THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408220238
SECTION: HAMPTON ROADS WOMAN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
THE BROWN STAIN on your kitchen ceiling grows every time you shower. Your 3-year-old leaned on your front door and knocked out your flimsily attached deadbolt.
The drip-drip-drip of your kitchen faucet is driving you mad-mad-mad.
Sounds like ``home-repair'' time.
It's a specter that freezes the hearts of many, particularly those who didn't play with power drills and ratchet sets as kids. It also can do a nasty number on the checkbook - not many people include in their monthly budgets thousands of dollars to, say, rebuild a foundation.
With such costly repairs lurking under each home's roof, the experts say knowing what needs fixing and when a pro is needed can save lots of money in the long run. Plus there are simple things that virtually anyone can do to help prevent the worst problems in the first place.
Think caulk.
Homeowners can - and should - caulk around their bathtubs, showers, sinks and faucets to seal these fixtures as often as every year. Use an inexpensive caulking gun and follow the directions on a tube of caulk or in any of the many home-repair books available at libraries or bookstores.
``I've gone into more houses to repair ceilings because of (cracked) caulking around tubs,'' said Thomas C. Smith, a member of the maintenance crew at Maple Bay Townhomes in Virginia Beach and a handyman with My Super Inc. ``Every time you step into your tub, you're going to separate your tub from your tile.''
Despite caulk manufacturers' claims that their products last anywhere from 10 to 50 years, Smith said it invariably dries out and cracks quicker. At less than $3 a tube, caulking is a good annual investment, he said.
``If you replace it every year, you'll never have damage to the rest of your house,'' he said.
The wax seals around the bases of toilets dry out in 10 to 20 years, leading to slow leaks and ruined floors. It's not a particularly complex job to replace the seals, but toilets are heavy and the job may best be left to a plumber, said Dan Swain, general manager of Master Contractors of Virginia in Norfolk.
``For 50 or 60 dollars they can save themselves thousands of dollars in repairs,'' he said.
Homeowners should keep keep an eye out for discolored or buckling tile around the toilet base, or a black buildup of algae and mold indicating dampness, Swain said.
Remodeling water-damaged bathrooms for $4,000 and $5,000 generates a lot of work for area contractors. But water is also the culprit in many foundation problems, such as where homeowners build up plant beds so high they send water toward their houses' bases instead of away from them.
In many other cases, gutters clogged with leaves cause water to back up and rot the wood flashing beneath the roofs. More expense. If the roof's eaves hang out a foot or more from the house, it might be better to go gutterless.
``Keeping those gutters clear is important,'' Swain said. ``If not, tear the gutters off and don't use them. . . . Especially if you've got some flower beds up close to the house, they'll absorb all that water and you won't even notice it.''
Leaking faucets can be fixed by popping the tops off the spigots and tightening the exposed screws. New washers, gaskets and O-rings - the waterproof seals inside the faucet - cost a couple of dollars to replace. The entire faucet can be replaced in 30 minutes by just about anyone who can read directions. Because a leak can lose up to 18 gallons of water in a month, such repairs or replacements can be money-saving investments.
So could buying some basic tools. Flat-bladed and Phillips head screwdrivers. A 6-inch crescent wrench. Pliers, particularly locking ones. A hammer and saw to tackle building projects. And a decent flashlight.
The screwdrivers could be used, for instance, to check the length of the screws holding the strike plate for a deadbolt lock, what police recommend to foil burglars. Most of these locks come with and are installed using just 3/4-inch screws, which pierce only the easily shattered door jamb. Replace them with 4-inch screws to dig more securely into the door frame, said Daniel L. Skittlethorp, owner of Homeowners Service Co. in Chesapeake.
He also advised homeowners to be realistic about what repairs they think they can make themselves. Everyone wants to save money, but contractor estimates are free. Sometimes noticing potential problems and handing off projects to the pros actually can save money.
``We stay just amazingly busy correcting problems homeowners brought on themselves,'' Skittlethorp said. ILLUSTRATION: JANET SHAUGHNESSY/STAFF
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NECESSARY TOOLS
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB