Be on the Lookout for These Old Home Problems

If you are thinking about purchasing an older home or have recently done so, then odds are you’re planning on renovating it. You’ll want to invest in your historic renovation in Atlanta by adding custom details and features as well as fixing any problems and upgrading any out of date elements. The following are some of the potential problems that you should keep an eye on, as left unfixed they can lead to serious and often times expensive problems.

• Many old homes were built without a drainage system around the home’s foundation, meaning that rainwater and groundwater have no where to go. This leads to dampness getting into the crawl space or basement of your home, which in turn can cause mold and mildew.

• Older homes may suffer from weakness in the joists or from a sinking foundation. Look for cracks in the foundation that are horizontal and that are wider at the bottom. These are signs that the foundation is experiencing severe settling. You should also be wary of post-and-pier foundations, since they provide absolutely no earthquake protection – and no location is completely immune from seismic shift.

• Asbestos is often found in older insulation, roofing, siding shingles, textured paint and more. While many of these features no longer use asbestos, older versions did. Asbestos is not harmful unless these elements are deteriorating as it can cause serious health concerns when airborne.

• Buried heating-oil tanks should be removed, or at least capped, if your home has been converted to gas or electric heat. Otherwise, it could corrode and leak into the ground, thereby polluting the soil.

• Lead paint can cause very serious health problems in humans (usually children) and should be removed. If you are planning to renovate and your home was built before 1978, make sure you hire a Lead-Safe Certified contractor in accordance with EPA guidelines.

For historic renovations in Atlanta, be sure to contact us at Renewal Design Build today.