As a follow-up to
our What Projects First? post, we’re going to look at personal safety issues when
considering what repair and renovation projects needs your attention in a
fixer-upper.
That old adage “you
can never be too careful” certainly applies when it comes to your safety in an
older home. Start by bringing in a certified home inspector to look for problem
areas. Home inspectors will find things you never thought to look for, but be
sure that you mention these specific areas so you know they’re addressed.
Electrical
If your home is one
of those eclectic structures built before 1930, then there are probably some
remnants of outdated wiring still hanging around. Old electrical systems are
not equipped to handle the output of today’s modern conveniences, and an
overload can spark a fire. Additional electrical issues that are of concern include:
- Missing breaker panels
- Outlets located in the bathroom, kitchen or exterior that are not GFCI
- DYI electrical alterations done incorrectly
- Junction boxes left open in the attic
- Improperly sized wiring
If you have any of
these issues within your home, don’t try and take on the repairs yourself. Only
a licensed electrician can properly address such concerns and drastically
reduce the risk of fire. By trying to fix these problem areas on your own, you
may actually increase that risk.
Carbon Monoxide
Leaks
Until units are
updated, older homes have older furnaces, water heaters and stoves, many of
which may be gas powered. According to CNN, common sources of carbon monoxide in the home include:
- Poorly vented kerosene and gas space heaters
- Leaking chimneys and furnaces
- Back-drafting from furnaces
- Gas water heaters
- Gas stoves, wood stoves and fireplaces
- Generators and other gasoline powered equipment
A leak in one of these
units, even a small one, or ventilation problems can produce lethal amounts of
carbon monoxide over time. Additionally, carbon monoxide poisoning can result
from gas appliances failing to burn correctly or an incomplete burning, which
is evident with a yellow flame, rather than a blue flame.
As such, another
top priority when you purchase a fixer-upper is to replace a furnace, water
heater or stove that’s more than 15 years old. And even if the units don’t
quite hit that benchmark, you should have them checked for leaks. Also, just as
you have smoke detectors, every home should have carbon monoxide detectors
installed near stoves/furnaces and bedrooms.
Structural
Integrity
When you hire a
certified home inspector to look at the place, he’s going to tell you when
something is not built to suit the local building code. The City of Springfield, Missouri adopted
the International Building Code 2012 for residential and commercial structures. The City of Nixa, Missouri has its
own building code regulations for single and two family residences. It’s important to
note that, before you have anyone make changes to the structure of your home,
you need a permit from whichever municipality you reside in.
Suffering
structural integrity may also be the result of water or insect damage, which an
inspector would likely discover also. Everything needs to be examined,
including a deck – make sure its attached to the home properly and the boards
are sound. The last thing you want is your child’s leg going through a board
that looked okay, but turned out to be mush from years of water damage.
Next week we’ll
address protecting your home from future damage. In the meantime, contact HA
Construction for assistance if you need to get started on the personal safety
issues you need to address in your home.
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