

This leads to an air conditioner that is covered with household dust, causing the equipment to overheat. Make sure to buy a filter that is the proper size, and you can use a high-efficiency particulate air filter to remove the tiniest particles of dust and pollen.

Are the Windows of Your Home in Perfect Condition?

If you are ignoring the tiny chips or cracks that can occur to a home’s windows, then you can require an expensive repair later. Cracks and chips occur on windowpanes for a variety of reasons, including having birds fly into the windows or when your children throw a ball against the window. 



When you delay making a repair to the window, the glass can break at an inopportune time from the strong winds that can occur during a rainstorm. This will lead to an additional expensive repair to your home from the damaging rainwater.

Ignoring Plumbing Leaks in Kitchens or Bathrooms

Make sure to inspect the plumbing fixtures in your home, including the toilets, sinks or bathtubs. You should also check the pipes that are near a laundry room or in other areas such as the basement. 

Don’t forget to check your home’s water heater for leaks that can occur from this appliance’s tank or intake pipes. If you find any moisture from the pipes or connectors, then fix the item on your own or contact a professional plumber right away.

Have a Home Maintenance Schedule

One of the best ways to make sure that you home is in perfect condition is to have a maintenance schedule so that you won’t forget to perform inspections of the various things that can degrade.

How Smart Families Save for Home Repairs

Family members often bristle at the mere thought of costly home repairs. Home repair work, however, is often inevitable. Plumbing systems deteriorate and become a lot more unreliable. 

Flooring tends to wear down after years and years of extensive traffic as well. If you want to be able to accommodate all kinds of home repair costs, there are several strategies that can work.

Smart Families Budget

The smartest families in many cases are the ones that know how to budget their finances correctly. Setting up a family budget can help you supervise your funds and where they go at the end of the month. 

It can help you keep your eyes on the prize, too. If you’re aware of how much money you have to work with, it may discourage you from spending money carelessly.

Smart Families Eat at Home

Intelligent families know that nonstop eating out can take a toll on finances. That’s the reason they tend to eat meals at home together. They pack their own lunches to take to work and school daily as well. 



Buying fast food for lunch can cost a lot of money over time. Nonstop restaurant visits can lead to significant money squandering. Tipping servers alone can in many cases cost a substantial sum.

Smart Family Members Secure Part-Time Work

Part-time work can help families that need to pay for home repair projects of all kinds. Roofing replacement is without a doubt an example of a home repair project that can boost comfort. 

If you want a brand new and gorgeous roof, securing a part-time job that’s fulfilling and that makes you feel good can help you do so.

Smart Families Search High and Low for Discounts

Smart families are made up of savvy individuals who know how to search high and low for discounts and bargains. They cut coupons out of weekly newspapers. They print out online coupons. 

They find home improvement firms that offer deals for first-time customers as well. If you want to make paying for a home repair project feel like the easiest thing in the world, then you need to be able to find all kinds of discount opportunities.

Smart families do all sorts of things to pay for residential repair work. They make good use of coupons at grocery stores. They steer clear of purchases that don’t offer genuine value to them, too. Being intelligent about money can feel rewarding.

How Homeowners Can Learn Enough about Plumbing to Save Money

The plumbing in your home makes it possible to take a hot shower, do the dishes and take care of other tasks that you may take for granted. 

However, if the plumbing stops working properly, it can take a lot of time and money to fix it. The good news is that there are ways for homeowners to learn how to solve several common issues related to a home's pipes.

Watch Tutorials on YouTube

YouTube is full of tutorials that can help you learn more about your pipes and how to fix them. The best part about watching an online video is that you can stop it when necessary, rewind it or watch it as many times as it takes to get a concept down. 



You also have the option of learning from a variety of sources, which may help you find a teacher who you can best learn from.

Read Books about Plumbing

While this may be a little more old fashioned, you can learn about plumbing by reading books on the subject. Some companies, like Knights Plumbing & Drain, know that you can either borrow a book from a friend or get one at your local library. 

It is also possible to order books online or to read digital copies. In some cases, you will need to pay for any digital books that you want to read about the subject.

Ask Friends or Family Members for Help

If you have a burst pipe or a slow drain, you may want to ask a parent or a friend who has experience with such issues for help. 

This may make it easier to solve your issue without spending a lot of money because a family member or friend will likely help for free. However, it may be a good idea to pay for help with pizza or a few drinks after the job is done.

Learn Through Trial and Error

Sometimes, the best way to learn about a subject is through experience. The next time a pipe cracks, try to figure out what works best to seal that crack. If your drain is slow, try a variety of techniques to fix it until you find something that works.

If you are a homeowner, you will need to learn how to fix plumbing issues. While it may not be the most exciting subject to master, having the ability to do your own plumbing work is both a valuable skill and a great way to save money on household projects.

Six DIY Projects You Can Do At Home To Save You Money

In this age of rising costs, people are looking for ways to save money. There are certain services you may have paid for in the past, but you can save more by doing them at home yourself. Before you pay for another service, ask yourself if it’s something you can handle doing at home to save money and boost your financial position.

New Window Treatments

You don’t have to be a whiz on the sewing machine to make new curtains. You can actually buy fabric that you love and use nothing more than an iron and special no-sew ironing tape to create a hem. Next, attach wide ribbons to the top using the same iron-on adhesive. Make it a little more secure by sewing decorative buttons at the base of each tab, and you’ll be rewarded with sharp window treatments that cost a fraction of the money.

Weed Control

Rather than paying the professionals high fees to spray your yard with pesticides, do this yourself. There are attachments that you can hook to your own garden hose to spray herbicides on the lawn. You can also buy the spray bottles and just spot treat weeds as they rear their ugly heads. You’ll save money and keep your yard safer for your pets and children.

Car Repairs

Some repairs are best left to the professionals, but there are others that you can handle at home. While you may not know how to fix a transmission, replacing a damaged bumper isn’t nearly as difficult. When you need to replace one of your auto parts, start by finding what you need at 99 Truck Parts, which offers new and used selections. This allows you to save even more when you do the work yourself.

Lights and Plumbing Fixtures

You want a new light or kitchen faucet, but you dread the cost of hiring a professional. The good news is that you probably don’t have to hire someone for help. New lights and faucets usually come with directions for installing them. Remember to shut down the water or power to the fixture you’re working on, and prepare to change it out yourself to save money.

Paint

If you’re looking to change the colors around your home, remind yourself that it’s just paint. You’ll want to invest in some drop cloths, quality paint brushes and remover in case of accident. Move the roller slowly across the wall for the best paint distribution and smallest mess. It will take several hours of your time, but you’ll save a small fortune in labor. This is a great way to update the look of your home without having to pay for a costly remodel. 

Recycle

There are countless ways to recycle items around your home, and most of them will help you save money. Rather than going and buying a new bathroom vanity, learn how to turn an old dresser into a fantastic and unique vanity. Instead of buying candles, learn how to make your own from the kids’ old crayons. You can even make your own compost for fertilizing by saving your kitchen scraps and yard clippings.

There are plenty of DIY project you can do at home to save money. While some are more decorative, others will help you save money while keeping your home and car in top condition. Don’t be afraid to do it yourself and reduce your expenses at the same time.