16 Home Repairs You Should Never, Ever Ignore

16 Home Repairs You Should Never, Ever Ignore

Cheapism / undefined/istockphoto / real444/istockphoto

Don’t Sleep on These Fixes

Maybe you’ve noticed a warped floor, standing water in the yard, or mold on the walls. Don’t just grab some cleaning tools and hope a good scrub or clean will solve your problems. These signs of a bigger issue shouldn’t be ignored.

Yellow cordon tape warning of asbestos danger at the entrance to a house being renovated.Yellow cordon tape warning of asbestos danger at the entrance to a house being renovated.

georgeclerk/istockphoto

1. Asbestos

Is your house more than 50 years old? If you have a radiator or steam heat, there’s a chance you have asbestos pipe insulation, too. Wondering how you can tell? Your pipes will look as if they’ve been wrapped in plaster. If that’s the case, call a professional. Removing asbestos is not something you should ever do yourself.

Dilapidated deck in a backyardDilapidated deck in a backyard

PapaBear/istockphoto

2. An Unsteady Deck

An estimated 6,000 people are injured each year due to deck collapse, so make sure your deck is sturdy. Check that it’s attached with lag bolts or screw bolts and not just nailed to the siding. If you’re not up to the task of making your deck safe (or it just needs to come down), call a contractor.

Texture of rusty two-color reddish and green old shabby oxidized metal, iron with bulbted peeling and green paint and patterns, background.Texture of rusty two-color reddish and green old shabby oxidized metal, iron with bulbted peeling and green paint and patterns, background.

undefined undefined/istockphoto

3. Peeling Paint

Your exterior paint and interior paint present different problems when they peel. For interiors, older homes could have lead-based paint, which means a professional should be called. One good indicator: See if the paint is peeling off in rough squares. If so, you probably have lead-based paint.

Exterior paint is a less fraught situation, but requires some work. Scrape down the wood, then apply primer. Don’t repaint until it’s dry. This will require patience, but you won’t have to do it again for decades.

Close-up Of Water Is Leaking From The White Sink PipeClose-up Of Water Is Leaking From The White Sink Pipe

AndreyPopov/istockphoto

4. Leaking Faucet

Don’t waste water! Check under your sink to make sure nothing’s leaking, even if the faucet isn’t dripping. Catching a leak will not only save you from paying for water you aren’t using, it will save your cabinets (and whatever you have inside them) from water damage.

Roofers installing new roof on houseRoofers installing new roof on house

redtea/istockphoto

5. A Wavy Roof

If your roof looks like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss story, take note. While it could mean the materials in your roof have dried out — an ugly but mostly cosmetic problem — it could also mean that something is broken, rotten, or a connection has come loose. In that case, you should call a pro for help.

Tansciossa Stair TreadsTansciossa Stair Treads

Amazon

6. Wobbly Stair Railings

This sounds like a scary movie come to life, but if a stair railing in your house does more than wiggle, it needs to be fixed ASAP. You can tighten the railing’s attachment to the wall yourself if the railing isn’t too long, but otherwise, call a professional.

Water down the drain of kitchen sink.Water down the drain of kitchen sink.

Bill Oxford/istockphoto

7. Smelly Drain

If you notice that a sink in a bathroom you don’t often use is smelly, it could just be that the water in the U-shaped pipe under the sink has dried out. Try pouring a quart of water down the sink and leave the room for a few hours. If that works, pour a teaspoon of vegetable oil down the drain to keep the water from evaporating in the future. If that doesn’t solve the problem, a plumber can check to see if your vent pipe has become blocked by something.

Rust PipesRust Pipes

real444/istockphoto

8. Dripping Basement Pipes

Because most basements are cooler than the rest of the house, warm air coming from inside can condense on your pipes. This can lead to annoying dripping, but also mold. Make sure vents to the outdoors are closed. Foam pipe insulation will help, too.

Welsh cottage covered in Virginia Creeper or five-leaved ivy (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).Welsh cottage covered in Virginia Creeper or five-leaved ivy (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).

onfilm/istockphoto

9. Vines Climbing Your Walls

Yes, ivy can look elegant, but it can also trap moisture, rot wood, and attract rats (really). Mold can also become a problem depending on where you live. Vines can even splinter and weaken brick mortar. Have to have ivy? Either trim it back so it doesn’t get into windows or gutters, or (better yet) put it on a trellis, not your house.

Person in protective orange gloves unblocking a clogged sink with plunger or rubber pump. Close-up, selective focus.Person in protective orange gloves unblocking a clogged sink with plunger or rubber pump. Close-up, selective focus.

Evgen_Prozhyrko/istockphoto

10. Gurgling Drain

Don’t let a slow drain become a bigger problem. If yours is gurgling or draining slowly, you might be able to fix this problem on your own. If the cause is a blockage, use a snake ($5 from Amazon) or a plunger to get things moving again. If you can’t get at the problem, call a plumber.

HVAC SystemHVAC System

Wikimedia Commons

11. Noisy Air Conditioner

We don’t mean the usual sounds of an HVAC unit humming away. Be worried about banging, thumping, or squealing. Strange (and loud) sounds suggest a problem with the air conditioner’s belts, blower motor, or compressor. For any of these, call an HVAC technician.

Everett WA. USA - 03-23-2021: Crew Installing New Shingles on Roof on a Rainy DayEverett WA. USA - 03-23-2021: Crew Installing New Shingles on Roof on a Rainy Day

Cindy Shebley/istockphoto

12. Damaged Shingles

If your roof has a damaged shingle, that means moisture can get under the shingles, which can lead to bigger problems. If you can put in a few shingles, this is an easy fix that will head off major headaches (and expenses) later.

Standing water in yardStanding water in yard

beekeepx/istockphoto

13. Standing Water in Your Yard

After a heavy rain, you may notice puddles that aren’t disappearing in your yard. After a few days, that’s a problem. Whether you have poor drainage or uneven grading, if the water is near your home’s foundation you can bet moisture is finding its way into your basement. Consider a French drain or re-grading your yard.

hardwood floorhardwood floor

Rouzes/istockphoto

14. A Buckling Floor

Sure, floors settle, but if yours is looking warped, check your basement or crawlspace to find out if there’s a bigger problem. A leaking toilet can cause water to seep into the subfloor. Or worse, if someone removed a structural support, you might have to do a bigger repair.

MoldMold

carlpenergy / Flickr

15. Mold

While you can expect mold in moist areas like the bathroom, if you spot it on your living room walls, call a professional. An independent inspector certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the American Council for Accredited Certification can tell you whether you can clean it up yourself or whether it’s best left to professionals.

Close-up young rats (Rattus norvegicus) sniffs leftovers on a plate on sink at the kitchen. Fight with rodents in the apartment. Extermination.Close-up young rats (Rattus norvegicus) sniffs leftovers on a plate on sink at the kitchen. Fight with rodents in the apartment. Extermination.

tenra/istockphoto

16. Mice and Rats

If you see droppings, it’s time to close any gaps in your house — and then exterminate the invaders. Check exhaust vents, ducts, and garage doors (and anything else that provides access to your house) and look for signs of chewing, poop, or nesting. Rats can be especially tough to get rid of, so you may want to call an exterminator.


For more smart household tips,
please sign up for our free newsletters.

This article was originally published on Cheapism

Peeling paint and leaky pipesPeeling paint and leaky pipes

Cheapism / undefined/istockphoto / real444/istockphoto

More From Cheapism