5 Reasons To Get A Home Inspection

Photo by Brian Babb on Unsplash

When buying a home, it's important to ensure everything is up to code. A home inspection can help you identify potential issues that may crop up in the future. If you notice any red flags while looking for a dream house, it's worth getting an inspection before making an offer. Here are five reasons to get a home inspection:

1. You want to know about the general condition of a property.

If you're buying a home, you want to know if it's structurally sound. You also want to know if any repairs need to be made or if there are problems with the property. If you don't know about these things before buying, any issues that arise later on could cost you a lot of money and aggravation.

A home inspection will also help determine whether or not the property is safe for habitation. In addition, the inspector will check all major systems in the home, such as electrical wiring, plumbing, and heating/cooling units, for proper operation and function to ensure they meet current building codes set forth by local jurisdictions.

2. You notice structural issues with the property.

There are a few reasons why you should get a home inspection. One reason is if you notice any structural issues with the property, such as cracks in the walls or ceiling. If these are not discovered before you buy the house, they can lead to problems later. For example, if something is wrong with your foundation and wasn't disclosed during an inspection, this could cause severe problems after moving into your new home. This could lead to you needing to make a claim. To learn more, here are some requirements of submitting a claim when it comes to property damage. 

3.  An insurance company points out a potential issue with the property.

If an insurance company points out a potential issue with the property, it's time to call in your inspector. Insurance companies recommend home inspections before insuring a property. They want to ensure that it's safe for you and your family.

Insurance companies can also help you negotiate on price if there are problems with the home. For example, if there are water damage issues in the basement or ceiling from flooding or heavy rainstorms, your insurance company may be able to convince the seller to lower their price.

4. Some doors or windows have been painted shut.

While this may not seem a big deal, it signifies moisture intrusion. This can lead to mold and mildew growth inside your home, which can cause health problems and damage your house's structure. A home inspector can give you the right tips and solutions to help make your home safe, for you and your family. 

5. The home you are looking at is older than 50 years​

If the home is older than 50, you should get a professional inspection before purchasing it. Homes built in the 1950s were not constructed to today’s standards and could have various issues ranging from lead paint to asbestos and mold. Newer homes will generally be more energy efficient, saving you money on utility bills.

After going through all seven reasons above, hiring an inspector would be worth your time to ensure you have a safe and comfortable home if even one applies to your situation.

DIY Pest Control Tips

Are you finding unwanted pests in and around your home? When it comes to maintaining a pest-free home, you can always call a professional like Trusted Pest Management, or you can try to tackle the issue yourself. There are many DIY options available, often using items around the house. Here are some tip on how to maintain a pest-free home.

For Common Pests

Ground coffee can do so much more than provide you with your morning kick-start, it can naturally repel ants. By sprinkling coffee grounds in the cracks near your windows and doors, it will provide a barricade against ants that is both effective and hardly noticeable.

For bigger pests, such as rodents, a cocktail including one tablespoon of peppermint castile soap, a dash of cayenne pepper combined with eight cups of water will keep them away from your home. Simply spray around the edges of your floors, between any floorboards, and it will work lie coffee grounds to ants.

Cockroaches need a spicier alternative to ward them away from the house—2 tablespoons of very hot sauce (such as tabasco) mixed with a litre of water and sprayed on problem areas will see them disperse in no time.

Bigger Problems

Sometimes, when dealing with pests more serious than your typical house ant, the remedy requires extra creativity. Termites, while being commonly found in many houses with wooden foundations, can cause irreparable, or costly, damage to your home. To rid your home of termites, a combination of four tablespoons of grape jam, three tablespoons of cat food and a tablespoon of a low-toxicity acid and spread over problem areas or potential nesting places, so long as these are out of reach of household pets. The worker termites will consider this food and use it as offerings for the queen and her offspring. The colony will gradually die, though the supply of the bait might need to be topped up for each batch, as well as in the warmer months when they are more likely to repopulate.

If bed bugs have decided to bite, there is a simple remedy that will let you sleep through the night. Combine a teaspoon of both peppermint and rosemary oils with two cups of water, and thoroughly spray your mattress, the floor surrounding your bed, even your sheets for good measure (before washing them).

If your pets are feeling the pain of pests, particularly fleas, you will likely find them in your home as a result. Sprinkle carpets and rugs with baking soda and salt, leaving overnight and vacuum the following day, removing fleas thoroughly. To give your pet some relief from itching and skin irritation without chemical shampoos, a few sprays of diluted lemon juice will kill any fleas and freshen their coat.

As you can see, the key to pest management can usually be found within household items. However, once a pest situation becomes severe or unmanageable, or the fixes detailed above are no longer having the same success, you are best to call a professional exterminator.

Top 5 Common Mistakes When Setting Up a Home Gym

Getting in a good workout is a must for many of us – it’s not only a way to relax and reduce stress, but it usually leaves you energized for the whole day and improves general health.

However, going to the gym can sometimes seem like a chore – not only do you have to leave home and go someplace, but you also have to deal with the annoying music, crowded areas with sweaty people and lines at the exercise machines.

The good news is, all this can be avoided if you set up a gym at home – it’s much easier than you think and although it requires an initial investment, it isn’t too big and will pay off handsomely after you don’t have to pay for a gym membership.

However, there are things to consider when setting up a home gym, otherwise you might end up spending much more than you really needed and have a gym that’s simply uncomfortable.

Here are 5 things you must take into account when you buy home gym equipment:

Our Mini Gym at Home

1. Buying Equipment without Proper Planning

When you decide which room in your house will become your personal training station, the first thing you must do is make all the proper measurements and plan ahead where will you place all the equipment.

This starts out with you getting measurements of the room, thinking about what equipment you’ll be getting and measuring space for it to fir in.

Remember to take into consideration that even if the equipment fits by itself, you’ll need to have comfortable range of motion when using it, so plan for that as well.

2. Not Doing Proper Market Research

Even though you probably can find the simpler things like barbells, weights and dumbbells pretty easily, there are things that you need to look at carefully before making a purchase.

Cardio machines or cable machines greatly vary in price, and for good reason – you really shouldn’t buy the cheapest models, because they are usually made out of cheaper materials and will end up breaking when used extensively.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t go and shop for gym equipment online and find the best prices available, but you should still understand that materials do matter, especially in machines that are exposed to high levels of stress during use.

 

3. Buying Equipment that You Don't Need

It's common to want to fill your home gym as much as possible - after all, when you're setting it up, you're thinking that you'll be using everything.  The truth is that you don't need all that unnecessary faddy gym equipment.

Stick with the basics - barbell, weights, dumbbells, a rack and a bench.

Of course, you might need more things depending on your personal preferences, but be sure that whatever you get you'll be using in your workout routine, otherwise it'll just be taking up space.

Also, don't fall for the always advertised all-in-one multi exercise machines. These rarely, if ever, deliver what they promise and end up costing you a fortune and never really showing results for it.

4. Not Considering Appropriate Flooring

Remember that you don't go to the gym to read, you go there to have an intense workout, so you're probably going to sweat quite a lot.

That's why it might be a good idea to set up appropriate flooring - consider that you'll have to wash the floors often, so a carpet is probably not the best option, as well as tiles.

A good choice is getting rubber flooring - it's easy to wash and will be easy to maintain.

Additionally, consider that accidents do occur, so if you ever accidentally drop a barbell, a tile floor would probably be permanently damaged, while a rubberized floor can cushion the fall.

5. Not Making the Gym Comfortable

When setting up a home gym, sometimes people are overwhelmed by the equipment and spacing issues and forget about perhaps the most important aspect - you'll be spending your time sweating through grueling workouts and you'll need all the motivation you can get.

So you have to think not only about the equipment, but also about the look, the feel and the atmosphere of the home gym.

That means that setting up a stereo for music is essential to pumping you up during the workouts, as well as having the look and feel of the gym constantly motivating you to push yourself further - whether with posters or pictures, you'll need that nudge when you're trying to finish that last rep.

Also, remember to place a mirror so you can see yourself while working out - not only will this help with motivation and tracking progress, but it's also very important when keeping an eye on your form, so you perform the exercises properly.

A home gym, when set up properly, can become the place you can leave all your everyday worries and focus on yourself – a place that you can set up anyway you like, to suit your personal needs.

Consider these simple tips and avoid the mistakes that could turn out costly. A  home gym is a special place for any man and it must be prepared properly -  if you’re setting one up, you better do it the right way.

Michelle Forsyth is a self-employed writer and blogger with a BA from Melbourne University. When Michelle is not writing or blogging she spends time with her two kids and spends time shopping online. Her favorite website to score some good deals is OO.com.au!