House Guru

Top10 Home Repair Tips

2010-01-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

Solving The Square Footage Puzzle

2010-01-08T19:45:00.002-05:00

American Measurement Standards

2010-01-08T19:39:00.004-05:00

DIY Home Inspection - How to Recognize and Inspect Foundation Problems

2009-12-29T22:21:00.000-05:00

The foundation walls are connected to the top of the footings. The purpose of a foundation is to carry the weight of the house structure down through the foundation to the footings.

Whatever their construction, (concrete, brick, concrete blocks, etc.), foundation walls crack because of lateral force, settling, heaving or uneven loads (more weight than designed on a specific section of the foundation), of the foundation walls. Natural forces such as earth quakes can also be a contributor in earthquake regions.

To begin your inspection, use a pad and pencil while observing the exterior foundation. Make notes of cracks and their locations. When inside the lower level, you will want to try to locate them on the inside. If the crack goes entirely through the foundation it may be a red flag. Small hair-line cracks that do not go through the foundation wall are common and nothing to worry about; they may have been caused by shrinkage of the concrete or mortar joints.

A found crack sometimes has a similar type crack on an opposite wall of the foundation. Similar cracks on opposite walls may have the same cause, with the exception of horizontal cracking caused by a lateral force.

Types of Cracking

Vertical and 45 degree cracking is usually caused by settlement and heaving. Horizontal cracking is commonly caused by side pressure on the foundation, such as hydrostatic pressure (a lateral force). Surface cracks that do not go entirely through the wall and with no signs of displacement are not normally a structural defect. Isolated vertical cracks that do not extend to the lower edge of the foundation wall are usually shrinkage cracks. They are caused by the concrete shrinking during curing.

Causes of Horizontal Cracking

The foundation should act as a retaining wall, resisting lateral pressure of the soil on the outside of the basement or crawl space. If the foundation does not provide enough lateral support, the walls will deflect inward and create horizontal cracking. Some of the causes are foundation walls that are too thin or do not have, (or not enough), reinforcement, such as rebar in the concrete foundation, backfilling the foundation too soon before the foundation has a chance to fully cure, or during back filling if big stones or hard frozen chunks of ground were dumped against the foundation.

Causes of Heaving Foundations

Heaving cracks in foundations made out of brick, blocks, or stones,(not concrete), will generally have cracking in the form of a step, called “step cracking”. Step cracking usually follows the mortar joints in these materials.

In concrete foundations, cracks from heaving are usually vertical and are wider at the top of the crack than at the base.

Some areas of the country have expansive soils, which increase in size when they absorb water, causing heaving cracks. Moisture added to dry expansive soils, say from a sudden down pour, will drastically change the volume of the soil and cause serious heaving problems as well as structural damage in some cases. When the expansive soil dries, the shrinkage can also cause a pulling effect on the foundation. The method of prevention is to maintain the soil moisture content, by keeping the soil as dry as possible along the foundation. This can be achieved by proper grading around the perimeter.

Causes of Foundation Settlement

Settling of the soil under the foundation is usually the cause of settlement cracks in the foundation walls. Cracks caused by settling resemble cracks caused by heaving, except the crack is wider at the lower end of the crack.

If a crack is active the crack may still be moving, (getting bigger, etc.) To identify an active crack, it will have sharp edges, clean inside of the crack and sometimes with bits of concrete still in the crack. Old cracks will have dust, dirt, paint and insect parts in the crack.

To determine the severity of a crack or its cause, it may need to be evaluated by a geotechnical engineer. Large cracks 3/8″ wide should be carefully examined. Cracks can be measured by the engineer, to determine if it is moving or if it is stabile. Many times Home Inspectors call on the services of an engineer, to be sure the foundation is sound. As a past Home Inspector, I have been surprised several times to find questionable cracks were sound without a concern. I was always glad it was verified for the sake of the buyer or yourself in your case.

What to look for inside the house structure:

Doors and windows that are stuck and misalignment (gaps)

Foundation settlement can cause doors and windows to be come misaligned. This can be seen when observing the edges around the windows or doors, where they close. Look for gaps larger on one side than the other. This can help determine where the settling is occurring.

Cracks in the walls

Settlement will usually cause wall cracking. Settlement cracks are wider on one end than the other. Let it be known wall cracking can also be caused by the house expanding and contracting through its seasons. If there is no evidence of foundation defects and there is wall cracking, it, more than likely, is caused by the latter.

Sloping or tilting floors.

I have learned during my home inspection career that most people will not notice sloping less than 1/8″ slope per foot. 3/16″slope per foot is noticeable to most people. A family living in an older home for a long time might not notice sloping even if severe. We tend to adjust to gradual sloping over time.

If there is doubt, use a level to determine if the floor is level. Floor elevations should be recorded for future reference in the inspection.

Unless the sloping is substantial or extensive remodeling is planned, the best repair would be to stabilize the foundation. Extensive re-leveling in an older home may cause more than expected damage to the interior walls, ceilings, doors, windows and cabinetry.

If the home has been stabilized and future movement is unlikely, buyers will often accept the uneven floors.

This article was written to act as tool to guide and assist a DIY Inspection on foundations. Gary wrote the BAIR (Building Analysis Inspection Report) System, which is a DIY Inspection that consists of a lot of instructional detail (a guide) written about any of the many components found in the home. The BAIR System has instruction on how to inspect a foundation and explanations on the findings; this article will help with more information, if needed.

Review and download at: [http://www.bairsystem.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Fuller

Credit Repair: Before Buying a House - Repair Your Credit

2009-12-27T13:02:00.000-05:00

Credit repair is often a confusing term. The word repair throws a lot of people off of the actual meaning. This could mean either correcting the mistakes already present in your credit report or improving your credit score by inculcating better financial habits.

This entire exercise of repairing your credit assumes significance as you prepare to buy a house, as all mortgage related approvals depend on your credit report or score. The loan could be rejected because of either bad reports or a low score.

First way of repairing your credit, which involves correcting mistakes already available on your credit report is often a daunting task when compared to the second option. You need to get your reports from the credit reporting companies. As you scan through these reports, note down the points that need rectification. Send an error report to the companies and ask for rectification of the same before these are re-submitted to the banks who are willing to give you mortgage loans. This is more often an administrative exercise and needs constant follow-up with the companies concerned.

The second option which involves inculcating better financial habits to improve your credit score is a long term strategy and is aimed at improving your financial status on the whole. The reports might be accurate but scores low. This could be due to some incidents of the past, which are affecting your credit score. The past incidents could be default of loan payments, application for bankruptcy in the past or any such financial setback experienced. You can improve your scores by being more financially responsible. Steps like ensuring on time bill payments, credit card payments, loan payments, are a few steps that can improve your score and help in getting the mortgage for your house, without any hassles. The only hitch in this case is that you need to start the entire process of repairing your credit score much in advance as short term steps shall not help in improving your score and you need to prove that you can sustain the good habits for a long duration.

Bad credit reports or credit score scan still get you a mortgage loan, but on high non-prime interest rates, some thing like the sub prime cases that have spelled doom for the real estate markets in recent past. Hence, this form of credit is mostly rejected by banks nowadays fearing defaults and related problems. In fact poor credit results in interest rates that are almost two times the normal interest rates.

Simple steps on repairing your old bad credit and building a new credit takes some time, but is worth the pain and effort, as all matters related to financial transactions are connected with your credit reports and hence have a big impact on your daily life and major purchases, like your dream home.

June at Desert Wide can get you Florence Homes for Sale and Fountain Hills Houses for Sale

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ravisankar_Poduval

Kitchen Miracles

2009-10-22T19:22:00.000-04:00

The kitchen has traditionally been the heart of the home. It remains so to this day. Most family members consider the kitchen the home base. Except late at night, for most activities the odds are that at least some family members and friends can be found in the kitchen at almost any hour of day.

The kitchen is also an endless treasure trove of useful tricks to solve even the most perplexing dilemmas within minutes. There's a solution for almost any household problem somewhere in the kitchen!

If you’ve been cooking with odorous ingredients like garlic or fish, rub your hands with a stainless steel utensil under running water. The smell will magically disappear!

If pans have burnt-on food, fill them halfway with warm water and add three tablespoons of salt or baking soda. Let them sit overnight. In the morning, bring the pan to a boil, then let it cool. The burned food should wipe away without much effort.

If you have stains on your hands after working with paints or inks, cut a potato in half and rub the cut end on your the stains on your hands. In minutes the stains will be gone.

Potatoes aee also good for another kitchen solution. Place a raw, peeled potato into an over-salted dish. Allow the combined ingredients to cook for five minutes. The potato will absorb the excess salt.

To sharpen the blades of a coffee grinder, toss in a handful of rice every few months and grind the rice up. This procedure cleans and sharpens at the same time.

If your children have spilled glue on furniture or put decals and stickers on furniture and other items around the house, don't run for expensive remover solutions. But there is a simpler solution right out of the kitchen.

Apply a moderate amount of vegetable oil to the glue, decal or sticker. With a soft, clean cloth, apply a moderate amount of pressure. Slowly rub the offensive material off and away.

Vegetable oil does not damage furniture while removing glue and such. Unfortunately, even some of the best selling commercial products on the market cannot guarantee the same safety.

Think Outside the House

2009-10-22T15:45:00.001-04:00

This video has nothing to do with houses and real estate value. It has everything to do with invention.

Healthy Food Choices

2009-10-12T14:02:00.000-04:00

Kelley Herring
Editor in Chief
Healing Gourmet
Nearly every disease that plagues modern man begins with what is on our plate. Most people are digging their own graves with a knife and fork.

But this DOES NOT have to happen. And it certainly does not have to happen to you and those you love.

You can change the course of your life and chart the course of your health with a few simple choices and a handful of easy changes.

You can lose weight effortlessly. You can prevent disease in your body. You can reverse the symptoms of disease that may already be there. You can feel GREAT and have abundant energy!

Click Here to Invest in Your Copy of Your Plate, Your Fate

Healing Gourmet’s Your Plate, Your Fate is a collection of downloadable e-books and reports. Because no physical products will be shipped, there is no waiting and you can get started right away. After you order, you will receive INSTANT ACCESS to download everything on your computer. The e-book format is adobe acrobat PDF, which can be viewed on Mac or PC. This program is NOT available in stores. You can only access it through this website.

Herb Gardens

2009-10-12T11:55:00.000-04:00

Studying herbs can be a challenge.Our ever expanding collection of e-learning programs presents you with the best practical ways to make herbs work in your life.

The SA Herb Academy short courses and e-learning programs are intended for busy people who cares about their health and the environment and who want to develop a working knowledge of the various fields in herbology.

The courses in our prospectus give you the perfect introduction to each field of study. They range between 4 and 12 weeks in duration and most only require 2 to 3 hours per week to complete. And because your study material is delivered via the internet these courses are extremely affordable.

DIY Solar Power

2009-10-11T23:02:00.000-04:00

Why pay for expensive electricity when you can build your own solar power system and save a fortune!

DIY - Do It Yourself

Here is the simple answer to your questions about saving by using solar power.

Buy Indian Real Estate Now?

2009-10-08T20:26:00.000-04:00

From this source:

“Improvement in the overall economic sentiment coupled with liquidity due to a recent upswing in the equity markets have renewed consumer confidence in real estate,” says Sukhraj Nahar, chairman, Nahar Group. “Residential real estate in particular has always been a safe investment option. It holds true even today,” he adds.

The article is from the Economic Times, an Indian source. But somehow I am not impressed by the article. One minor point that fails to impress me is that even though the article is published in an India newspaper website it illustrates the story with pictures from the US. Maybe I'm being too cynical.

Property Investments in India 2007 Style

2009-10-08T19:32:00.001-04:00

Hmmm, how many of the ideas expressed in this video still have merit? Time flies. A person can never step into the same river twice.

Sex Offenders

2009-10-05T14:23:00.003-04:00

Find out whether there is a sex offender living in your neighborhood (in the US). Forewarned is forearmed.

Buy or Rent?

2009-10-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

There is a very informative computer system available at no cost to compare the costs of buying to renting a house in India that expresses costs in rupees. To use this FREE program you will need Microsoft Excel. If you don't have Excel you may use OpenOffice, a free word processing program available for download anywhere in the world.

Once you install Excel or OpenOffice, download this program. If you download the program it will combine with Excel or OpenOffice and present an easy-to-understand calculator. Plug in your numbers and in mere moments you will be able to determine the relative costs of buying or renting.

Free Floor Planner

2009-09-17T23:28:00.003-04:00

Sign up here for a free Floor Planner program suitable to plan spaces as small as tiny apartments and as big as luxury houses. The program advertises itself as

The easiest way to create and share interactive floor plans

Plans can be drawn in two or three dimensions. They're working on more dimensions ;-)

It's free, so what could go wrong?

There are at least three free alternative programs that help you design rooms and interiors:

SeeMyDesign
Ikea's SpaceMaker [this is the dorm room version, but follow the links for more versions]
MyDeco

With all this free help available start working on your space now!

Spices Fight Germs

2009-09-10T10:11:00.002-04:00

According to this study:

Oregano, allspice and garlic essential oils (EOs) can be effective, natural barriers against E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science....

In addition to adding flavor to our lives, herbs and spices fight germs. This study opens a window into a new, and potentially pleasant world. In the future not only will we enjoy herbs and spices for their taste benefits, we will also be encouraged to eat them to improve our health.

An earlier study by the same group found similar beneficial properties in cinnamon, allspice and clove. Mmmmmm. Everything possible should be done to encourage these people to continue their work. As the list of antimicrobial spices grows many stomachs get happier.

Not that herbs and spices are the only edible products which have been found to have anti-microbial properties. They have also given the green light to apples and tomatoes as germ fighter. Go for it!

Honey To The Rescue

2009-09-10T09:49:00.000-04:00

Honey may reduce healing times in patients suffering mild to moderate burn wounds.

That is the conclusion of this article, which continues a long string of studies which demonstrate that humble ordinary honey is a kind of minor miracle-worker.

In this study honey was used on a number of different kinds of wounds, not just burn wounds. Compared to the usual treatments, honey speeded up healing in burn wounds. It did not, however, work as well on other kinds of wounds. In those cases, the usual kinds of treatments worked as well or better than honey.

The mechanisms which cause this healing improvement is not yet known.

Indeed, honey has been used as a treatment for burns since ancient times. The news of this study only confirms what people have known for millenia. In general, the study also confirmed the safety of the use of honey in this usage. Different kinds of honey produce slightly different results. Some researchers are trying to zero in on which kinds of honey are most effective to treat burn wounds.

Indoor Plants May Be Toxic

2009-09-07T14:05:00.000-04:00

A very preliminary study found that indoor plants may give out toxic chemicals into room air. Many people assume indoor plants are valuable because they help clean room air. This study found that idea is true to some extent, but the benefits of indoor plants may not be total.

The researchers used four species of common house plants. They sealed samples of each species into containers that measure incoming and outgoing air. The plants otherwise went through normal light and watering cycles found in most houses which keep indoor plants.

The results of the preliminary study were that the plants were found to remove some volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the air. But the plants gave out some VOCs from their containers, suggesting that there are possible downsides to some household plants.

But careful analysis found that some of the VOCs from the experiment's containers were not caused by the plants themselves. Some of the VOCs were caused by organisms in the soil in which the plants were planted. Other VOCs were probably caused by the pots in which the plants were planted. In this case, the pots were plastic, which in this case was associated with VOCs.

As reported above, this is a preliminary study. There is much research yet to be done before useful information can be found about the toxicity of household plants. For example, no warnings were issued by the researchers about removing household plants in general or the specific species used in this study. So far, at least, it doesn't seem as if the VOCs emitted or given out by household plants is a serious danger.

But there are a lot of species of plants which have not been studied so far. And a lot of other variables to study before serious conclusions can be reached about the safety of house plants. Indoor plants almost certainly will be found to be beneficial. But there may be a few surprises yet to be discovered about house plants.

Tea Prices To Rise

2009-08-30T19:14:00.004-04:00

From this source:

The price of tea in the Middle East is expected to rise in the coming months, according to experts of the Dubai Tea Trading Center (DTTC).

In a statement released recently, DTTC said the price hike stemmed from a drop in tea harvest following droughts in the growing countries and the drop in the use of fertilizers in 2008, due to their increasing price as a result of the rise in oil prices.

Three countries--India, Sri Lanka and Kenya--account for 60% of the global production of tea. All three suffered weather problems, and fertilizer prices went up in all three countries because of the sudden increase in the price of oil. Tea production dropped about 20% in each of these countries.

Consumers all over the world will be pinched by this price rise. Not only is tea popular all over the world, recently many health experts and gurus have been lauding the health properties of tea, increasing its appeal a notch higher.

Fortunately, tea in sealed storage containers can stay fresh a very long time. People reading the news here can prepare for the coming price spike by buying a year's supply in advance. For the most part tea is quite affordable, so putting away a good supply of tea is a proposition within the economic reach of most people. Special precautions are probably not necessary. Kept in a cool, dry place for a long time does not harm the taste of most tea.

Party Poopers

2009-08-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

From this source:

Burning candles made from paraffin wax –– the most common kind used to infuse rooms with romantic ambiance, warmth, light, and fragrance –– is an unrecognized source of exposure to indoor air pollution, including the known human carcinogens, scientists report.

Environmentalists want to kill romance.

After spending several hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers' money to do this study, the authors admit that occasional candle burning--even in unventilated rooms--is not a serious problem. They go on to say that burning paraffin wax candles in unventilated rooms for years and years just might be a bad thing, maybe, sort of. With the money these researchers pocketed for this nonsense study they can go out and buy more expensive candles and laugh all the way to the bank.

In The Dumpster?

2009-08-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

From this source:

The nation's home foreclosure epidemic may be taking its toll on Americans' health as well as their wallets. Nearly half of people studied while undergoing foreclosure reported depressive symptoms, and 37 percent met screening criteria for major depression, according to new University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine research published online this week in the American Journal of Public Health. Many also reported an inability to afford prescription drugs, and skipping meals. The authors say their findings should serve as a call for policy makers to tie health interventions into their response to the nation's ongoing housing crisis.

This study follows the pattern of typical studies ginned up to encourage more government intervention into people's lives. The pattern is usually as follows: find a problem that most people recognize as a problem, find some casualties, suggest that some kind of new program will reduce the casualties, advocate the creation and funding of the new program. Stir and repeat.

As everyone knows, going through hard times, such as foreclosure or the loss of a job or spouse, cause some people to feel bad. In this case, the bad feelings are identified as depression--sometimes minor, sometimes major. But note the ginning up of the statistics. This study reports that less than half the study participants reported 'depressive symptoms.' What are depressive symptoms? For the purpose of studies such as this a depressive symptom could be something as simple as checking off a box on a questionnaire that asks if you feel bad. Truly, simple as that. If you feel bad after receiving a foreclosure notice you demonstrate a depressive symptom.

Actually, come to think of it, who doesn't show a depressive symptom after receiving a foreclosure notice? It is an odd person indeed who doesn't show at least some signs of depression after receiving a foreclosure notice. Which raises another question: How in the world did less than half the participants in this study NOT show depressive symptoms after receiving a foreclosure notice. Is this study trying to imply that most people are so dense that even a threat to their homes doesn't get them to notice and react?

The next step, after getting a warning foreclosure notice and reacting by feeling bad (or not reacting, which most people in this study seem to do) is action. This study found that people who show depressive symptoms tend to not be able to afford prescription drugs and tend to skip meals. We'll leave the meals aside for a moment, since we have no baseline data. Are people who receive foreclosure notices over- or underweight? Is the loss of a meal good or bad for their health? Is there a correlation between obesity and foreclosure? We don't know and won't speculate here. Let's just say that skipping a meal or two or three is not a serious issue for most Americans. Until proven otherwise, the inclusion of the loss of meals in this study seems trivial and/or unnecessary.

Prescription drugs. Is it any wonder that people in an economic crisis such as foreclosure tend not afford or choose not to afford prescription drugs? If they can't afford the roof over their head is it likely they'll have spare change to afford prescription drugs? Two things can be said about the affordability of prescription drugs.

One, many, if not most, prescription drug manufacturers have programs to make their drugs available at low or no cost for people in economic tough straits. All a person in economic trouble need do is apply to the manufacturer's program. Manufacturers are very willing to ride in on a white horse and help people in trouble. In fact, it makes a lot of sense to apply to these programs because they very often make the drugs available for free. That kind of makes it better for people to be poor than to be average economically. The poor often get for free from manufacturers something that can cost the average person quite a bit.

Two, more and more studies have been published recently which indicate that most prescription medications for depression don't work. They do not do much better than placebos (sugar pills). There has been quite a bit of debate recently about the effectiveness of prescription depression medication, so not exposing more people to them might be a very good thing. Over the counter medication, alternative medications (such as herbal and ayurvedic) may work just as well as those expensive prescription drugs. This question is up in the air at this period of time. So encouraging something that might do more harm than help (at the very least, might do more economic harm to the buyer in foreclosure tough times) is questionable medicine.

Of course, the linked article suggests new, expansive, expensive government-funded programs to 'solve' this problem--the problem of cheering up the fewer than fifty percent of the population going through foreclosure who feel bad. There is zero evidence that programs such as the kind of thing recommended in the linked article work. There is zero evidence that people want this kind of government-sponsored intervention in their lives, especially during weak moments. There is no evidence how much such programs cost and how much they will add to the tax burden, thus causing even more people to be unable to afford housing because their money is being siphoned off for these unproven but sure to be elaborate and expensive programs.

Suggestion: be wary of advocates of expensive new programs that attempt to treat problems that people have dealt with for centuries in the past be their own means. Some people want to take away your liberty to line their pockets in the guise of their 'doing good.'

Cricket Problems

2009-08-19T18:47:00.003-04:00

An ebook on the topic of crickets is available here.

Crickets are not usually thought of as hazardous. In most places they are nuisances at worst. In some places they are welcome. Their chirping is appreciated by many. They are sometimes caged and kept as pets in some parts of Asia.

They can cause problems. They can destroy certain fabrics, especially silk and woolens. If they sneak into a home in large numbers they can devour a wardrobe quickly. For that reason, many people try to control them, as this ebook demonstrates.

For those of you comfortable with the Fahrenheit temperature scale, there is an interesting relationship between cricket chirps and temperature. Count the number of chirps in 40 seconds and add the number 40 to determine the temperature. It's true.

Investing In Indian Homes

2009-08-18T21:37:00.002-04:00

A very slick, well-written ebook on investing in Indian real estate written by a major American bookkeeping firm Deloitte can be found by clicking here. The book is very encouraging. Unfortunately it was written in 2007, so it missed most of the unfortunate economic circumstances which we are presently in the midst of. But I am sure there is much useful information in this ebook that makes it worth reading nevertheless.

Indian Solar Powered Homes

2009-08-18T21:28:00.001-04:00

Someone had the bright idea of installing solar powered lighting in Indian homes. A description of this experiment in ebook form can be found here.

Does Citronella Work?

2009-08-16T12:09:00.004-04:00

Many people believe citronella candles keep mosquitoes away. This belief doesn't hold up under close inspection.

Citronella candles are a coomon item in many homes. They are burned to repel mosquitos and other flying insects. But careful research shows that the kinds of candles most people use do not work. They are too weak to keep mosquitos away.

Oil of citronella does repel mosquitoes. But it takes a lot more oi than is found in almost all candles. In fact, most citronella candles are no more effective than any other kind of candle in keeping mosquitoes at bay.

The most effective insect repellent is a the chemical DEET, which is found in most commercially available insect repellent products. The chemical has been available for several decades and has not been found to be harmful to humans in most of its applications.

Other products which work better than citronella candles include topically applied (that is, spread on the skin) oil of lemon eucalyptus and insecticide foggers. NEEM seed oil or neem oil has also been found to be more effective than DEET by researchers in India.

There is also a simpler solution to the problem of keepingmosquitoes away: fans. Mosquitoes are not very strong. They have trouble flying in heavy breezes. Fans usually create breezes too strong for mosquitoes to fly in.

An additional benefit of fans is that they push away the body odors and the carbon dioxide that usually attract mosquitoes. If the mosquitoes can't find you, you're much safer. And happier.