GUTTERS: About 2,500 gallons of water will come from a 1,000 square foot roof with one foot of snow depth across the roof. This much water can cause problems if allowed to drain next to the house. Make sure your gutters are clean, free of leaks, and can carry water at least 10 feet from your foundation.

WET BASEMENT: Snow melt water can cause a wet basement if allowed to run down along the basement wall. If the ground is sloped 1 inch per foot near the house, moving the snow just 3-5 feet from the home will reduce problems.
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS: Keep your most important documents and photos in water proof containers and keep them somewhere they will be accessible at all times.

HAVE A PLAN: Finally, always have a plan in place, so if your home does flood, everyone will know where to go and who to contact.

Here are some great links from the State of Utah on flooding risks and management.

http://publicsafety.utah.gov/emergencymanagement/floodplain.html

http://www.pweng.slco.org/flood/

Plumbing is often overlooked in preparing your home before heading out… but failed plumbing can ruin your vacation and your home.

Here are some tips to put your mind at ease while you’re away relaxing.
• Turn off the water main shut off valve to your plumbing system.
• If you can’t turn off the main plumbing valve, shut off individual valves under sinks, behind toilets, at the Reverse Osmosis unit, behind the refrigerator and behind the washing machine.

• If the water heater is in good condition, turn the thermostat to vacation on a gas water heater, or for an electric water heater, turn the breaker off at the electrical panel.
• Do you have an indoor hot tub? It may be wise to drain the water to prevent any leaks or electrical malfunctions
• And don’t forget to walk around the outside of the home to make sure nothing is leaking before you leave the house.

When you return home, remember what areas of your plumbing system you turned off and turn them all back on. Once the water is turned back on, you may get some bursts of air so let the water run until the air blasts stop.

As a side note…the number one claim on homeowner’s insurance is water damage with the top three items being:
1. Washing Machine Valves or hose failure
2. Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System that gets older and the lines break
3. Sink or toilet valves breaking off and leaking

So you may also want to check with your insurance agent on whether water damage from appliances or some other source around your house is covered by your homeowners insurance.

Here’s a great video from the DIY network on how to prepare your home for vacation.

If you ever need to make an insurance claim a detailed list of all the items destroyed, damaged, or stolen is required. Most people know they should document their home’s contents for insurance reasons, but what and how to document is the question.

HOW TO CONDUCT A HOME INVENTORY
To start, choose one room of your home and make a detailed list of every item contained within the room. Your insurance company will need certain details to complete the claims process including:
• A description of the item
• Quantity
• The manufacturer, model and serial number
• The purchase price and date
• Estimated or appraised replacement value
• Copy of receipt if available

Do this in each room and include photographs and/or video of the items you inventory. Be as thorough as possible in your documentation. Even if it seems redundant to include both video and still images, the video footage will enhance your claim by showing the items as they appear in your home and the photos will provide detailed information.

Don’t forget to include the attic, basement, garage and exterior areas of your home including patio furniture, decks, landscaping, etc.

STORING YOUR INFORMATION
Load your video footage, digital photos and worksheet onto a CD, DVD, or portable flash drive. Make two copies of your home inventory report and store them at secure locations outside of your home in a safety deposit box or with your insurance agent. You may want to include a copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy with the inventory.

POLICY LIMITS
So what is and isn’t covered, and are there coverage limits? To find out quickly, look at the Declaration Page of your policy. This is a summary of your coverage.

Also look at the exact description of your property on this page. If you have made improvements to your home by finishing the basement, adding a deck, upgrading appliances, or installing new flooring, and have never updated your insurance policy, you may run into trouble if you ever need to make a claim for a loss. You may need to talk to your insurance agent about any extra coverage to adequately cover your home.

Although no one wants to experience any of these events, it’s important to document the possessions in your home and protect your assets in case of an emergency.

PROPANE GAS GRILLS:
The most dangerous time to use a propane grill is at the beginning of the barbeque season, so make sure connections are secure before turning on the gas, especially if the grill hasn’t been used in months.

To inspect for a leak, spray a soapy solution over the connections and watch for bubbles. If you see evidence of a leak, reconnect the components
and try again. If bubbles persist, replace the leaking parts before using the grill.

Always ignite a propane grill with the lid open, not closed. Propane can accumulate beneath a closed lid and explode.

When finished, turn off the gas first, and then the controls. This way, residual gas in the pipe will be used up. And make sure to completely turn off the gas when you are changing the tank. Even a small gas leak can cause a deadly explosion.

CHARCOAL GRILLS: Charcoal Grills can pose a serious poisoning threat due to the venting of carbon monoxide, so never use a charcoal grill indoors, even if the area is ventilated.

Use only barbeque starter fluid to start the grill, and let the fluid soak into the coals for a minute before igniting them to allow explosive vapors to dissipate.

Never add the fluid to an open flame. The flame can follow the fluid’s path back to the container as you’re holding it.
Fill the base of the grill with charcoal to a depth of no more than 2 inches.

If you’re looking for something new, check out these BBQ recipes from the Food Network. The Best Backyard BBQ

With all of the recent rain we have been experiencing,   basements have become prime targets for moisture problems.  Wet basements can damage walls and flooring, ruin photo albums and become a breeding ground for molds.

 So the first question is…where is the water coming from?  Could it be from surface water running down foundation walls, or groundwater being pushed into the basements from water-saturated soils?

The first time you experience basement water problems, check for surface water draining against the foundation.  If water is coming in at only one location from the exterior foundation wall, you are most likely experiencing a surface water problem.  Here are some things to look for:

GUTTERS - Managing water run-off from your roof is the most effective method to prevent a wet basement.

• Are gutters overflowing because they are blocked with leaves?
• Does the home have enough downspouts?   If not, add another one, or increase the size of the downspout.
• Do the downspouts extend 10 feet from the home?
• Have paved areas next to the home settled and now slope towards the house?
• Are joints properly sealed where the pavement abuts the house?

SOIL GRADING – Grade is the slope of the ground. Your house should be at the highest point so water will always flow away from the foundation. Any pooling of water against the foundation will lead to a wet basement.

• Does the ground around the home slope away at least 10 feet?
• Are there depressions in the ground next to the home? 
• Do the sprinklers hit the home? (If so, you may want to change this area to a drip system).

SUBSURFACE GROUNDWATER - If you don’t see water on the surface, your may have groundwater entering the  basement through hydrostatic pressure.  This happens when groundwater levels outside the basement rise above the level of the floor.

• Hydrostatic pressure pushes water through hairline cracks.  Just think of your basement as a boat on a pond.  Any cracks or holes in the boat would take in water.  Basements react the same way.
•  Underground springs cause the same problems.  The best way to control subsurface groundwater is to install some type of perimeter drain system to relieve hydrostatic pressure.
• The groundwater is pushed into the drain system where the water drains by gravity into a sump pit where it is discharged

 DRAINAGE SYSTEMS – The best way to control water from entering a basement is to install a drain system.  There are two basic types of drain systems for wet basements.

•  A perimeter above-slab gutter system installed at the base of the exterior foundation walls on top of the floor slab is one option. It doubles as a base material for the wall.
•  Another option is a below slab perimeter drainage system. The below slab system requires the partial removal of the concrete floor slab and installation of drainage pipe.
•  And sometimes, something as simple as a sump pump can handle the job

If you are experiencing water intrusion in your basement, you may want to consult an experienced contractor to determine the best application of these ideas for your home

What Is A Home Inspection?

A home inspection is an evaluation of a home’s condition by a trained expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy. The inspector will evaluate the physical condition: structural elements, construction, foundation, drainage, basement, exterior, garage, roof & attic, plumbing, systems and components, electrical and mechanical, systems, heating and cooling systems, walls, ceilings, flooring, along with many other things.  The report should identify items that should be repaired or replaced, and estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems (such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning), equipment, structure and finishes.

Home Inspections Are Not Appraisals

A property appraisal is a document that provides an estimate of a property’s market value. Lenders require appraisals on properties prior to loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property. Appraisals are for lenders; home inspections are for buyers.

Is Your Inspector Certified?

Home inspections can vary dramatically from inspector to inspector, because the State of Utah has no laws requiring licensure, certification, or registration of home inspectors.  When hiring an inspector, make sure they are a seasoned professional. A certified home inspector is a member of a reputable organization, like NACHI, ASHI, & NAHI which are certification associations that ensure the inspector meet strict guidelines and standards of practice for the home inspection industry  and be up-to-date on the latest information and industry practices.