There are several common problems with homes that seem to always need to be taken care of at one point or another. It could be odors, noises, aesthetics…but whatever it is, we don’t want it to happen and when it does, we want to know how to fix it stat!
Pealing paint: Caused by moisture under the paint, either caused by leaks or a steamy bathroom. Catch the source or moisture as quickly as possible to prevent serious damage, such as rotting walls. Quick fixes are scraping off the paint, prime and just repaint that area. Cheap. Easy. Done!
Flickering Lights: If it’s just one light bulb, it may be loose in the socket or might just need to be replaced. If lights dim when other appliances are used, your circuit may be overloaded. If groups of lights flicker, it may be that your electrical panel is loose, which can be very dangerous and can likely start a fire. Tighten loose connections with switch boxes. If you’re too nervous to mess with the electrical wires and connections yourself, always play the smart card and call a licensed electrician to come take a look.
Noise inside a wall: Bugs. Yuck! If you suspect something may be making a home within your home, tap on the walls and then put your ear to it to see if you can hear little things scurrying around in there. How to fix this? Call pest control!
Loud knocking: Do you hear a loud noise when you turn off the water? It’s the fast-moving water coming to a sudden halt without having an air chamber to catch the shock waves. If this happens when your furnace turns on/off, the metal ducts are expanding/contracting due to the change in temperature. The water issue — call the plumber. The duct noises — sorry, Charlie — it’s how it goes sometimes.
Toilet tank refilling on its own: Is water continuously trickling through your toilet? First try to untangle or loosen the flapper so that it doesn’t seat completely. If that doesn’t work, you may just have some worn out parts that need to be replaced, but fortunately, this is a cheap repair.
Musty odors: It’s probably mildew, caused by humid indoor air allowing moisture to form on cold surfaces. You can keep the air moving wtih a small area fan or purchase a small dehumidifier to take some of the moisture out of the air.
Smelly running water: Either there is bacteria that causes a rotten-egg smell is growing in your plumbing or there are water heater problems. To help detect, pour a glass of water and step away from the sink. If you can’t smell anything odd in the glass of water, it’s like the bacteria is in your drain rather than your faucet. Pour a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution in your drain to get rid of the bacteria. If the smell only occurs when you’re running hot water — you know it’s a problem with the heater. A plumber can disinfect your heater. If all the water in your home smells funny, contact the city utility services or health department.
Bad-tasting tap water: Certain sources of water may be higher in mineral content than others, altering the taste of water. This can also be a result of too much chlorine in the water. If chlorine is your issue, call the city’s water department — they may have done too good of a job disinfecting. An under-the-counter water purifier will help remove minerals, odors and bad tastes from water.
Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com
www.archwoodproperties.com
