3 Maintenance No-Nos

From water damage cover-ups to dismissing small foundation cracks, homeowners may be trying to hide certain household issues. But a little routine maintenance can help prevent some situations from becoming bigger issues.

1. Painting over water damage.

A fresh coat of paint can help work wonders in a property but it won’t fool a home inspector. We notice that homeowners paint over water damage in many properties we inspect. The most common areas are surrounding a shower in a bathroom or on a ceiling. Water damage can be a sign of leaks. If rotted wood is behind the fresh coat of paint, the paint often will promote more rot and not fix it. Only once the leak is fixed should homeowners paint over the damage. Bob Vila recommends first cleaning the stain with bleach, apply a coat of stain-blocking primer, and then paint over it.

2. Failing to change the HVAC filter.

The longer a homeowner goes between changing their HVAC filters, the more stress you put on your system. This can cause more debris to build up in the vents and ducts too. Instead, you should change your filters about once a month, if you have pets or use their HVAC system every day. Otherwise you can swap out your filter every three months.

3. Disregarding small foundation cracks.

Even a small crack in your foundation could prove problematic. If a dime can fit into the crack, it could potentially lead to significant leaks. We recommend homeowners fix any small foundation cracks—at least 1/8’’—with spray or waterproofing paint. For anything bigger or if any doubts, we recommend calling in a professional to take a look

.