Keep an Eye Out for These Summer Home Maintenance Issues
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It’s so hot, y’all. I know the last thing you want to hear is someone telling you to strap on a tool belt and get outside to survey your property or fix something, but the thing is, there’s stuff you need to look out for when it gets this hot. So drink lots of water and get out there super early or late. Your house needs you! You can do it!
Termite Poop
Really Inspector Brian? Just a wall full of termite poop, and he runs his bare hands right through it. Yikes. Granted it’s basically wood shavings, but it’s the principle of the thing.
I’m finding it hard to get past the poop and arrive at the point here … Right, so termites can be sneaky pests, especially when they turn up in the garage or attic, where you might not find them right away, giving them time to really dig in, so to speak. What begins as surface damage can quickly become structural, and then you’re facing much more costly, more time-consuming problems.
Many people believe that termites are not active during the summer because it’s not swarming season, but the summer heat actually speeds up their metabolism, causing worker termites to forage and eat wood more aggressively.
Those Beautiful Trees
Can’t we just have one thing, Texas summer? Crepe myrtles bloom during much of the summer, making them one of the bits of color in what can be a long, dry season.
Unfortunately, as Inspector Travis points out, since many people plant them up against their house, they often grow branches out over the roof (or into the gutters), making them hazardous to the structure. Having that bridge is also conducive to termites and other wood-destroying insects.
I’m Melting!
While it’s not exactly the case in the video, oftentimes during the summer, the extreme heat can cause similar repair issues. Things literally start to come apart in the heat, like a spigot coming unsealed or a drainpipe coming apart and detached from the wall. The stuff that holds your house together can overheat and melt or disintegrate.
Your home is your biggest investment, and you have to take care of it, even in August in Texas. It’s part of adulting. If you have questions about the weird stuff happening to your home in this heat, you can get a home inspection anytime, just reach out to the inspectors!
